Frequently Asked Questions

The Big One Hundred, inspired by Ashdown Forest, the original Hundred Acre Wood, celebrates 2026 with a brand-new story.

Created and produced by Trigger, The Big One Hundred brings together performances, events and workshops to help protect Ashdown Forest for the next hundred years.

A new larger than life puppet creature inspired by the Ashdown Forest landscape and its wildlife will appear and playfully make its way throughout the forest, across two days in a free, family-friendly event of performances, events and workshops.

Our new creature will tour to locations across Wealden encouraging children to explore nature and discover the joy of reading and be inspired by the forest to help protect Ashdown Forest for the next hundred years.

Ashdown Forest on the 18th – 19th July 2026

There will be bookable slots available at the following times each day:

09:00 – 11:00

12:00 – 14:00

15:00 – 17:00

Hailsham Town Centre – 26th July 2026

Sheffield Park and Garden – 1st August 2026: 10am – 4pm

Uckfield’s Weald on the Field – 8th August 2026

Herstmonceux Castle – 22nd-23rd August 2026: 10am – 4pm

Tickets for this event are allocated in two-hour time slots to help us manage capacity and provide the best possible experience for visitors, whilst also enabling us to minimise footfall and impact on the forest.

On arrival, you’ll receive a wristband corresponding to your allocated session. Once your time slot has ended, we kindly ask that you leave the event area promptly so that guests attending the next session can arrive and enjoy their allocated slot.

If you would like to explore Ashdown Forest after your time slot, you will need to leave the event in the same way you arrived, and find alternative parking in one of the 40 car parks found across Ashdown Forest, which can be found here.

For The Big One Hundred event at Ashdown Forest, tickets will be available to book via Eventbrite.

Hailsham Town Centre – 26th July 2026 – no booking is required, simply turn up on the day and enjoy!

Sheffield Park and Garden – 1st August 2026 – tickets must be booked on entry to the site, more information on entry to Sheffield Park and Garden is available on their website.

Uckfield’s Weald on the Field – 8th August 2026 – no booking is required, simply turn up on the day and enjoy!

Herstmonceux Castle – 22nd-23rd August 2026 – tickets must be booked directly through their website.

Tickets will be released to the general public at 10:00am on Tuesday 26th May 2026.

Wealden residents who are signed up to The Big One Hundred newsletter are able to book tickets from Monday 18th May 2026.

This early access is part of our commitment to ensuring local residents and communities are at the heart of this special celebration of Ashdown Forest and the legacy of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Tickets will be released to the general public at 10:00am on Tuesday 26th May 2026.

A maximum of six tickets may be booked per transaction. Everyone attending will need their own ticket, aside from babes in arms who do not need to be booked.

Admission to The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest is free, however, everyone attending will need to book a General Admission ticket along with a Travel ticket.

If you are planning to drive to the event, you MUST book and pay for a car parking space or park & ride ticket in advance. Parking in the event car parks will not be available on the day without a valid booking.

This helps us manage visitor numbers and ensure that everyone attending has access to a designated parking space during their allocated time slot.

Late arrivals will be accommodated where possible, but entry cannot be guaranteed if the event has reached capacity.

We can offer cancellations and refunds up to seven days before the event date. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your order through Eventbrite. This will enable more people to attend the event in the eventuality you are no longer able to attend.

The Ashdown Forest consists of 11 square miles of beautiful heathland and forest. It is located in southeast England and spans the borders on East Sussex, West Sussex and Kent. Travel options to the event include:

Car:

Car Parking – There are more than 40 car parks across Ashdown Forest.

Park & Ride – We will be offering a park & ride service to The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest. Visitors using this service should park at:

Cumnor House
London Rd, Haywards Heath RH17 7HT

King’s Standing and Broadstone car parks are suitable for blue badge parking, with access onto flatter terrain with some spectacular views. If you are arriving to The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest via car, you must select a Parking Ticket and pay for your parking in advance.

Bike: You are welcome to arrive via bicycle to The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest. Please select a Walking/Cycling ticket type upon booking. Please note that off-road cycling within Ashdown Forest is not permitted, however the 7-mile Forest Way provides a flat, gravel path along a disused railway between East Grinstead and Groombridge

Walk: You are welcome to arrive on-foot to The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest. Please select a Walking/Cycling ticket type upon booking.

If you are driving, you MUST book a parking space in advance of arriving at Ashdown Forest.

Blue badge holders will need to book an accessible ticket in advance. These tickets are free, visitors will need to enter the number associated with their blue badge upon booking a ticket.

Once you’ve booked your parking space, your parking fee is valid across all Ashdown Forest car parks. This means you’re free to continue exploring the Forest and park at any of the other sites after your initial two-hour booking period.

No roads will be closed for this event.

No bus routes will be affected during this event.

No. The Big One Hundred and all its elements are completely free for the public to attend. This is with thanks to the generous support of our partners and supporters.

A small charge for Car Parking & Park & Ride services is applicable at £5 at the point of booking.

The Big One Hundred has been made possible through the generous support of a huge number of partners and funders. More details are available here.

Unfortunately not – our puppet is very delicate equipment, so we can’t allow it to be handled as there’s a risk of damage.

A range of food and drink options, including teas, coffees and ice cream, will be available on site at a charge.

Ashdown Forest has limited accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility due to its steep and uneven heathland terrain.

The Big One Hundred event will take place approximately a two-minute walk away from the accessible parking zone.

A Changing Places toilet facility is available onsite.

Some elements of the event are under cover (including the Ashdown Forest Visitor Centre), but much of the programme takes place outdoors.

Visitors are advised to dress appropriately for the weather. The ground may become muddy, so sturdy footwear such as boots or wellingtons is recommended.

Only assistant dogs will be allowed at the Ashdown forest event. Other locations may differ please find their site FAQ’s here and here.

No – drones/small unmanned aircraft systems are strictly not allowed to be flown within The Big One Hundred event site. For safety reasons, we ask people not to bring them to The Big One Hundred event.

The following performances of The Big One Hundred do not require tickets or advanced booking:

Hailsham Town Centre – 26th July

Uckfield’s Weald on the Field – 8th August

We will be updating our Instagram, Facebook and TikTok throughout the weekend, and would love you to join the conversation, so be sure to follow!

Instagram: @trigger_stuff

Facebook: TriggerStuff

Tik Tok: @triggerstuff

For press enquiries, please contact About Grace PR:

Chloe Pritchard-Gordon
chloe@aboutgracepr.com

Laura Myers
laura@aboutgracepr.com

The Big One Hundred is conceived by Angie Bual, created and produced by Trigger in partnership with Ashdown Forest, designed by Jack Irving, with puppetry direction from Laura Cubbit, and puppetry consultation from Oliver Hymans. Read the full creative and production team credits here.

Trigger are shapeshifting creatives who dream up, create and produce bold and brave live events.

Trigger reimagine and revive public spaces, interrupt daily life, and put audiences and togetherness at the heart of everything they do. Their varied output, ranging from The Hatchling – a groundbreaking puppetry and kite flying experience – to PoliNations, a magical pop-up garden featuring five 11m high architectural trees and thousands of live plants and flowers, is inclusive, accessible and aims to shine a light on the creativity of local communities and underrepresented talent. Trigger is for everyone, and everyone is invited.

Click here to find out more about Trigger.