Creators say it is a ‘monumental’ work of art
A giant spider sculpture is set to be installed at a Leicestershire-based music festival as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Arcadia Spider is a 50 tonne, fire-breathing “work of art”, according to the creators.
One of the UK’s most popular music festivals, Forbidden Forest, which takes place in Belvoir Castle, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary show next year. To celebrate, creators said the “hair-raising” sculpture, which has been previously spotted in Glastonbury and Boomfest, will be in the heart of Leicestershire’s countryside.
According to the creators, fans will be able to experience the 360 degree multi-sensory installation, which is constructed from 95 per cent recycled materials. The “monumental work of art” will take four days to build and brings something entirely new to Forbidden Forest for its 10th anniversary show.
The DJ booth in the Arcadia Spider is made from Tri Star turbine rotors, the legs were originally UK Government security scanning machines, and the top ‘muscles’ originate from Gazelle helicopter tails. Finally the eye sockets are made out of reverse thrust units from Rolls Royce jet engines. Festival goers will be able to experience the “exhilarating structure” in the forest for one year only.
Owner of Forbidden Forest Festival, James Cohen, said: “We couldn’t be more excited to bring the legendary Arcadia Spider to Forbidden Forest in 2026. It’s a huge year for us marking our tenth chapter and the addition of this masterpiece is sure to make it unforgettable – not just for us as promoters, but for every single person who’ll witness the scale of this industrial behemoth.”
Speaking about their creation, Arcadia Founders Pip Rush and Bert Cole said: “We’re thrilled to be a part of Forbidden Forest next year to celebrate its tenth anniversary. The unique festival site feels like a natural environment for the Spider and we are whole-heartedly looking forward to working with the team on this huge debut.”
The news is the second in a series of announcements to come from Forbidden Forest regarding plans for its tenth anniversary show. The festival previously announced Dutch powerhouse Chris Stussy as the first DJ confirmed for the 2026 line-up, after his debut set went viral in June.
The wider line-up is yet to be released, with tickets going on sale in November.
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