Outdoor event in Dundee will light up your life

A spectacular outdoor event is one of dozens to come to Dundee next month as part of the University of Dundee’s annual Festival of the Future.

Last year the festival was forced online because of Covid but now, for the first time in two years, it is back as a live, in-person event, one that brings together science, arts and culture.

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And, if you are still a little apprehensive about in-person events, then don’t worry, as the organisers at the university have taken this into consideration and stage the majority of events, outdoors.

Emma Preston, Festival of the Future manager, said: “This is the first year, post-Covid, that the festival will be enjoyed again in person. We will be doing everything we can to keep you safe at these events.

“The University of Dundee invites you all to our annual flagship festival that is a celebration of science, arts and culture coming together as well as what the university does with it partners in the city and Scotland. We are also proud to have commissioned new pieces of work for Over the Garden Wall.”

The Enchanted Forest light designer comes to Dundee

Perhaps the most anticipated part of the 50-act Festival of the Future is Over the Garden Wall – a promenade performance around Dundee’s Botanic Gardens. This stand-out performance is just one of dozens of pop-up shows, workshops and events happening during the four-day event.

Emma added: “You will literally see the gardens in a whole new light.”

Over the Garden Wall will see the Botanic Gardens transformed into a magical light show, with aerial dancers performing in the trees while they are bathing in a multitude of colourful lights. There will also be installations, new choreography and projections to be enjoyed as you wander through to a soundtrack of new music, especially commissioned for the event.

The light show will be directed by lighting designer Kate Bonney and Elle Taylor of Lightwork Events, who have in the past designed the famous Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry.

There are a number of performances for the whole family to enjoy as festival organisers encourage us to connect with nature, embrace the outdoors and protect our greenspaces.

Dozens more events in Dundee to enjoy

Festival of Future’s Emma was keen to point out that although Over the Garden Wall is one of the main events of the university’s flagship festival, there are plenty of others to be enjoyed, each relating to one of the following themes: performances, workshops & drop ins, health & wellbeing, walks &tours and family.

Below is a list of all the events taking place in Dundee between 12th and 16th October:

Performances in Dundee

• Over the Garden Wall (mentioned above) will be running nine shows during the festival

• Happiness Collectors (aimed at small children and their grown ups)
• Scottish Dance Theatre performs ‘Ray’ at the Chaplaincy Centre

Workshops & drop-ins

• Light up the Gardens with Lanterns and Lilies
• Discovering new medicines
• Science poetry workshop
• The Evidence Chamber where the public become members of a jury
• Pollen which reveals how forensic scientists use pollen to find out whodunit
• Outdoor aerial workshop (for adults only) – two sessions
• Science mural making
• Pond-dipping where children will discover Botanic Garden beasties
• How to make a spectrometer (for older children and young adults)

Health & wellbeing events

• Silent Discos (for the whole family)
• The Green Health Project
• Connecting with Nature sensory walk (for the whole family)
• Playful Gardens (throughout the day for the family)
• Forest bathing
• Earth yoga

Walks & talks in Dundee

• Woven Together for Black History Month – hear about Dundee’s links to slavery
• Walking Tour ‘Breaking the Chains’ – slavery and its links to Dundee’s economy
• Culture Day at the University of Dundee campus
• Series of talks, including Artificial Intelligence; Clinical Trials; and The History of Forensic Science at Invercarse Hotel
• Growing Together talk – focussing on the how community growing has taken root across the city
• Walking tour about botanist and town planner Patrick Geddes, an University of Dundee alumni

Family events

• Art at the Start – a workshop for Dads and their babies and young children
• Storytelling sessions
• Family fun time silent disco at Botanic Gardens
• Science and Fairytale Trails storytelling
• Creep Crawly Stories
• How does your garden grow – a family workshop where you can make your own mini garden

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If the Festival of the Future has ignited something inside you, then head to the festival’s website and remember to follow the festival on Facebook for regular updates.