Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2013

The 2013 Lyme Regis Fossil Festival will celebrate out Coastal Treasures.

Lyme Regis sits at the heart of the Jurassic Coast, England's only Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. We won our UNESCO status thanks to the magnificent cliffs that stretch from Exmouth to Swanage, exposing not only the Jurassic Lias but also the Triassic and Cretaceous layers. (Yes, we should really be called the Mesozoic Coast...) A visit to different points along the coast will not only let you see 185 million years of the earth's history, but also give you access to many different kinds of fossils, from the gigantic to the microscopic.

The 2013 Fossil Festival will explore the marine habitats that produced the very different types of cliffs that we see today, whether chalk, lias, or red mudstone. We'll also investigate what the study of the geology and fossils could tell us about preparing for living on the coast in the future.

Our confirmed returning partners include the Natural History Museum, Lyme Regis Museum, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, Plymouth University, National Oceanography Centres, Southampton, Isle of Wight Museum, British Antarctic Survey, Dorset Geologists, the Paleontological Association, the Buckland Club - and of course the Jurassic Coast Team. The Fossil Fair will run from Friday to Monday, with all the best local finds from our collectors and local traders.

We're putting together a great programme of hands-on and fine art, including Stonebalancing, the return of flights to Pangea on OnBoard, and the Travelling Pliosaur Cinema, as well as street theatre and performances at the Marine Theatre. For the first time we are also planning an exhibition of Paleoart, from some of the leading British scientist/artists.

A full programme of talks will run over the weekend, from the general to the latest research.

Digital arts and technology have proved to be natural companions to exploring and researching our prehistoric world. Virtual and augmented reality applications will enable on-site and distant exploration and identification, and the public are invited to help build up a picture of their fossils finds overlayed onto geologic map.

3D scanning and printing is an exciting new area that is only just beginning to be tested and stretched, and we'll have fossil collections online, as well as explanations of how the technology is being used in research and fossil preparation. We'll also have a 3D printer on hand, so visitors can see just what's hidden inside some amazing samples.