Audi presents Wilderness – the renowned celebration of music, arts, and the great outdoors – has announced its expanded programme of inspiring, playful, creative and comical family-focused experiences for its 2024 festival. Set amidst the stunning nature reserve of Cornbury Park, the multifarious gathering in the wild will enchant the entire family.
At the heart of this year’s festivities, a collection of established and respected organisations present a jam-packed programme of brilliant happenings for children: The Flying Seagull Project, Transmission Roundhouse, Tootles + Nibs, Orchestra of Objects and 321 Let’s Have Fun.
Wilderness is the ultimate alternative family holiday, with swimming and an array of other outdoor activities perfect for children to explore across the rolling parkland. There’s world-class food, babysitting services and a dedicated Family Campsite in addition to the sprawling Family Programme. The Cornbury Park nature reserve is spacious and serene, meaning overcrowding is never an issue.
The dedicated Family Field is the epicentre and features a bursting programme of kids’ events: Circus Skills, Theatre Shows, Arts ‘n’ Crafts, DJ Skills, Music Production, Yoga, Games & Challenges, Storytelling, Interactive Installations, Soft Play, Radio & Podcasting, Comedy, Pirate School, Life Drawing, Circus Shows, Clowning, Drag Storytime, Nature Crafts, Raves and so much more. Parents can book Creche Sessions and Private Babysitting.
The Flying Seagull Project is a beloved troupe renowned for its mission to spread love, joy and laughter to children who are underprivileged, marginalised or suffering. They have reached more than 130,000 children in hospitals, orphanages, deaf/blind schools and refugee camps around the world.
The Project works with disadvantaged young people in the UK and across Europe and the Middle East, especially children affected by the refugee crisis. Founded by professional entertainer Ash Perrin in 2008, the UK-based charity currently has over 20 entertainers engaged in arts workshops, music and dance lessons, circus shows and clown doctoring. Their programme is hugely varied, running for three full days with a heavy emphasis on action and fun!
Join workshops like the Seagull Stretch ‘n’ Shine, The Curious Compendium of Forgotten Games, The Nonsensical Circus Show, Bash’s Hula Hoopathon, Kids Comedy Corner – where the kids are on stage doing the stand-up – the Wild and Free Stage Show, the end of the day Balkan Boogie and loads more.
Transmission Roundhouse is an offshoot of the iconic London venue, a dynamic platform empowering young voices and talent. Families can immerse themselves in a vibrant array of workshops, performances, and activities curated by emerging young artists, fostering creativity and collaboration in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Elevate your DJ skills with expert DJ 101 drop-in sessions designed to ignite a passion for music and performance. Learn the art of selecting the perfect tunes, mastering seamless mixes, and energising the dancefloor with infectious beats.
There are specialist Radio and Podcasting sessions, whether you’re a budding broadcaster or seasoned podcaster, with hands-on tutorials tailored to your interests. From crafting engaging interviews to hosting lively discussions, experienced producers will empower you to create your perfect radio show or podcast.
Tootles + Nibs, famed purveyors of festival nonsense, return once again with their Theatre Tent to curate a weekend of family theatre, workshops and performances. Expect comedy, high(ish) drama, dancing and music, all served up with a healthy dollop of daftness and a scoop of silliness.
Step into their whimsical world of storytelling, puppetry, dancing and interactive play with a Bedtime Rave, Scribble Club, make your own Zine at ZineMob, rambunctious storytelling and puppetry at The Patchlarks Storytelling Show, Drag Storytime, Morris Dancing, a Rosette Making Workshop, a Closing Rave with guest DJs and so much more.
In keeping with the long-standing Wilderness bringing landscape theatre to the wilds, this year’s Theatre in the Woods is presented by the vibrant and enterprising outdoor performance company The Fabularium with their show The Hare and The Moon.
All is not well in the tundra of Siberia – the sun has disappeared from the sky! Join The Fabularium Astronomers as they tell of how Leapa the Arctic Hare saved the realm from a villainous beast – a tale of a furry, fearless female who brought the light back to the day and made the night sky glow!
Keepers of calm, Mortimer Nannies are thrilled to be returning for a 13th year. Their experienced team of fun, creative Nannies and Assistants are hosting bookable play sessions all day at their cosy HQ in the Family Field field and in Boutique Camping. With generous Adult-to-Child ratios and decades of experience, children will be safe, happy and have just as much fun as their adults.
The Mortimer Yurt is decked out with vintage board games, fancy dress, toys and cosy nooks with blankets and beanbags. The Nannies will be keeping their charges busy with a range of crafty, fun and sometimes messy activities and outdoor games. By night, it will be time to chill out and snuggle down, with board games by torchlight, storytime, getting arty in the craft corner or simply watching a movie and drifting off to sleep.
There is also a Baby Hub, open to parents with babes, offering complimentary yoga and baby massage, a Tweens and Teens tent open on Friday and Saturday evenings and a 24-hour pre-bookable Private Nanny service. Boutique Campers can enjoy childcare for their Lie-In Club this year between 8.00am and 11.00am.
Brand new, there will be several dedicated Family Hubs in the arena, staffed by Child.org, to provide space for parents to feed and change their little ones whilst on the move.
After the roadblock event last year, The Hustle throws open its daytime doors again for a full-immersion Fancy Dressed Kids Disco. Award-winning children’s theatre company FacePlant Theatre deliver an interactive and immersive theatrical experience where anything goes.
Will you help the bumbling Pirates in Training (the P.I.T.S) on the treasure hunt to find the rave? Or will you help the clueless aliens from planet Drab learn all about being fabulous and show them how to dance to the beats and breaks provided by Brighton-based DJ legend The Glitter Bosher?!
Orchestra of Objects bring a 10-piece interactive, robust, and playful sound installation, with Make and Play (Musical Spaceship) Workshops running all day and one-man band groove interventions from DJ Many Bits (AKA Captain Bongo).
321 Let’s Have Fun is a multi-award-winning family-run business bringing the ultimate toddler playzone to the wilderness. Babies and toddlers can explore, create and play in a safe environment away from bigger kids. Their crew will be on hand to ensure every moment is filled with laughter, excitement, and boundless fun.
Exploring Nature runs children’s green nature workshops using a variety of seed heads, clay and other natural materials in these tactile, fun and educational workshops.
There’s a multitude of family-friendly pursuits to be enjoyed in the wilds of the wider parkland. Alongside Wild Swimming, Boating, Forest Roaming and more, there will be a range of ‘In The Wild’ activities outside the arena, deep in the Wychwood Forest.
Experts of the natural world Reveal Nature invite you to join them on three forest adventures: Biofluorescence Night Walks are guided walks exploring the unique phenomenon where certain organisms emit light in different colours than the ones they absorb.
Armed with UV torches, you’ll encounter a diverse array of species, from fungi to insects and plants. Microscopic Marvels: a unique and fascinating experience exploring the microcosm of nature through the lens of a microscope. Aromatic Adventures: a guided journey through nature, led by your nose and sense of smell, to explore a wide range of local plants and essential oils.
Dubbed the Queen of the New Wave of storytellers (BBC Radio 3), Rachel Rose Reid has travelled the world collecting, writing, and telling tales for children, adults, and families. Raised on a mix of immigrant heritage, English folk music, and the London melting pot, she joins us at Wilderness to cook up an extra-special stew of interactive tales and action songs suitable for 3- to 8-year-olds and their grown-ups on a Story Walk.
Learn to let go and sing it out at the Free Your Creative Voice workshop with Alison Love David. Come together in the woods to workshop your ideas and turn your words into songs. Walk away feeling uplifted, connected and celebrated.
You’ll find family-focussed magic elsewhere around the festival, including The Faraway Fete, brought to you by Tootles + Nibs, where the weird and wonderful traditions of the United Kingdom come to take off their shoes, kick back, relax, and…get weird. Expect a psychedelic version of the nostalgic Village Fair; bizarre fete stalls, eccentric maypole dancing and comedy twists on classic country games.
The Club House and The Playing Fields feature wall-to-wall fun and games and fancy-dressed hijinx for the entire family and, at The Atrium, The Wilderness Family Jam, led by The Red Bandits, is an opportunity for the Wilderness family to come together for an epic jam session – complete with chord sheets, song sheets, kazoos, ukuleles and a tonne of shaky eggs.
With a diverse array of activities, performances, and family-focused experiences, Audi presents Wilderness 2024 promises an enchanting adventure for families seeking creativity, fun and connection in a beautiful setting. The perfect escape for the entire family, join in the adventure and create lasting memories for your little wild ones.
