You’ll be missing out on a treat if you don’t attend the 2019 Bird Fair which kicks off six weeks today.
Laughingly called the Birders’ Glastonbury (Tim Appleton plays the Michael Eavis role) it has less music, fewer people, less campaigning and more wildlife. It’s an event that everyone should try once – and that once will often be enough to hook you for life.
What should a Bird Fair virgin expect to find? Here are a few pointers:
- lots of friendly people
- loads of talks about many aspects of birding, wildlife-watching and nature conservation
- some entertaining quizzes where you can laugh at personalities getting things wrong
- some big lectures with many of the conservation personalities from the media and conservation sector
- many stalls to spend your money on holidays, books, optics etc
- pretty good food and fine beer (at reasonable prices despite the fact that people moan about them)
- a Wild Zone for the young and young of heart
- very reasonable entrance prices and then you may not spend a penny more unless you want to
It is noticeable that Bird Fair has taken some notice of the demand over the years for more gender balance and with Deborah Meaden and Isabella Tree in the line-up progress is being made (well, it looks like it anyway).
I’ll be there for all three days – I wouldn’t miss it. Wild Justice’s Ruth Tingay is speaking on Friday morning, Chris Packham, Ruth and I are doing something on the main stage at Saturday lunchtime and I’m talking on Sunday.
For more information – visit the Bird Fair website and then visit the Bird Fair itself.
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