The 2026 Urban Tree Festival

Saturday 9th May

9.00am - 10.30am Sitting with Trees: A Green Love Letter to Black Elder Women, Webinar - Sitting with Trees: A Green Love Letter to Black Elder Women is a virtual dialogue exploring aging, memory and nature through poetry and lived experience. Time TBC

10.30am - 4.00pm Daily During the Festival - Urban Forest Exhibition - The Urban Forest Exhibition at Art Hub Studios runs daily 10.30am–4.00pm, with late openings on Saturdays 9th and 16th, showcasing tree-inspired artworks exploring London’s urban forest, with a pop-up cafe for drinks and cake run by the student intern team from Goldsmiths University.

10.00am - 11.30am Clemson’s Park - Tree Safari - A gentle, family-friendly outdoor session where children explore leaves and create nature crowns, celebrating trees through hands-on discovery and craft.

10.30 - 12.00noon - Guided Walk: 'Woody': the Story of London's Most Famous Tree - Join us in the City of London as we explore the story of London's most famous tree and its fascinating historic relationship with its urban surroundings.

11.00am - 1.00pm Connect & Create Forest Bathing session, Hampstead Heath - A two-hour forest bathing session using mindful movement, meditation and creative activities to deepen connection with trees and nature.

11.00am - 3.00pm - Greenwich Park: Orchard Open Day - Join the Royal Parks team to explore the Queen's Orchard - home to a wonderful range of fruit trees and rich with history. Speak to experts and take part in a range of activities. Suitable for people of all ages.

1.00pm - 3.00pm - Once upon a time in the woods... - Watercolour workshops by Maria Credali, an internationally acclaimed storyteller and creative mentor, blending traditional tales, visual art and engaging, confidence-building experiences. All abilities.

2.00pm - 3.00pm - The Poetry of Trees: a creative workshop - A creative writing workshop with author Olivia Sprinkel, blending poetry and ecotherapy to explore deep connections with trees and the more-than-human world.

Urban Forest Opening Night - Art Hub Studios - 5.30pm - 8.00pm - The first ever Urban Forest exhibition at Art Hub Studios launches with a lively private view, featuring art, a bar and immersive happenings celebrating trees, creativity and community - all welcome!

Sunday 10th May

10.00am - 2.00pm - Nature & Art in the Neighbourhood - Pioneer renaturing, artist's studio and ancient woodland all rolled into one biodiverse walk in Walthamstow exploring re-naturing, community green spaces, artist Sharon Drew’s work and the veteran trees of Epping Forest.

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

10.30am - 1.00pm - Radicle Tree Walk: Ravenscourt Park - A Radicle Plant Walk in Ravenscourt Park exploring trees through botany, foraging, storytelling and shared reflection with herbal tea.

11.00am – 4.00pm - Hackney Community Tree  Nursery Open Day‍ ‍Join Tree Musketeers for a laid-back day of nature, learning and community at our beautiful Hackney nursery. Whether you’re just passing through or planning to stay all day, there’s something for everyone… more info and line-up coming soon!

11.00am - 12.30pm - Lesnes Abbey Woods - Time Travelling though Nature nature - A circular guided walk through Lesnes Abbey Woods exploring its ancient woodland, from prehistoric origins to Roman, medieval and Victorian history.

12.00noon - 1.00pm (TBC) - Sunshade And Shadow Street Survey, Webinar - Creating comfort zones through mapped tree planting, this project links UK and Nigeria via live dialogue to promote shade, sustainable streets and diaspora-supported planting initiatives. Also on Sunday 17th May.

6.00pm - 8.00pm - Witches & Beeches of Epping Forest: A Walk with Dark Tales & Sinister Facts - A storytelling walk in Epping Forest with Kamila Wielebska, uncovering its ancient trees, eerie folklore and dark histories.

Monday 11th May

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

12.00noon - 3.00pm - Community Fungi Cultivation / London Mycology Project -Join us at Art Hub Studios for a practical, low-tech mushroom cultivation workshop exploring sustainable growing methods, with hands-on activities and a take-home reusable grow kit. Also on Sunday 17th May.

12.15pm - 1.45pm - Tree Song Project | Community Singing Workshop - A lunchtime singing workshop with Phoebe Coco and Sarah Williams-Robbins, using tree-inspired songs to connect voice, nature and community in the Culture Mile.

1.00pm - 2.00pm - Root to Rise - A participatory embodied movement experience around the Kilburn grange Redwood tree. Using guided spinal somatics to explore grounding, growth and connection, inspired by the structure and intelligence of trees.

7.00pm - 7.45 - Larch, Spruce, Fir, Birch, Hand, Blast Hole Pond Road, Newfoundland - On-line Talk - A café talk with artist Marlene Creates, sharing her long-term photographic work with trees in a Newfoundland boreal forest and her deep, evolving relationship with place.

Tuesday 12th May

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

12.30pm - 1.30pm Trees at ExCel - a local tree walk led by Tony Kirkham & Kenton Rogers - A tree walk led by TDAG at Futurebuild exploring local planting, species selection and tree condition around ExCeL.

5.00pm - 6.00pm - Tremendous trees at Boston Manor Park: Guided Walk - A guided walk to discover the beautiful veterans and other tremendous trees of Boston Manor Park.

6.30pm - 8.30pm - Discover Trees in Epping Forest (Chingford) - A circular walk in Epping Forest with EFHT Trustee Abi, exploring tree species, ecology and their role in human history.

Wednesday 13th May

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

11.00am - 12.30pm - Lesnes Abbey Woods - Time Travelling though Nature nature - A circular guided walk through Lesnes Abbey Woods exploring its ancient woodland, from prehistoric origins to Roman, medieval and Victorian history.

11.30am - 1.00pm - Gunnersbury Park Mulberry & Friends - Discover Gunnersbury Park’s hidden giants with Peter Coles, from historic mulberries to ancient yews and a towering Cedar of Lebanon.

12.15pm - 1.45pm - Tree Song Project | A Walking Tour - A guided walk through the City’s green spaces with Phoebe Coco and Sarah Williams-Robbins, blending tree stories, music and performance across the Culture Mile.

17.30 - 8.00pm Vauxhall One introduces: Street Trees, Shared Care: Community Stewardship in Urban Spaces - In person talk SPONSORED - A live talk at Pan Arts Centre hosted by Paul Wood (Urban Tree Festival) and presented by Vauxhall One, exploring community stewardship of trees in urban spaces and streets, promises to be one not to miss!

Thursday 14th May

10.00am 2.00pm - Forest Club Open Session - A hands-on woodland session at Lesnes Abbey Woods exploring traditional crafts, tools and biodiversity through the Forest Club’s community-led activities.

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

10.30am - 4.00pm - All Festival Long - London Plane Tree on Hackney Downs video / film - A slow film artwork documenting a London Plane tree over five years, shown as an immersive projection exploring seasonal change, sound and local history, as part of the Urban Forest exhibition, Art Hub Studios.

10.30am - 4.00pm -The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

Friday 15th May

10.00am - 4.00pm - Fruit Tree Nursery Volunteer Day Leeds - A hands-on day at a Leeds fruit tree nursery, helping propagate and care for trees with practical tasks and a shared ve

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

6.00pm - 8.00pm - Witches & Beeches of Epping Forest: A Walk with Dark Tales & Sinister Facts - A storytelling walk in Epping Forest with Kamila Wielebska, uncovering its ancient trees, eerie folklore and dark histories.gan lunch.

Saturday 16th May

10.00am - 12.00noon - Ladywell Fields tree walk - A gentle guided walk through Ladywell Fields introducing notable trees, including native black poplars and the Lewisham elm lead by Caroline Cupitt, a local tree enthusiast.

10.30am - 12.00noon - The History of One Tree Hill, Told Through its Trees - A guided walk through One Tree Hill exploring its rich history, diverse trees and panoramic views across London led by John Gray author and chair of the Friends of One Tree Hill.

10.30 - 12.00noon - Trees in Myth and Story - A guided walk with Dr Chris Collier of London National Park City exploring tree myths and folklore through storytelling, reflection and shared connections.

10.30am - 4.00pm - The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

11.00am - 11.45am - Urban Tree Festival: Tree Myth & Folklore Tour Birmingham - A guided walk at Birmingham Botanical Gardens exploring global tree myths and folklore, alongside insights from research and heritage tree projects.

2.00pm - 4.00pm Deadwood: Elergy - Join Soobie Whitfield for a creative session exploring the life of a dead silver birch, inviting participants to reflect and create an elegy through words and images.

2.00pm - 3.00pm - Urban Tree Festival: Tremendous Trees Tour - An hour-long guided walk led by BIFoR and Birmingham Botanical Gardens exploring urban tree value, collections and scientific ressearch.

2.00pm - 3.30pm - The Wishing Tree - A magical forest storytelling show for children and families set in Lesnes Abbey Woods, hosted by Bernadette Russell.

2.00pm - 3.30pm - Lesnes Abbey Woods - Time Travelling Though Nature - A circular guided walk through Lesnes Abbey Woods exploring its ancient woodland, from prehistoric origins to Roman, medieval and Victorian history.

Urban Forest Closing Event - Art Hub Studios - 5.30pm - 8.00pm - The first ever Urban Forest exhibition at Art Hub Studios builds to a vibrant late opening on Saturday 16th, featuring a live evening of tree-inspired music from a much-loved band (watch this space - TBC).

6.00pm - 8.00pm - Witches & Beeches of Epping Forest: A Walk with Dark Tales & Sinister Facts - A storytelling walk in Epping Forest with Kamila Wielebska, uncovering its ancient trees, eerie folklore and dark histories.

Sunday 17

10.00am - 12.00noon - Nature Connection Haiku Poetry Workshop, Birmingham - A guided walk and haiku workshop with Laura Hackett, exploring nature through poetry, observation and shared reflection in a forest garden setting.

10.30am - 2.30pm -The Urban Forest exhibition and pop-up café are open daily at Art Hub Studios, New Cross, serving drinks and cake in a relaxed space.

10.30am - 12.30pm - Trees of the Toon: A Tour of Exhibition Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne - An urban tree walk in Newcastle’s Exhibition Park exploring identification, ecology, folklore and uses of trees, with a shared herbal tea.

11.00am - 1.30pm - Golders Hill Park's Veteran Trees & Orchard - A leisurely guided walk in Golders Hill Park with peter Coles, exploring its veteran trees, including historic oaks, mulberries and remnants of a Victorian orchard. (alt Wednesday 13th May TBC)

10.30am - 12.30pm - Community Fungi Cultivation / London Mycology Project - Join us at Art Hub Studios for a practical, low-tech mushroom cultivation workshop exploring sustainable growing methods, with hands-on activities and a take-home reusable grow kit. Also on Sunday 17th. (Time TBC)

12.00noon - 1.00pm (TBC) - Sunshade And Shadow Street Survey, Webinar - Creating comfort zones through mapped tree planting, this project links UK and Nigeria via live dialogue to promote shade, sustainable streets and diaspora-supported planting initiatives. Also on Sunday 101th May.

12.30pm - 3.30pm - Discover Trees in Epping Forest (Highams Park) - A circular walk around Highams Park Lake with Trustee Abi, exploring tree species, ecology and their role in human history.

2.00pm - 4.00pm -The Urban Forest exhibition closes and is open for collection of bought and submitted artwork.