A forest venue instead of a restaurant: celebrations beneath the trees in Kyiv

Imagine a celebration that begins without the familiar entrance to a restaurant. Guests are not leaving their coats in a cloakroom or looking for the right table in a series of identical rooms. They are walking along a forest path. The city is still very close, but its pace is already receding: voices grow quieter, eyes linger on patches of sunlight, and the first meeting takes place beneath the trees rather than at a reception desk.

This is where the difference between a restaurant with nature-inspired décor and a forest venue begins. At NAMETY, there is no attempt to recreate the forest with decorations. It is already there: overhead, all around, in the scent of the air and in the changing light. The Forest Clearing is not trying to be an indoor space. It offers another way to spend time together.

When the forest takes part in the occasion

In a conventional venue, the atmosphere barely changes. The lights remain the same, the walls stay as they are, and music fills the silence. In the forest, the day follows its own story.

In the morning, soft light filters through the canopy. By day, the clearing feels open and alive. Towards evening, the colours deepen, faces gather around warm light, and a fire naturally becomes a new focus for conversation. There is no need to invent fresh entertainment every hour: the setting itself helps the celebration move from one part to the next.

This is particularly appreciated by people who have grown tired of events where a host has scheduled every minute. A forest venue leaves room for the unplanned: a longer conversation, a walk for two, a group photograph or a pause when everyone simply looks up at the trees.

Which celebrations suit the clearing?

The forest does not demand one particular occasion. The clearing can host brunch with friends, a birthday, an intimate wedding, a family gathering, a celebration ahead of a new arrival, a get-together with colleagues or dinner with business partners. What matters most is the way you want people to connect, rather than the name of the occasion.

If you need guests to face in one direction all evening, the Forest Clearing may not be able to show its greatest strength. Its appeal lies in movement and freedom. People can meet around one table, break off into smaller conversations, stroll between the trees and gather again.

The NAMETY event format depends on the number of guests. For groups of up to thirty, the option is “Forest Clearing + Male Lito”. For thirty-one to fifty guests, events are possible only with exclusive hire of the whole NAMETY site. This means more than a larger clearing: the spaces included change, so it is important to settle the guest count before booking.

Fewer decorations, more meaning

In a restaurant, decorations often have to disguise a neutral interior. The clearing already has a distinctive foundation: bark, greenery, shadows and the natural irregularity of its lines. A few carefully chosen touches that work with the trees will do more here than a large quantity of decorations.

This changes the questions you ask while planning, too. Rather than “How do we fill an empty wall?”, ask “What mood do we want to bring out?” Rather than “Where should we set up a photo area?”, ask “Which part of the day should we leave for photographs?” Rather than “How do we keep guests entertained without a break?”, ask “What will help them really spend time together?”

A forest venue lends itself to sincerity. A long table, a few warm words, favourite music and a fire at the end — sometimes that is enough to make a day more memorable than an elaborate production.

A natural setting still needs planning

A forest celebration may feel effortless, but thoughtful planning is what makes that ease possible. Before booking, decide on the guest count and what you need in terms of food, music, décor and any additional activities. The active part of the event should be planned between 12:00 and 22:00, with access to the venue between 10:00 and 23:00. All details, equipment and rules for the particular event must be agreed with the NAMETY team in advance.

It is also worth thinking about the pace. Will all the guests arrive together? Will there be one main shared part of the day? When will there be time for a leisurely dinner? Would you like to end the day by the fire? Once these questions have answers, the clearing becomes more than a beautiful place: it becomes a thoughtfully planned setting for your celebration.

A Kyiv celebration that feels like a journey

NAMETY is set in the forest at VDNG. It offers a rare combination: getting to your event does not have to become a separate trip out of the city, yet once you arrive beneath the trees, familiar Kyiv feels as though it has been left somewhere further away.

The convenience goes beyond geography. It is easier for guests to say yes to an event that does not require complicated preparations or a long journey. And organisers can create the feeling of a world apart without taking everyone dozens of kilometres away.

It is important not to promise that the forest will make everyone forget their phone or relax instantly. But the setting does offer more opportunities to do so: to listen to the person you are talking to, step away from the table, look at the trees and feel the day turning into evening.

What if you want the day to continue?

The options for extending the celebration also depend on the format. For an event with up to thirty guests, the clearing and Male Lito form the core booking; other cabins and sauna or hot tub time should not be assumed to be included automatically — their availability must be agreed separately.

For thirty-one to fifty guests, exclusive hire includes all five cabins, an overnight stay within their combined capacity of up to ten people, and one “sauna + two hot tubs” session lasting up to two hours. This does not mean that every guest at a large event can stay overnight or use the sauna and hot tubs at the same time; the exact time and practical arrangements must be agreed with NAMETY.

A forest venue is no compromise

People who choose a clearing over a restaurant are not settling for “less”. They are choosing something different: changing light instead of a fixed ceiling, spaces between trees instead of walls, freedom to move instead of one seat at a table, and a real evening forest instead of a forest-themed backdrop.

There is no need to make this kind of celebration resemble a restaurant event. Build it around what a restaurant cannot offer: fresh air, the natural passing of the day, silence between conversations and the feeling that, for a few hours, you have your own venue beneath the trees.

Planning an event? Tell the NAMETY team how many guests you expect and how you picture the day. We will help you identify the right format for your guest count and agree on every part of the celebration.