Bringing Beavers Back to Dorset

The CERNE GIANT FESTIVAL was born out of our vibrant May Day tradition, when the Morris Dancers and villagers gather at dawn on the Trendle, the original  site of the village Maypole at the top of the Cerne Giant. Here we salute the sunrise and celebrate the start of summer with a barrel of Beltane Beer.  Begun in 2017,  the Festival has now extended to about 3 weeks. With a theme of ‘Celebrating Humanity in the Landscape’, there will be a huge variety of events including workshops, talks, and walks so that there is something for everyone to explore their own connection with landscape of Dorset and what it means to them. Any profits from the Festival will go towards maintaining the fabric and work of the churches in the participating villages.

Cerne Giant Festival

Hear about how beavers could provide a nature-based solution to flooding and species loss

St Mary's Church, Cerne Abbas

2025 events

Thr programme for the 2025 Cerne Giant Festival

Beavers disappeared from Dorset over 400 years ago. In this lecture, Steve Oliver of the Dorset Wildlife Trust will tell the fascinating story of how beavers introduced in 2021 have settled into their Dorset home. He will explain how these unique mammals can play a vital role in river ecology and provide nature-based solutions to flooding, pollution and species loss. With a lifelong passion for wildlife and nature conservation, Steve is part of the team restoring beavers the landscape, whilst raising awareness and understanding about what it means to have these magnificent creatures return. £7 including wine or soft drink Doors open 7pm.

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