Weird and Wonderful Wood to return to Haughley Park, near Stowmarket, for 30th anniversary

An award-winning Suffolk festival celebrating art, sculptures and furniture carved from wood is set to return for its 30th anniversary.

Weird and Wonderful Wood returns to Haughley Park in Wetherden, near Stowmarket, on May 10 and 11, bringing a celebration of wooden artistry alongside live music, street performers and hands-on workshops.

Highlights include Zelda the giant tortoise, a towering willow Viking, a giant sloth with her baby and performances from the Flea Circus.

Kicking off on Saturday, the two-day festival will host more than 130 hand-picked stalls selling everything from wooden toys and sculpture to musical instruments, artwork, metalwork, glass and local food and drink.

With craftsmanship being a key element of the event, there will be live demonstrations throughout the weekend including wood turning, chainsaw carving, steam bending, pole lathing, basket making, instrument building and raku pottery firing.

The festival also offers a range of free workshops for all ages — from scrap wood sculpting and paper making to willow weaving, puppet making, hula hooping, circus skills, aerial silks, archery and even a prehistoric experience with Memma the Cavewoman.

On stage, the live shows promise plenty of energy and laughs with performances from Dan the Hat, acrobatics by The Black Eagles and the musical mayhem of Rimski and Handkerchief and Foolhardy Folk.

Alongside the organised shows, Weird and Wonderful Wood is known for its ‘Spontaneous Happenings’ with performers moving around the site from stilt walkers, the Flea Circus and bubble bikes to a giant willow Viking, Madame D’Orificio, sloths and a mechanical dragon.

This year’s acoustic stage features a line-up including the 20-strong foot-stomping Old Time Sailors, Bessie Turner, Niimei Ghanaian dancers, Tim Lee, Thy Last Drop, the Wilswood Buoys, KingKillerShip and The Floozies.

Weird and Wonderful Wood is a not-for-profit festival with all proceeds reinvested to help make each year even better than the last.

Parking is free and all on-site activities are included with your ticket.

For tickets and full details, visit the website here.

The event runs from 10.30am to 6pm on Saturday and from 10.30am to 5pm on Sunday.