A nature festival in Cumbria has been forced to insist that “clothes are recommended” for attendees after a mix-up that led the family event for naturalists to be mistaken for a naturist gathering.
Cumbria Nature Festival, which runs from 8-10 May near Workington, offers attendees the chance to appreciate the “unparalleled natural beauty and ecological richness of [the] region”, with organisers clarifying that this means the event is aimed at “NATURALISTS … not NATURISTS”.
In an email to The Independent, a spokesperson for the festival said: “This is a family event and we want people to feel safe and comfortable here, so clothes are recommended. While the site is a festival site, there is still wildlife present, and clothes do tend to act as a barrier to the few [creatures] that might like a nibble!”
The organisers have offered refunds to any nudists who had booked a ticket in error, but also said: “If people do arrive in a state of undress, we will ask them to put on some clothing and come along to find out more about wildlife in Cumbria! Perhaps we will encourage more people to become naturalists.”
Acknowledging that any genuine misunderstanding was “something that natural history societies across the UK have to deal with all the time”, the spokesperson said: “There hasn’t been much confusion”, adding that it likely stemmed from “a typo in a response to one of our Facebook posts”.
“After all, naturist and naturalist look like fairly similar words even if they mean very different things,” they said.
The festival, which features live music, talks by conservationists, guided nature walks and crafting workshops, aims “to inspire conservation and appreciation” for the natural world and the local environment in Cumbria.
“As a very biodiverse county with lots of different habitats and species, we want to showcase this to the people of Cumbria and provide an opportunity to bring nature closer to people,” the spokesperson said.
“It is vital for people to become more connected to the world around them,” they added.
“The natural world provides everything we need – food, water, clean air – and without a functioning environment, we are in trouble. Nature isn’t something different to us, we are part of nature and it is important to acknowledge this.
“Coming to the festival will show what is out there, on the doorstep, in your garden, and find out how you can get involved in helping nature.”
