The Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival 2026 programme is here – boat tours, wildlife walks, creative workshops and more!

The main week of this year’s Festival will run from the 20th to the 27th of June, and a Fringe Festival will continue until the end of July. 

This year’s programme is available to explore now and features a range of free and paid-for events across the islands. Activities include: art exhibitions; community beach cleans; boat tours; poetry, music and storytelling sessions; film screenings; wildlife identification and survey workshops; evening bat walks; guided nature walks in both English and Gaelic; nature-connecting yoga classes; historical and cultural exhibitions; art and craft workshops; ceilidhs; and even a gin tasting (with a focus on the pollinators we have to thank for the botanicals of course)! 

The Festival is coordinated by conservation programme, Species on the Edge - which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund - in collaboration with local community groups, businesses and conservation charities. The Festival aims to give locals and visitors alike the opportunity to explore and connect with the wildlife, landscapes and cultural heritage of these islands in new, fun, and locally-rooted ways.  

Festival Coordinator, Sharon MacPherson, said: “It’s wonderful to have so many people hosting events at this year’s Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival. Excitement is really building for what is shaping up to be a fantastic celebration of the islands’ incredible wildlife and natural beauty. 

This year's festival will offer unique opportunities to experience the nature that makes the Outer Hebrides so special - from seabirds and marine life, to machair habitats and coastal landscapes. We look forward to welcoming all island residents and visitors to this fantastic celebration of nature across the Outer Hebrides!” 

Moira MacDonald from An Lanntair said: “At An Lanntair we’re looking forward to taking part in the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival again in 2026. Over the past few years, we’ve run arts workshops for children themed around Great Yellow Bumblebees, Bats and Seabirds - basing our activities on some of the amazing species which The Festival highlights. And this summer, we’re excited to have the opportunity to run Moth and Butterfly themed workshops – an inspiring catalyst for movement, music and visual arts education. The Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival brings together a huge range of accessible nature events and we look forward to this year’s programme.” 

Explore the full programme on the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival website: www.outerhebrideswildlifefestival.co.uk