BUG FEST 2026
9 May @ 10:00 – 15:30
A day of insect discovery for all ages
📍 Dorothy Fox Centre, Sheffield Botanical Gardens, S10 2LN
📅 Saturday 9th May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 3:30pm
FREE ENTRY
Come along and explore the un-bee-lievable world of insects at BUG FEST 2026 – a fun, interactive day packed with activities for curious minds of all ages!
Discover just how fascinating insects are and why they play such an important role in our world through hands-on experiences, expert insights and family-friendly fun.
Join us for a fun-filled day of f-ant-astic activities at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield. This family-friendly event has something for everyone, whether it’s peering down a microscope, trying your hand at pond dipping, or feeding your creative side with insect-themed crafts!
Come and meet our entomologists and learn about their amazing research, from butterfly wing colouration, earthworm burrowing behaviour, to how insects cope with city life.
Entry is free and the event will be held from 10am – 15:30pm at the Dorothy Fox Education Centre. We welcome all age groups, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
About Bug Fest
The Bug Fest event is a science festival funded by the Royal Entomological Society, aiming to celebrate and raise awareness about insects and insect science, and allow people to engage with nature. Our goals are to increase public engagement with insects and local wildlife; to showcase insect science research from the University of Sheffield, and to raise public awareness of the importance of insects and increase knowledge of insect conservation measures.
This is the third time this event will be held at the Sheffield Botanical Gardens, after Bug Fest 2024 and 2025. The venue for the event is the Dorothy Fox Education Centre. The previous recorded attendances were 563 people in 2024 and 761 people in 2025. Activities from previous years have included insect-themed crafts, insect zoo (display of live insects and some handling), a microscope activity, bug safaris, a pollination game and stalls from PhD students presenting their research on worms, urban insects and butterfly wing colour evolution.
We aim to run different types of activities that are suitable for a range of age groups, including young children, primary and secondary school students, and adults, and to accommodate different ways of learning.
Event organised by PhD researcher Stephanie Glendinning at the University of Sheffield.
What’s On
Enjoy a range of f-ant-astic activities, including:
- 🐜 Live Insect Zoo – get up close with incredible insects
- 🎨 Games and Crafts – creative fun for all ages
- 🔍 Bug Safaris – explore and discover insects in their natural habitat
- 🎓 Academic Research Stands – meet scientists and learn about real insect research
Accessibility and Important Information
This is a free, drop-in event – no booking required
- All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times
Entry to Sheffield Botanical Gardens and the event is free, and accessible by foot and public transport. The Education Centre and the surrounding outdoor area where the event will be held are wheelchair accessible and there is Blue Badge parking nearby.
We aim to run different types of activity that are suitable for a range of age groups, including young children, primary and secondary school students, and adults. We aim to accommodate different ways of learning, by running different types of activities, including interactive demonstrations.
Bring your curiosity, your questions, and your sense of adventure – see you there!
