A new all-day festival for children up to the age of 11 and their families is set to take place in June at the Milntown Estate in Ramsey.

The Go Wild Festival will enable families to explore, create, and discover as they step into a world of wildlife where ‘imagination blooms and nature inspires’.

The festival has been developed by Manx Wildlife Trust in collaboration with Hello Little People, marking MWT's first-ever arts festival to support wildlife conservation.

Hello Little People is a theatre company specialising in creating productions, commissions and community engagement projects for young people and families.

Founded in 2020, the company is co-created by Michelle Jamieson and Chloe Shimmin, and it aims to ‘give young people a voice’ and ‘connect audiences to nature, place and community’.

The project has been made possible by the Isle of Man Arts Council's extraordinary event fund, and supported by Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and by financial services business Hansard Global.

A spokesperson from the festival commented: ‘The festival aims to celebrate creativity in the wild while educating and inspiring children about wildlife in the Isle of Man.

‘What makes this event truly special is its comprehensive approach to engaging families with nature through the arts, with activities for all ages ranging from captivating children's shows full of sound, music, and colour to creative workshops and live music performances.

‘The event will take place across the beautiful grounds of Milntown Estate, with both outdoor and covered areas ensuring the festival can proceed in most weather conditions.’

The full programme for the festival is set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Graham Makepeace-Warne, head of engagement at MWT, said: ‘We’re thrilled to launch the Go Wild Festival, an amazing opportunity for young people to connect with nature while having fun.

‘This event is all about sparking a lasting love for wildlife, and by collaborating with Hello Little People and Milntown Estate, we’ve crafted a festival that encourages families in the Isle of Man to immerse themselves in the wonders of our natural world.’

Chloe Shimmin, joint artistic director of Hello Little People, added: ‘Go Wild is where creativity and nature collide in the most incredible way.

‘We’ve designed this festival to ignite imaginations and deepen connections to creativity and nature. Every activity is hand-picked to provide the most magical experience.’

The festival will run from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, June 22, featuring a wide range of activities, workshops, and shows – all included in the ticket price.

Prices are £15 for adults and £12 for children, while children under the age of one get in free.

A limited number of tickets are available at £5 each for families who might otherwise be unable to attend, and to find out more about this, you can email [email protected].

To find out more about the festival and book tickets, you can visit hellolittlepeople.com