Countdown to Christmas at Bedgebury

There is just over a week to go before Christmas at Bedgebury officially opens to the public on Friday 22nd November. 

A team of designers is working around-the-clock as part of the three-week installation programme for the spectacular outdoor festive experience, the largest ever staged at the National Pinetum in Kent.

Artists are hard at work transforming the landscape of the National Conifer Collection, which is home to some 12,000 trees.

There are spectacular new outdoor installations including a 40,000 LED light installation, Feast of Light, made with 320 individual strands of multiple bulbs. There will also be a 39-metre long Cathedral of Light featuring a walk-through towering experience of light, a flotilla of illuminated origami boats on Bedgebury's shimmering Marshal's lake and a larger-than-life Pine Cone Fire Garden made by Pyro Studio. At almost 3 metres long and created by the artists who did The Great Fire 350 on the Thames visitors will be warmed and wowed. 

Bedgebury Manager Patrick West said: “We are excited to see the Christmas trail unveiled at Bedgebury Pinetum. We were blown away by the creativity and the festive atmosphere last year and are looking forward to welcoming returning and new visitors.”

Culture Creative's Zoe Bottrell said: “The installations for our second year at Bedgebury Pinetum are a creative mix of festive imagination and woodland inspiration from the Pinetum's beautiful landscape. 

“Working in a Grade II listed landscape of scientific interest, with a priceless collection of rare and important tree species, our installation process is a delicate balance between wonder and preservation of the landscape. 

“I am excited to see how visitors react to this exciting new trail that we have created this Christmas,” she added.

Christmas at Bedgebury is brought to you by leading events promoter Raymond Gubbay Limited, a division of Sony Music, in partnership with Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest.  The trail is created by Culture Creative Limited

For more information please contact: Melodie Manners | melodie@flamingomarketing.co.uk | 01637 873379 or 07815 709548 

Notes to Editors

For full pricing details and booking please visit: christmasatbedgebury.co.uk   #christmasatbedgebury #mychristmastrails

• Video of Christmas at Bedgebury https://youtu.be/eCBp3uEeg6Q

About Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest

Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest is home to the National Conifer Collection and cared for by Forestry England.  Forestry England manages and cares for the nation's 1,500 woods and forests, with over 230 million visits per year.  As England's largest land manager, it shapes landscapes for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and businesses to grow. The 128-hectare (320-acre) Bedgebury National Pinetum is recognised as one of the most significant collections of conifer trees and plants on one site anywhere in the world. There are more than 12,000 trees, including threatened and historically important specimens. The Bedgebury team travel the world to collect seeds from rare species natural habitats for propagation and conservation, supported by the Friends of Bedgebury Pinetum.  Bedgebury is a key partner in the Global Trees Campaign run by Fauna & Flora

International and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Bedgebury makes a major contribution to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.

Visitors attending the Christmas at Bedgebury Illuminated Trail are helping the team to conserve Bedgebury's collection and other collections across the world through the sharing and dissemination of tree knowledge and expertise.

 forestryengland.uk/bedgebury | FB @BedgeburyPinetum | Twitter: @BedgeburyP

 About RGL, a division of Sony Music

Leading events promoter, RGL (Raymond Gubbay Limited), a division of Sony Music, has been delivering illuminated Christmas trails for over six years.  The chosen partners for national and international heritage and prestigious venues including Blenheim Palace; The National Trust; The Forestry Commission; The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Botanic Gardens, Chicago, USA.

Each trail is designed to showcase the natural and unique environment of the individual location, so no two trails are ever the same. RGL also presents over 500 concerts annually throughout the UK. raymondgubbay.co.uk

About Culture Creative

Culture Creative is a creative project and production management company based in the North East of England. The Company works across a wide range of cultural fields including art, sport, heritage, tourism, festivals and events, developing projects from concept to delivery. Since 2013 Culture Creative has worked closely with leading entertainment promoter Raymond Gubbay Ltd. a division of Sony Music, to create My Christmas Trails – a series of illuminated trails held in various venues across the UK including Kew Gardens and Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. In 2018 the company developed its first indoor Christmas experience themed around the story of Cinderella, and this year will produce Alice in the Palace themed around the story of Alice in Wonderland for Blenheim Palace.  www.culturecreative.co.uk | FB @culturecreativeltd | Twitter @CCLCreative