Thousands of people are expected to visit Sherwood Forest to celebrate the nation’s favourite tree as part of the forthcoming Major Oak Woodland Festival.

The Major Oak, which is aged between 800 and 1,000 years old, is the current holder of the Woodland Trust’s England Tree of the Year title, and will be celebrated alongside traditional and modern woodland crafts at the festival on September 12 and 13, between 11am and 4pm each day.

Joint organisers Nottinghamshire County Council and The Sherwood Forest Trust are putting the finishing touches to a busy programme of events with storytellers, stallholders, craftspeople and demonstrations. The festival is being sponsored this year by Robert Woodhead Ltd and Edwinstowe House.

Visitors can marvel at the skills of bodging (bodgers used unseasoned wood and hand tools to make chairs and household objects made of wood) with Bryan Eskriett from Ollerton and Blidworth-based Forest to Furniture – both of whom featured on BBC Countryfile this summer as part of a programme promoting Nottinghamshire’s famous Major Oak and associated woodland crafts.

Other confirmed attendees among 50 different organisations at the Major Oak Woodland Festival include:

• Peter Wood, one of the country’s leading pole lathe turners, who founded Greenwood Days in Derbyshire, and uses traditional skills to turn ash wood into finely crafted chair legs for furniture

• Green Estate Ltd will be providing the ever popular horse logging demonstration with a chance to meet ‘Big Lad’ their Clydesdale horse

• Storytellers including Wild Man of the Woods Barry Patterson – Britain’s most travelled Green Man who proved a real hit with the crowds last year and newcomer Sophie Snell

• Gary Hackett, who makes hand crafted Bushcraft and Woodcraft knives and other tools using traditional methods with oak and yew wood handles, and founded Hackett of Sherwood based in Mansfield.

Councillor John Knight, Committee Chairman for Culture at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Our world-famous Sherwood Forest was profiled on BBC Countryfile earlier this year and the Major Oak Woodland Festival gives everyone a great opportunity to explore its wonderful surroundings, enjoy captivating stories about the forest and learn more about both modern and traditional woodland crafts.

“We are very pleased that Robert Woodhead Ltd and Edwinstowe House will sponsor the Major Oak Woodland Festival. They are local companies with a strong track record within their respective industries.”

Dr Patrick Candler, Chief Executive of the Sherwood Forest Trust said: “The Major Oak Woodland Festival offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the beauty and the wonder of the Sherwood Forest, but also to appreciate how it has supported livelihoods throughout the ages. There will be a fantastic array of traditional and modern woodland crafts and skills displayed, together with stalls and activities to attract and interest all visitors. The Trust is delighted to be a partner with the County Council in the organisation of the Festival.”

Robert Woodhead Ltd is an award-winning company that specialises in the design, construction, refurbishment, conservation and repairs and maintenance of buildings. Sponsoring the Woodland Festival is part of the company’s vision of celebrating and raising awareness for traditional heritage crafts. Edwinstowe House is a business services provider headquartered in the heart of Sherwood Forest that provides commercial property management, serviced office space, conferencing, training, and business support services.

More details about this year’s Major Oak Woodland Festival can be found on Nottinghamshire County Council’s website: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/whatson