Communities across the Forest of Dean are coming together to explore and celebrate their shared cultural heritage, as part of a ‘home-grown’ arts festival during March 2025. The FOD Fringe 2025 festival, organised by local arts charity Wyldwood Arts, will feature a diverse range of creative events, activities, and exhibitions led by local artists, musicians, and performers, all taking place at community venues across the Forest throughout March 2025. The programme for this year’s festival, which is based on the theme of ‘what unites us’, is inspired by research into the culture of working-class Forest communities in the early 20th century.

The research, commissioned by Wyldwood Arts and conducted by local historian Owen Adams at the Dean Heritage Centre, involved analysing recordings of local people talking about their memories of growing up, living, and working in the Forest of Dean. Aimee Blease-Bourne, FOD Fringe Co-ordinator, said: “Owen's research offers a fascinating glimpse into what life was like in the Forest at a time when communities worked together to gather, grow, and share many of the things we take for granted. The FOD Fringe festival is all about celebrating this cultural heritage, and creating opportunities for modern-day Foresters to re-discover their community bonds through food, music, and art.”

Highlights of this year’s programme include:

● The FOD Fringe Sessions - an eclectic mix of music, chat, creative pieces and wellbeing initiatives based around building community bonds - will air on Dean Radio throughout March. ● Cinderford Gather at the Wesley for a ceilidh dance, featuring The Good, the Bad & the Ceilidh, a group of local musicians based in Goodrich. ● Coming Together in Coleford. A day to connect with others, share food and hear your stories of 'togetherness'. Performed by The Golden Thread Theatre Company. For more information about the FOD Fringe 25 festival, including a full schedule of events and activities, please visit www.fodfringe.co.uk.