Following 12 months of festival cancellations, the environmental group, Planet Purbeck is bucking the trend and launching a new eco festival in and around Swanage for September 2021.
The inaugural week of festivities will take place from Monday 20th September through to Sunday 26th September 2021.
It’s hoped by the organisers that the Planet Purbeck Festival will become an annual event, celebrating community spirit and inspiring people to take a more active role in enhancing and protecting our natural environment here in Purbeck.
The group says it’s aiming at having lots of fun, while at the same time increasing awareness of the challenges presented by climate change and the measures required to combat them.
Tourists visiting Old Harry Rocks during summer 2020
Encouraging true ecotourism
It will also be looking at encouraging true ecotourism, so visitors can enjoy Purbeck’s beauty and wildlife without spoiling the area for those living here.
Planet Purbeck says this is particularly pertinent given some of the shocking behaviour last year that left plastic and other rubbish strewn all over our beaches.
Along the theme of ‘coast, countryside and community’, there’s plans for film and music shows, nature tours, wildlife workshops, competitions, sports, demonstrations and food and drink stalls offering local produce. There will even be some beach yoga.
There will be lots of talks to encourage volunteering and how everyone of all ages, particularly teenagers and younger children, can get involved.
Swanage Downs, looking towards Peveril Point
“A brilliant natural area that deserves to be nurtured and protected”
Festival organiser and Swanage resident, Doug Skinner said:
“The response has been overwhelming. We want to make Purbeck an example to the whole country as a thriving green and sustainable economy – and judging by the support we are already getting, it looks like we are on track to make it happen.
“We want to make the festival a fun-packed and stimulating annual event to help us all in Purbeck to appreciate and improve our environment – and to make others who visit us realise it is a brilliant natural area that deserves to be nurtured and protected.
“When you think about it, what more could we aspire to than cleaner air, more wild spaces, less traffic, efficient energy use and terrific local food produce?”
Planning is still in the early stages
Planning is still in the early stages but those who have pledged to contribute to the festival include Sustainable Swanage, the National Trust, Durlston Country Park, Swanage Churches Together, Greengage Community Garden, Leeson House and Swanage Town Council.
Doug Skinner says that he’s still looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly, so anyone who wants to get involved, should contact him at events@planetpurbeck.org or go to Planet Purbeck’s website
The sun setting over Swanage Bay and Nine Barrow Down
