It’s almost time for Green Hustle, the free festival billed as a ‘feast of community and nature’ taking over Nottingham city centre on 30 May. As the UK bakes in a heatwave, there isn’t a better time to get planting up the city to help it stay cool – and the festival will show how everyone can be part of it.
Packed with food, growing, gardening, music, literature, sport, slow fashion and ideas for living well, there’s loads for everyone of all ages to do – and it’s nearly all free! Last year, 10,000 people came along and 95 percent said they were inspired to take action in the post event survey.
With 12,000 expected on Saturday, the festival is taking over loads more green spaces in the city with music, dancing, activities and performances at Sussex Street, the Central Library, Green Heart and the main hub in Old Market Square. It all kicks off at 11am up until 6pm.
Ten Things Not To Miss (the full programme, locations and times are on the website)
Explore a Pop-up Forest
Experience the magic of a Pop-up Forest created with 350 trees on the site of the fountains in Old Market Square with Woodland Trust and Sherwood Forest Trust.
Bag one of the 300 smaller trees to be given away to festival attendees to plant at home or in the community, along with planting and care advice.
Enjoy A Plate Of Free (if you need it) Food
The festival is gearing up to serve 1,000 meals at the pay-as-you-can Community Kitchen to make sure everyone feels welcome to join in, delivered by family-focussed local community organisation Shifting Your Mindset, and the DISHED project which is working towards trialling a ‘public restaurant’ in Nottingham.
There’s loads of food to buy as well from the long running vegan kitchen, Veggies; plant-based waffles and pancakes from Cherry and Coco; Ethiopian cuisine from Abeyo and the pedal powered smoothie bar run by Pulp Friction to name just a few.
Garden The City
Get stuck into some urban gardening and help green the city. Join GrowNotts down at Sussex Street on the day to muck in. All tools provided. No garden at home? No problem! Green Guardians will be in Old Market Square with opportunities to volunteer in Nottingham’s parks and nature reserves.
Skateboard Sessions & Boxing Demos
Bring a board down, or pick one up on the day, where the team from Skate Nottingham will be helping everyone get on board and pick up some tricks as well as offering a girls only session and ramp building activities. Youth boxing CIC Switch Up will be running boxing padwork demos and games too.
Shop Til You Drop at the Makers Market
No need to feel buyer’s remorse when all the goods are kind to the planet! Check out homemade, sustainable and eco brands from a curated selection of Nottingham independents including handmade jewellery, illustrations and upcycled goods from the Emmanuel House pop up charity shop to help people facing homelessness.
Pick up Essential Skills for Living
This year is the launch of the Grow Yourself programme, in the big dome in Old Market Square. From energy to numeracy to money confidence and more, it’s all on offer in the Grow Yourself dome run in partnership with Experian and E.ON Next. From building and racing wind-powered cars to taking on the Renewable House Challenge, families can discover how renewable energy works, learn simple ways to save energy and money at home, and explore smarter choices through play.
Making, Repairing, Upcycling
There’s so much to do in Old Market Square from making apple bird feeders to children’s crafts and herb, seed and plant giveaways to workshops to repair clothes and bikes, vegan recipe demos and nature inspired creative activities for families.
Get Moving! Dance, Circus, Capoeira and Nature Walks
It’s a day to move! Check out a live demonstration and taster session for all ages of Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian movement. Pick up some circus skills with drop-in workshops on the aerial rig, a hula hoop and dance workshop. Join the Meanderers Green Hustle Wander, an arty tour through the festival sites, planting seeds of creative inspiration. Chalk and Walk with WildNG, an exploration of street wildflowers, chalking the streets with labels and all things wild and wonderful.
Poems, Performances, Prizes
Hands-on games celebrating Nottingham’s dialect; drop in creative writing themed around nature launching the 2026 Solstice Nature Prize, a writing competition for young people and a poetry anthology created by Nottingham school pupils – all at Central Library. Plus Lego Club!
Slow Fashion Catwalk and Street Entertainment
The annual Slow Fashion Catwalk returns, which will see local charities and fashion brands coming together, from SlayCycle and Vintage Emporium to Nottinghamshire Hospice and Elise Hutchinson. Catch the show at Sussex Street at 4.30pm or Old Market Square at 5.30pm to close off the day.
You’ll also find plenty of parades popping up around the sites from Capoeira Notts, Bloco Transcultural, Madame Zucchini, Sprout N’ About and stilt walkers.
Green Hustle is developed in partnership with It’s in Nottingham, Experian, E.ON Next, Savoy Systems, Nottingham College and Nottingham City Council.
For the full programme, visit Green Hustle
Posted on 27 May 2026
