WWT Dragonfly Festival is launching this summer!

Launching on 21 June by WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, the summer celebration of dragonflies offers a unique chance for festival goers to make special memories and begin a lifetime of connection with this magical and exotic world.

Attendees, young and young-at-heart, will be welcomed WWT Arundel’s festival hub, marking the start of an immersive experience in wetland nature where they can pick up a festival kit, including spotter sheets and challenge cards, to get their imagination running wild and ready for adventure.

From there, they can wander through a wildlife-filled wetland world, uncovering the secret lives of dragonflies that dwell in these blue spaces or design a dragonfly masterpiece in a creative workshop. Go pond dipping and discover the wonderful world of minibeasts living below the surface or take part in dragonfly challenges and giant outdoor dragonfly-themed games.

WWT Arundel has been designed to get people up-close to nature and festival goers will discover so much more to wetlands than meets the eye. They can embark on a dazzling dragonfly adventure while enjoying a dragonfly safari by boat. Clamber and scramble to their heart’s content in the Pond Skater play area.

Further memory-making moments and spectacular headline events will be announced on the WWT Arundel web page as the festival continues, so that everyone can revisit and continue the festival fun all summer long.

Claire Hogben at WWT Arundel said: Dragonflies play an important role in our wetland ecosystems, so a summer-long festival is a fitting way to celebrate these dazzling creatures of the natural world. We have a wonderful line-up of exciting, fun activities and hope that many will take this opportunity to enjoy everything on offer."

Suzi Lanaway, Reserve Manager at WWT Arundel adds: "Dragonflies are the stars of WWT sites during the summer months and at WWT Arundel we have 25 different types of dragonflies, damselflies and demoiselles living here.

The WWT Dragonfly Festival offers a wonderful opportunity to not only have lots of fun this summer but learn everything there is to know about these wondrous winged insects and the wetlands we passionately protect, for them and all the other amazing creatures that thrive here.”

Participation in the WWT Dragonfly Festival at WWT Arundel is included with the price of admission and is free to WWT members. More information, including line-up announcements and reduced-price ticket availability for the WWT Dragonfly Festival and its summer celebration of the wonderful world of dragonflies can be found at wwt.org.uk/arundel