8 | Acquisition International, Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2025 Best Family-Friendly Immersive Outdoor Experience 2025 – UK As winter arrives and the days grow darker, many seek more than just twinkling lights and shopping lists – they crave connection, meaning, and a little bit of magic. This longing has sparked renewed interest in old traditions: tales told by firelight, communal celebrations, and festive rituals to honour nature and folklore. It is this spirit that infuses Wild Rumpus’ Yuletide event, an immersive journey into a winter wonderland at Tatton Park. We took a closer look, below. Contact: Hannah Deane Company: Wild Rumpus CIC – Yuletide Web Address: www.wildrumpus.org.uk & www.yuletide.org.uk Founded in 2009, Wild Rumpus is a collective of artists, curators, and producers delivering meaningful, joyful interactions that empower individuals to explore nature, connection, and play. The not-for-profit organisation creates immersive events for families across the UK, from large moments of collective wonder to intimate digital experiences, inviting each guest to be curious and look at their relationship with nature with clear eyes and open hearts. Wild Rumpus’ work spans the cultural, arts, and heritage sectors, forming partnerships with various organisations to engage audiences in new bold and creative ways. Operating from a rural, creative space in Cheshire, Wild Rumpus hosts artist residencies and networking events that foster connections with nature and help develop artistic practices, with its most notable events and productions being the Just So Festival, The Glittering North at Raby Castle, and The Lanterns at Cheshire Zoo. The organisation exists to deepen people’s connection to nature through creativity and play. Wild Rumpus creates immersive, storyrich worlds where families can step out of the everyday, engage their imaginations, and experience the wellbeing benefits of joyful, shared exploration. At the very core of its work is a response to the climate crisis: Wild Rumpus believes that when children grow up feeling connected to nature, they are more likely to cherish and protect it – both for people and for the planet. Yuletide at Tatton Park was designed, created, and produced by Wild Rumpus for the first time in 2023, and again in 2024. The experience was remarkably successful through both years, attracting 16,000 visitors in 2023 and 18,000 in 2024. Now, plans are underway to continue the exceptional event in 2025, running from November 15th to December 23rd. Located at Tatton Park Gardens, Yuletide invites guests to explore an expansive world of folklore, festive tradition, and ritual – as characters and creatures from beloved winter folklore and myths come to life. A creative take on the tradition of Christmas light trails, the festival is not held by the traditional parameters of Christmas, instead expanding upon them. The Yuletide Gathering is a magical time during the festival, where guests are instructed to grab a hot chocolate and enjoy enchanted stories masterfully told by a traditional storyteller. They can roast marshmallows over the open fire, dance and rejoice to authentic live music and, once ready to relax, can head over to watch the breathtaking fire juggling spectacle. The main event for many at Yuletide, however, is The Glittering Trail. This magnificent trail runs 1km through Tatton Park Gardens, illuminated with enchanting installations, interactive light effects, fantastical puppets, costumed characters, and captivating performances that tell a variety of stories and myths based on thrilling winter folklore. The trail is an incredibly immersive experience for children and adults alike and implores all who walks it to engage with their imagination, creativity, and with nature. This is a truly unique event that provides families with the opportunity to immerse themselves and think beyond the world around them, and the only event of its type available to families at Christmas time. Hailed the UK’s Best Family-Friendly Immersive Outdoor Experience 2025, Wild Rumpus has certainly gained significant attention for its exceptional experiences – reflected in the sheer volume of glowing testimonials left for happy guests eagerly awaiting their return this year. One guest wrote: “I love Tatton Park anyway, but the Yuletide experience was magical. I am so glad we went; it made our Christmas. The staff were incredibly friendly, it wasn’t too over-crowded, and I would highly recommend it. Thank you to everyone involved for your hard work. It was amazing!” And another reported: “We visited the Yuletide experience on a frosty evening as a family. The whole experience was magical! The theatre and music gave a nice festive feel to the experience, as did the roasted marshmallows and fire juggling. The highlight was definitely the illuminated walk through the beautiful grounds, incorporating breathtaking light displays and large, interactive puppets telling different traditional stories. The hot chocolate and mulled wine were also welcome. Well worth the money and definitely recommended!”
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