MOVIE MAGIC

We begin the summer in style with a cinematic treat – our first ever outdoor movie night.

We start with Disney’s classic animated telling of the Robin Hood legend at 4pm and the medieval blockbuster A Knight’s Tale at 7pm.

Tickets (per film) are £10 for adults and £7.50 for children (£8 and £6 respectively for RSPB members). Children aged two and under go free.

Book your tickets for Robin Hood and A Knight’s Tale.

Let The Jousting Commence

Weekend Two is all action with the fabulous Knights Of Nottingham, who will be putting on a dazzling Robin Hood-themed show on Saturday and Sunday.

Magician Nathaniel Bagshot will have you mesmerised with his tricks and conjuring, and circus performer Helter Skelter will be greeting our visitors and mingling with the crowds.

There’ll be storytelling harking back to the days of Robin Hood from Robert of Wentbridge, while the Wythe Retinue will provide a fascinating recreation of life in the Middle Ages.

If it all sounds like it’s all under control, don’t worry. The hilarious Medieval Maniax return on Sunday and Monday to cause comedy chaos.

STEP BACK IN TIME

By popular demand, we tone things down for weekend three for a few days of quiet enjoyment of the forest.

But there’ll still be plenty of action with our Medieval Sports Day for those with an insatiable competitive streak, no matter what period of history it is!

We’ll have the Lord Thomas Stanley Retinue here, bringing the Tudor period to life in their brilliantly-observed and well-armed encampment.

There will be trails and bug hunts too for families to do.

THE HEROES’ RETURN

It’s jousting time again! We are thrilled to confirm the return of the incredible equine skills display team The Cavalry of Heroes

They take centre stage across the weekend with their spectacular show of horsemanship to tell the story of Robin Hood’s battles with the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham.

The age of the Wars of the Roses are re-enacted by the superb Ferrers Household with their cast of wonderfully-skilled craftspeople, demonstrating the traditions and ingenuity of the 15th Century.

We’ll have spellbinding performances from fire-eater What A Palaver, who also promises “juggling, danger, excitement and stupidity” too!

Multi-talented children’s entertainer Bill Brookman will also keep you on your toes, and if that wasn’t enough, there’ll also be medieval mischief from Simple Tom and music from the Crazy Dutch trio.

Viking invasion!

This is the weekend when the Vikings land to celebrate the forest’s Norse past. The formidable Regia Anglorum bring their incredible recreation of Norse culture to Robin Hood’s Sherwood.

One thing’s for sure – there’ll be some fearsome battling going on – and some great helmets!

There’ll be the chance to explore the forest at night with our Twilight Tales too (pre-booking details to follow soon).

NATURE’S HOME

We bring everything up to the present day with a weekend dedicated to the work of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which has managed the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve since 2018.

As well as finding out about the hugely important work of the UK’s largest conservation charity, there will be lots of fun, activities and games, not to mention great advice on how to care for wildlife in your own home and community.

MEET THE OUTLAWS

We finish the summer in style with another fabulous weekend of things to keep visitors entertained and intrigued.

We are delighted to be working with Nottinghamshire County Council, which will be hosting the Nottinghamshire Day Festival on 27th August. You can find out all about what will be happening on the day here.

Our great friends the Sherwood Outlaws will be here all weekend to act out the legend of Robin Hood.

We’ll welcome back the 15th Century re-enactment troupe the Lord Thomas Stanley Retinue, comedy duo Medieval Maniax, storyteller Robert of Wentbridge and magician Nathaniel Bagshot.

Prices

With the exception of the outdoor cinema event (see above), all other events and shows are free, although there is a charge for some activities, such as archery.

Parking charges

Parking on event days is £10 per vehicle per day for all visitors. This includes RSPB members because these are special events.

These days are:

• 23^rd and 24^th July – Knights of Nottingham event
• 4^th-7^th August – Cavalry of Heroes event
• 13^th and 14^th August – Viking Invasion event
• 27^th-29^th August – The Sherwood Outlaws event

On all other dates, parking is free for RSPB members and £5 per day for non-members.

Entry is on a first come, first served basis. To make it easier, why not use the PaybyPhone app before you arrive on the day you plan to come along to fast track entry to the car park?

Our location code for PaybyPhone is 806294.

Please have confirmation of your purchase available on your mobile phone or device for checking.

You can pay for parking with cash or by contactless device at the pay and display machines in our car parks.

Start and finish times

Unless stated, events and activities will be taking place across the reserve between 11am and 4pm on each day.

Safety first

Please take care whilst enjoying this busy event. For your safety, please:

• Take care near the archery stand – stay behind the rope barriers and never walk behind the targets.
• Stay behind the fencing in our arena whilst watching the tournaments.
• Supervise children at all times
• Keep dogs on leads
• Be aware that some shows feature loud bangs
• Take care of valuables on site and do not leave anything on display in your vehicle.

First aid

First aid facilities and assistance are available. Please ask a member of staff or follow the signs.

Public toilets

There are only toilets at the Visitor Centre, which also has accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility. There are no toilets in the forest.

Alternative facilities are available at the Sherwood Forest Art and Craft Centre (opposite the Visitor Centre) or in Edwinstowe village

Refreshments and souvenirs

Our Visitor Centre has a selection of refreshments, including snacks, sandwiches, and hot and cold drinks. Ice creams available at the Major Oak. Pop into our shop or visit one of our festival stalls for a souvenir of your day!

Picnics

Have fun enjoying a picnic around the site but please ensure you dispose of your rubbish responsibly and consider taking it home to help keep our forest clean and tidy during this busy event. Barbeques are not allowed anywhere on site, including the car parks.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed at the festival but please be aware it is a very busy event and may not be a comfortable environment for some dogs. They must be kept on leads at all times and cannot be left in vehicles. Please clean up after your dog and use the bins provided around our nature reserve.

Limited mobility

We have a motorised scooter for hire at the Visitor Centre at £2 per hour which must be pre-booked by calling 01623 677321 or emailing sherwoodforest@rspb.org.uk.

Bad weather

The festival is an outdoor event and performances or events may need to be changed or cancelled at short notice.

Photography

Please note there will be photography and filming at the event throughout the week. The RSPB and our partners will use this for promotion of the event, on our website, social media channels and marketing materials. If you do not wish to be in any of these photos, please avoid the photographer or speak to our team for more details.

Need more information?

We recommend you go to the Plan Your Visit page of this website to find out more about coming to the reserve for the Festival.

Alternatively, call us on 01623 677321 or email sherwoodforest@rspb.org.uk