Nature,
Creativity
& Place
Now in its fifth year, the festival was originally inspired by the migratory route of barnacle geese between Svalbard and the Solway estuary as well as the five other species that flock to this part of Scotland. The festival now focuses more widely on deepening our connection to the natural habitats of our regional and both the wildlife that call it home and those species that visit each year.
Every autumn Dumfries & Galloway welcomes tens of thousands of wild geese, including barnacle, greylag geese, brent geese, Canada geese, pink-footed geese and Greenland white-fronted geese, after their long migration, some travelling over 5000km to reach us!
This yearly mass gathering makes our region one of the best places in the UK to see such a variety of geese.
The festival celebrates both the inspirational journey undertaken by the geese and our deep connection with the natural world. The family-friendly programme of events aims to engage our communities through creativity, education, and play, building meaningful relationships and encouraging people across generations to reconnect with the environment they live in.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your committed and continuing work for Wild Goose Festival… This work is invaluable both in educating and celebrating what Dumfries & Galloway has to offer with its migratory visitors.
It is encouraging to see so many organisations getting involved in the festival which, I understand, will include walks, talks, workshops and storytelling to people of all ages. This festival also has an important conservation message, evermore important in the current global twin climate and nature emergencies.”
– Emma Harper, MSP Representing South Scotland – 2023