Birdfair to return
A major new birding event will take place in Rutland in summer 2022, it was revealed on Twitter on 19 January. Global Birdfair will take place at the Rutland Showground in Oakham over the weekend of 15-17 July.
The news follows on from the cancellation at the end of 2021 of the long-running Birdfair. Organisers Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) made the decision not to continue to stage the worldfamous event post-COVID-19.
This new Global Birdfair aims to pick up the event baton and run a not-for-profit festival along the lines of the old Birdfair, which raised more than £5 million for bird conservation projects worldwide over the years. In common with the original event, Global Birdfair will continue to support conservation projects with funding raised by the event.
Global Birdfair is being spearheaded by Tim Appleton MBE, founder of the original Birdfair back in 1989. “I am delighted to announce that the new Global Birdfair will be taking place in the UK,” he commented.
“If there has been one benefit that has come out of the COVID pandemic, it has been a huge increase in many people’s appreciation and awareness of their local environments. Now that global travel is opening up once more, I hope many newcomers will come to enjoy the fair, which will showcase everything the birding and wildlife industry around the world has to offer.”
Many national and international sponsors and exhibitors will be migrating from the former event to the new one. Exhibitors will include conservation organisations, tourist boards and eco-tourism companies, alongside exhibitors selling books, art, optical equipment, bird food and local produce.
The fair will take place from 9