Voted Bristol’s ‘Tourism Event of the Year’, the Festival of Nature unleashes the city’s wild side once again this summer, taking over the Harbourside on the weekend of 16-17 June.

The UK’s largest celebration of the natural world, the Bristol Festival of Nature lets loose wildlife enthusiasts of all ages to explore, enjoy, and get close to nature in the heart of the city.

With over 150 organisations offering free activities over the course of the weekend, as well as the Festival market, live entertainment, the 2012 Festival programme is packed with exciting new additions…

• Our biggest ever Festival talks tent, hosting experts and famous faces from the world of natural history and beyond. Latest additions include Countryfile’s John Craven; an interactive look at solving wildlife mysteries with National Geographic’s new Wild Scene Investigation; and BBC The One Show’s Mike Dilger on My Garden and other Animals.

• A chance to get up close and personal with a host of incredible wildlife. See birds of prey in the Green Forum tent, or encounter giant insects with Pete the Bug Man. Visit the new Land and Marine Conservation tent to meet a hedgehog, then explore the marine world with our on-site rockpool.

• Add your voice to the discussion as we consider the future of food in Bristol and beyond at the Growing Connections debate on Sunday 17th June, held in partnership with Research Councils UK. Panellists include Professor George McKay, author of Radical Gardening.

• Explore the Amphitheatre transformed into a pop-up garden. Bring your unwanted plants to our free plant swap and take home a new one in a compostable pot, and learn more about growing your own food in the edible garden.

• Go behind the scenes of the world famous BBC Natural History Unit. Experience being a presenter in front of the grey screen and try filming animals with the latest camera technology. Find out more about the making of Frozen Planet from producer Miles Barton.