A Bear in Sherwood Forest: Fantasy in the Greenwood 2026

There are probably few places in England better suited to taking a bear for a Saturday wander than Sherwood Forest.

On Saturday, 8 August, TV Bears International headed into the woods for Fantasy in the Greenwood, part of the 40th Robin Hood Festival at Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.

We weren’t there for a production or organised appearance this time. Instead, we had been kindly invited along by Georgina Geeson from The Hauntarium to enjoy the event, meet people and give one of our bears a chance to explore the Greenwood.

And explore he certainly did.

A Bear Amongst the Trees

Fantasy in the Greenwood brought together a wonderfully unusual collection of characters, creatures and costumes inspired by fantasy, folklore and the legends associated with Sherwood Forest.

It also turned out to be a rather convincing environment for a realistic bear.

Throughout Saturday, our bear wandered the forest paths, investigated the trees and met an incredible number of people. We spoke with visitors from across the UK and around the world, many of whom stopped for photographs, hugs or simply to work out exactly what they had just encountered in the woods.

Some people spotted him from quite a distance. Others turned around to discover several feet of bear standing unexpectedly behind them.

Those reactions are always some of our favourites.

Cookies, Picnics and Bear Wrangling

A big thank you goes to Georgina, who not only invited us along but also stepped in to help with some bear wrangling during our visit.

Moving a large realistic bear through a busy public environment takes a little coordination, particularly when visibility from inside the costume is limited.

There was also another problem.

Food.

Sherwood Forest was full of interesting smells, picnic baskets and people carrying things that apparently required further investigation.

Fortunately, we discovered that cookies remain one of the most effective tools for persuading a curious bear that perhaps he should continue walking rather than investigate someone’s lunch.

This is valuable practical effects research.

Probably.

Does a Bear…?

Of course, taking a bear into the woods meant we heard one particular question more than a few times.

And, for anyone wondering…

No. Nobody saw a bear shit in the woods.

We can finally put that question to rest.

Capturing the Day

We would also like to say a big thank you to Dotty, who captured a number of the photographs from our visit, and to Pursued by a Bear for sharing some of the pictures featured here.

Events like this give us an opportunity to capture our bears in environments very different from a film set, studio or commercial production.

Sherwood Forest provided a particularly special backdrop. With ancient woodland, winding paths and characters appearing between the trees, there were moments when our bear looked completely at home.

Thank You, Fantasy in the Greenwood

Most importantly, thank you to everyone we met on Saturday.

Whether you stopped for a photograph, came over for a closer look, offered the bear a hug or simply encountered him unexpectedly somewhere amongst the trees, you helped make the day memorable.

And another huge thank you to Georgina Geeson and The Hauntarium for inviting us along and making us feel so welcome.

We had a fantastic time visiting Fantasy in the Greenwood and meeting people from around the world who share an appreciation for characters, creatures, costumes and bringing a little bit of fantasy to life.

Although judging by the number of interesting smells coming from the picnic areas, we’re fairly certain the bear would have happily stayed in Sherwood Forest for considerably longer.

Photography: Dotty / Pursued by a Bear

Event: Fantasy in the Greenwood, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
Visited: Saturday, 8 August 2026
TV Bears International