A romantic, energising and immersive summer festival has been curated by the team at Heligan.
Explore the themes of home and belonging through a mix of experiences for all ages, set within the enchanting Heligan estate.
As well as farm walks and family foraging sessions, there will be beaver tours, art classes and ocean view morning yoga sessions, alongside a lineup of wondrous speakers and performers.
For foodies, Heligan’s famous Lost Suppers will be more adventurous than ever, and everyone from the young to the young at heart will discover something fresh, meaningful and exciting.
Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of The Lost Gardens of Heligan, describes the festival’s origins:
‘When Heligan commissioned Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, to write a collection of poems about what the place we call Heligan means to all that share it with us – a world opened up that would end in the launch of his extraordinary, powerful and moving poetry book “DWELL”… It also inspired a conversation about what makes a home a home, where, how and who makes a Home. So, we decided to invite some of our favourite friends and West Country Luminaries to riff on the theme of Homecoming and the Festival was born.’
Music, words, food and the joy of being human are woven into a heady mix by creative, nurturing and inspiring artists in a ten-day programme performed within the gardens and landscape of Heligan.
Simon Armitage, Seth Lakeman, Dawn French, Gwenno, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Patrick Gale, Kernow King, Satish Kumar and many more will respond to the theme of Home, in a unique programme for Cornwall.
About the gardens
The Lost Gardens of Heligan were reclaimed from the brambles of time by Tim Smit and John Nelson, who were the catalysts for a 30-year project that continues to this day. Heligan remains one of the most loved and romantic gardens in the UK, appreciated as much for its beauty and mystery as for the groundbreaking restoration project.
Over 200 acres are now a paradise for the explorer, wildlife, plant lover and garden romantic. Victorian Productive Gardens and Pleasure Grounds beckon, along winding paths laid out over two centuries ago. The Jungle takes you on a sub-tropical journey through bamboo tunnels and under majestic tree ferns, giant rhubarb, and bananas whilst the estate reveals a lost world of traditional and rare breeds, wildlife and ancient woodlands.
Heligan is a garden for all seasons, so whether you plan to visit in the hazy buzz of mid-summer, or the tranquillity of winter, you are guaranteed a unique experience.
Heligan has a number of family-friendly activities, including the south west’s largest outdoor playground, Heligan Play Meadow where energetic kids can climb, slide, and scramble across the natural wooden course. Heligan’s jungle is also home to the Burmese Rope Bridge, where families can explore the UK’s only outdoor jungle.
