Deer Shed After Dark

New for this year at Deer Shed Festival, the Wilderwild expands into the evening with magical after-dark sessions. Slip on a pair of silent headphones and step into an immersive nighttime world of sound, nature and imagination. Put the kids to bed and head out to the Wilderwild for adult-only sessions late into the night. These unique experiences offer a calm, atmospheric way to explore the festival landscape under the stars together.

Family Foraging Walks

Join a relaxed family foraging walk at Deer Shed Festival and discover the edible and useful plants growing all around you.

Led by a knowledgeable guide, families will learn to safely identify wild ingredients, hear seasonal stories, and explore the landscape together. A gentle, hands-on experience that encourages curiosity, connection with nature, and respect for the environment.

Land Art

At Deer Shed Festival, families are invited to drop into a relaxed Nature Art Zone and create communal land art.

Using fallen leaves, sticks and stones, participants of all ages can build patterns, sculptures and a shared evolving artwork. No booking needed - just explore, create and connect with nature in a calm, collaborative space.

Energetic Self Defence with She Has Magic

Calling all empaths and sensitive souls! If you often find yourself absorbing other people’s emotions, carrying their problems, or feeling drained after stressful situations, this workshop is for you.

Led by Zoe Paterson of she has magic, this session explores simple yet powerful ways to protect your energy, strengthen your boundaries, and release any energy you may be holding that doesn’t belong to you.

You’ll learn a range of practical techniques and grounding practices that can easily be used in everyday life - helping you stay centred, clear, and energetically balanced wherever you go.This workshop is a paid pre-bookable workshop for over 16's only.

Pre-Book Here

Barrel & Bond Whiskey Tasting in the Woods

Founded by Jonny in 2023, Barrel & Bond was born from a passion for whisky and food, bringing a mobile tasting experience to events of all kinds. From private parties and friendly gatherings, Jonny creates relaxed, engaging sessions suited to both beginners and seasoned whisky lovers.

For the first time Jonny will be bringing his Round the World in 80 Drams to the Wilderwild woods at Deer Shed.

We are super excited to have him join us and offer a different kind of experience at the festival. Carefully selected whiskies are paired with complementary foods to enhance flavour and create a memorable experience.Over 18's only, pre-bookable paid workshop in the Wilderwild retreat.

Pre-Book Here

Spell Jars with She Has Magic

Spell jars are small glass vessels filled with an intentional blend of natural elements- such as crystal chips, dried flowers and herbs - then sealed with wax to hold their energy and purpose. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create two beautiful jars to take home: one designed to protect and bless your home, and another crafted with a personal intention just for you.

Guided by Zoe Paterson, intuitive healer and founder of she has magic, who will share the meaning behind the ingredients and help you create your own little vessels of magic. Perfect for beginners and the magically curious alike, this workshop is a chance to slow down, set intentions, and craft your own witchy wonders.This workshop is a paid pre-bookable workshop for over 16's only.

Pre-Book Here

Mindful photography

An invitation to slow down, look around and connect with your surroundings. Set in the Wilderwild area, we will use photography as a tool to engage our curious eye, pausing to notice details we might normally overlook. Guided by visual artist Jacqui Barrowcliffe, this calming session will leave you with a heightened connection to nature and a way of looking that embraces the beauty in the everyday. No photography skills required. Bring a digital camera or mobile phone, or use the tech-free option provided. Sign up on the day.

Fence Weaving

Bring your friends and come and join Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust to create a wild beauty loom!

We will be setting up a loom amongst the trees and we invite you to contribute to this piece of collaborative, ephemeral art.....whether you just pass by to weave one blade of grass, or hang around a bit longer to weave a pattern, you will be welcomed to get creative using natural materials.

Roll Beeswax Candles

Come and learn how to make beautiful candles using natural beeswax sheets in a fun, hands-on workshop with Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust.

You will discover simple techniques for shaping and rolling your own candles from scratch. Afterwards, you can decorate and wrap them using raffia cordage that you have crafted yourself, adding a personal touch. These handmade creations are perfect for thoughtful, eco-friendly gifts - or to enjoy at home.

Book Binding

Join the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust for a hands-on bookbinding workshop at our festival!

Learn traditional and modern techniques to create your own handmade notebooks and journals. Guided by experienced instructors, you’ll fold, stitch, and decorate your own unique book to take home. Perfect for beginners or enthusiasts, this interactive session combines creativity, craftsmanship, and a love of books in a friendly, inspiring setting.

Willow Bird Feeders

Come and learn how to twist, shape and weave natural willow to create unique bird feeders with a difference.

In this hands-on session with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, you’ll explore simple weaving techniques to craft something both practical and decorative. These feeders will look beautiful in your garden while supporting local wildlife. Best of all, they are completely compostable, making them an eco-friendly choice with no plastic waste to worry about at all.

Glass Blowing

Step into the magical world of glassmaking with White Rabbit Gallery.

In this fascinating live workshop, watch glowing molten glass transform into your very own mushroom pendant using traditional flame-working techniques. Participants take part in a one-to-one session with experienced glassblower John King, who has over 27 years of glassblowing experience. Each mushroom is made individually in a relaxed hands-on session, and every piece is completely unique.

Alien Spoons

Two hour Spoon carving workshops, one hour Butter spreader workshops, and half hour flower carving workshops! Spoon carving and spreaders will be sign-up, and sessions for flowers will be drop-in. Spoon carving for teens & adults, Spreaders and flowers for kids with a parent. Something for everyone!

Stone Carving

Take a step back in time and find your inner cave man or cave woman - with a little stone carving. Carve your own amulet, talisman, or fetish for good luck, protection, positive energy and healing. This is a workshop starting every hour, on the hour, and taking around 60 to 90 minutes to complete.

Hapa Zome

Try Japanese leaf art at Deer Shed Festival! Use leaves to create delicate prints on fabric or paper—perfect for bunting, flags, or framed natural artwork. Join Yorkshire Dales Millennium for fun leaf-bashing, experimenting with patterns, and turning ordinary leaves into beautiful, creative designs.

Natural Dyes

Explore the vibrant world of natural dyes in this hands-on workshop with Wild Earth Movement!

Using pre-made dyes from avocado skins, beetroot, and nettles, you’ll create your own colourful tie-dye designs on bags and socks. Learn simple, eco-friendly dyeing techniques while experimenting with patterns, textures, and shades. Perfect for all ages, this session combines creativity, sustainability, and fun, leaving you with wearable, one-of-a-kind pieces bursting with natural colour and charm.

Potion Making

The Potion Station is back by popular demand with Wild Earth Movement!

Children explore tuff trays filled with natural ingredients like herbs, spices, leaves, and flowers, each representing a “superpower” such as kindness or bravery. Using test tubes, they mix and match ingredients to create their own magical potions. This hands-on, imaginative activity encourages creativity and playful learning, and each child takes home their unique potion as a colourful, magical keepsake to treasure.

Fire Side Stories with Jenna Drury

Summer is the perfect time for a festival campsite, so gather round at Deer Shed Festival and be inspired by storyteller Jenna Drury.

Bring a blanket, cosy up by the fire, and enjoy an evening of bold, imaginative tales. A magical, family-friendly experience full of warmth, laughter and storytelling under the summer sky—one to remember.

Amerton Art Studios

Join Amerton Art Studios with these hands-on greenwood workshops. You're invited to craft a range of traditional wooden items using tools such as shave horses, draw knives and spokeshaves.

From whittling swords and flying helicopters, to shaping Gandalf-style walking staffs and creating fire-lighting bow kits, each session guides you through carving, sanding and oiling your piece to a high-quality finish.

Black Smithing

Deep within the enchanting Wilderwild, a new kind of magic is sparking into life. This year, Environmental Art from Malton, invites you to step out of the labyrinth and into the heat of the forge for a truly visceral, hands-on experience that blends ancient heritage with modern art.

Whether you’re a curious beginner or a budding maker, under expert guidance, you will personally forge a unique spiral pendant or a custom keychain—a rugged, lasting memento of your time at Baldersby Park that will literally last a lifetime.

Bug Houses

Create a bug house from recycled tin cans in this eco-friendly workshop!

Children fill the cans with natural materials to provide shelter for garden wildlife like solitary bees, ladybirds, and beetles. They can also decorate the outside before taking their creation home. Once placed in the garden, each bug house becomes a welcoming habitat for a new “bug family,” combining creativity, sustainability, and hands-on learning in a fun, nature-inspired project.

Rock Balancing

Rock Balancing can be a play, a performance, or land art depending upon the interpretation by its practitioners. It's also an energetic form of meditation for you to get lost in.

Join the team to learn and practice this art form across the weekend, alongside learning about how this craft intertwines mindfulness and the body.

Saltburn Pottery

Father and son double act Claude and Louis Frere-Smith are back again, providing their very popular ‘make your very own Deer Shed pot', using a traditional potters kick wheel.

New for 2026 will be the opportunity to sit and chill whilst being shown how to make your very own Deer Shed animal - and you get to take your masterpieces home with you on the day.

Copper Rings with Bean Creative

With Bean Creative to guide you, take this lovely opportunity to try something a little different by making your own unique, copper pipe ring made from old plumbing parts! Get stuck in and creative with files and hammers to produce a beautiful ring that is the perfect piece of recycled festival jewellery.

City Of Play

City of Play’s Tinkertown are on a mission to revive the lost art of den building and are heading back to Deer Shed, this time armed with more pallets than ever before!

An incredible 2,000 of you visited our City of Play last year, helping our placemaking team design and build all sorts of structures from scrap timber. The open nature of Tinkertown empowers children to explore their ideas, safely learn about risk, and collaborate both physically and socially on an inhabitable, autonomous project that is as big as their imaginations.

Tree Climbing

If you’re anything like us, the first thing you want to do when you see a tree is climb it! Well, lucky for you we’ve invited professional tree climber Jessica Herbert and her tree climbing team back to Topcliffe so they can show us how it’s done.

Long-time festival friends and honorary Shed Heads, Jessica and co. will be on hand to help you safely scale some of the most magnificent specimens that Baldersby Park has to offer; don’t forget to tell us what the festival site looks like whilst you’re up there admiring the view in our Tree Climbing sessions!

The Fire Side

It doesn’t get much cooler than this… or should we say cosier?

The famous fireside at Deer Shed has grown more popular year on year and really is a staple of the festival. Running each evening, either join live performances or just sit and relax with the roaring fire.

Remember to pack your best blankets and prepare to snuggle down next to a proper campfire, alongside some suitably soothing songsmiths.

Fire Side Scret Sessions

The secret fire sessions are becoming a staple of the Deer Shed programme - a bit of spontaneity never hurt anyone right? Who can remember that beauty of a set from none other than Jacob Alon last year.

This year we will be continuing the tradition, selecting a few acts from our music programme and getting them to do surprise performances from our Wilderwild Fire side.

These sets won’t be in the programme, but we might drop a few hints on socials... you’ll just have to wait and see who’s there on the day.

The Wilderwild Stage

The Wilderwild Stage, based – you guessed it – in the Wilderwild! Back for its third year, this is a vibrant and immersive experience where music and nature converge to create unforgettable moments of harmony and connection.

Sitting within the lush greenery, the stage offers a one-of-a-kind setting for both performer and audience members alike. Picture yourself surrounded by towering trees, swaying grass and the gentle sounds of flowing water as you soak in the magic of live music- that is exactly what our Wilderwild Stage will be like.