Wonder Festival:  Fife estate’s outdoor event to kick-start new year with walks, silent disco and art installations

It runs at Cambo Gardens at Kingsbarns from January 2-7, and is billed as a celebration of nature and the outdoors in the darkest time of the year, connecting people in magical, shared experiences centred around arts and wellbeing and the idea of ‘wonder’.

Midwinter is traditionally a time for stories, feasting, fire and music and these elements will feature throughout the week. The festival aims to create a sense of ‘wonder’ through connection with nature.

The core festival offer will be self-led walks with drop-in activities and arts installations including KY10 by Keny Drew and around Cambo Walled Garden and woodland. There will be a silent disco or live music each afternoon and a late afternoon light installation from dusk at 3.30pm highlighting the natural winter features of the garden with spectacular projected light – moving grasses, the iconic waterfall and bridges and central weeping willow tree, orchard walk and glasshouses.

The key Wonder event will be on Saturday 6th at 3.30pm when East Neuk Festival will present ‘Burn’ – midwinter fire - a gathering of 120 stunning fire candles along Cambo burn with reflected glow and sound from the natural torrent that runs through Cambo Walled Garden. Each day will feature an ‘adventure’ or ‘retreat’ theme with a programme of experiences to book as a day of ‘wonder’. January is also a time of resolutions, and the wonder programme will provide lots of opportunity to gently try new activities and also just enjoy the experience and connection of being outdoors.

On Tuesday, January 2 there is a family woodland adventure theme as we first foot the woods with stories, song and noise, crafts, fun and games culminating with a silent disco in our walled garden.

Wednesday s a family creative adventure to experiment with art and nature through cyanotype and monoprint with artists Keny Drew and Karen Vaughan and skill sharing with Transition St Andrews. Artwork will form a weekend exhibition to return and enjoy. Rounded off with a silent disco, lights, and fire. The Thursday and Friday are retreat days for adults once children have returned to school. Our Wonder: wellbeing retreat is a day of pilates, meditation and WildStrong woodland movement with energising vegetarian lunch promoting connection with nature.

A two-day creative retreat led by artists Keny Drew and Karen Vaughan from East Neuk Arts will be an immersion in the connection of light, art and nature through the cyanotype printing process and book making.

The Wonder Festival is also an opportunity to showcase local organisations and practitioners who work around the East Neuk