Wychwood Festival
| Wychwood Festival | |
|---|---|
 Panorama showing the Big Top and Main Stage on Friday evening of the 2011 Festival | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Family Music Festival |
| Location(s) | Cheltenham Racecourse |
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Founders | Graeme Merifield and Sam Shrouder |
| Website | www |
The Wychwood Festival is an annual music festival held at Cheltenham racecourse in Gloucestershire, UK, the weekend after the late May Bank Holiday.[1] Time Out magazine described the event as "an excellent hybrid of The Big Chill, WOMAD and The Cambridge Folk Festival."[2] The festival has also been called a "bijou Glastonbury".[3] As well as music, the family-friendly three-day festival includes workshops, comedy, a children's literature tent, and a silent disco.[1][3]
History
The festival, which began in 2005, features mostly indie, folk and world music. 2016 will mark the 12th Wychwood Festival. Last year the festival celebrated its 11th year of care free festival weekends beneath the idyllic Prestbury Hills. The festival is known for its family friendly feel, big range of music on offer, plus loads of other activities including 100 workshops for all ages, comedy, cinema and much more. The event has a very laid back vibe, and you can drive onto the campsite to unload all your gear. It has been nominated Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards every year.[3]
Festival History
- 2005
The 2005 Festival saw performances from Steve Earle, Alabama 3, Show of Hands, Allison Moorer, Eliza Carthy in collaboration with Varttina, Mory Kante, The Earlies, Aberfeldy, Jim Moray, Mercan Dede, Radio Tarifa, Omar Sosa, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, Baka Beyond, Damien Dempsey and many more.
BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends and BBC Radio 3's Late Junction both recorded at the festival, and entertainment included The Groovy Movie Solar Powered Cinema, Club Wychwood with some of the best world beats around, and workshops for all ages. It was a very positive first year, the festival made it into the Sunday Times Top 7 Festivals of the summer and nominated for Best New and Best Family Festival at the UK Festival Awards and the organisers quickly moved on to planning the second year.
- 2006
Artists at the 2006 Festival included, Billy Bragg, Seth Lakeman, Dreadzone, Saw Doctors, Martha Wainwright, Mr Scruff, Amadou & Mariam, Handsome Family, Peatbog Faeries, Polar Bear, Eliza Carthy in collaboration with Salsa Celtica, Banco de Gaia, The Bays, Tunng, Broken Family Band, Sophie Solomon, Chris Difford, Ed Motta, Field Music, Ralfe Band, Gilles Peterson and many, many more. The festival also featured the first ever festival performances from The Feeling and Guillemots, plus the debut of Tim Van Eyken’s new project starring Nancy Kerr, Pete Flood (Bellowhead), Olly Knight and Colin Fletcher.
Comedy was added to the programme and included a very special intimate performance from Mark Thomas. Late night entertainment was provided by the Silent Disco from The Netherlands, starting their tour of summer festivals. The Festival received three nominations at the 2006 UK Festival Awards including Best Family Festival for the second time.
- 2007
2007 got off to a flying start with Levellers, Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 and Ian Hunter on the Friday. A star studded Saturday saw Rodrigo y Gabriela, Badly Drawn Boy and Fun Lovin Criminals on the Main Stage with rhythms from Shooglenifty, Transglobal Underground and sunny vocals from Camera Obscura and Martha Tilston. Sunday went out with a folk and world music bang with Afro Celt Sound System, Ba Cissoko, Zion Train, Eliza Carthy and Ralfe Band.
- 2008
2008 was the most successful Wychwood to date, with the festival coming close to sell out. Artists included The Divine Comedy, The Proclaimers, Duffy, The Imagined Village project with Simon Emmerson, Billy Bragg, Johnny Kalsi, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Chris Wood and many more. As well as Kate Rusby, Dengue Fever, The Blockheads, Robyn Hitchcock & the Psychedelic Trams, Dreadzone, Orchestra Baobab, Spiers and Boden, Palladium, Piney Gir, Stornoway, Mor Karbasi, Transglobal Underground, Emma Pollock and Miles Hunt, Rachel Unthank & the Winterset, 3 Daft Monkeys, Richard Walters and many more.
Comedy offerings included Andy Smart, Steve Steen, Stephen Frost, Jeff Green, Dave Johns, Josie Lawrence, Boothby Graffoe, Mundo Jazz, Terry Saunders, Barry Dodds, Ben Schofield and Damion Larkin. And we were nominated for the 4th year running as the Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards.
- 2009
2009 was the 5th birthday of the festival, and acts included Super Furry Animals, Supergrass, The Wonder Stuff, Little Boots, Bellowhead, Oysterband, Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds, Dhol Foundation, The Beat, Cara Dillon, Ella Edmondson, Red Light Company, Attila The Stockbroker, Stornoway, Justin Adams, Alex Cornish and The Travelling Band.
Comedy was provided by the likes of Arthur Smith, Robin Ince and Mundo Jazz. Cinema included classics like Little Shop of Horrors, and presentations from Beatles film-maker Tony Palmer and much more, over 100 workshops for all ages and the first Children’s Literature Festival was launched with the new Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, plus many others including Philip Ardagh, Jeremy Strong and Kristina Stephenson.
- 2010
And so to 2010 and once again the sun shone on us (except for a quick downpour on Sunday afternoon!). The line up included The Levellers, Happy Mondays, Lightning Seeds, Seth Lakeman, The South, Toumani Diabaté, Justin Currie, Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds, Dreadzone, John Otway, The Outcast Band, Thrill Collins, and many more.
BBC Introducing took over the third stage. CBBC children’s favourite Justin Fletcher aka Mr Tumble orchestrated a mass sing song from mainstage at 11am on Sunday morning! Comedy included Ray Peacock, Silky, Robin Ince, Nick Page and Pete Johansson.
- 2011
In 2011 the music programming continued to be varied, with a mixture of indie, world, folk and more. The main stage hosted numerous fantastic acts including The Charlatans, The Bluetones, The Waterboys, Eddi Reader, Eliza Carthy, The Christians and 3 Daft Monkeys. Festival goers were even treated to some cider fueled fun from The Wurzels on Sunday afternoon. The third and fourth stages were again used to showcase BBC introducing and local talent.
The Green was bigger and better with over 100 workshops, from arts and crafts to dancing and some rare treats such as beat boxing and ukulele lessons. Punch and Judy, magic shows and walkabout characters added to the magical atmosphere for kids and grown ups alike. The area also hosted the Kids Literature Festival, with a host of amazing authors reading their work and meeting adoring fans. Late night entertainment was provided by a selection of great comedians, some classic films in the cinema tent and of course the now legendary Headphone Disco.
- 2012
In 2012 the line up included James, Bellowhead, The Saw Doctors, The Cuban Brothers, The Damned, Dodgy, Dr & The Medics, Sharon Shannon, Port Isaac’s Fishermans Friends, Show of Hands, The Dhol Foundation, Howard Marks, Robin Ince Science Shows, Juju, Mahala Rai Banda, Hawkwind, Duke Special, Dizraeli & The Small Gods and special performances for younger Wychwooders from Katy Ashworth and Nina & The Neurons.
Comedy was ably pulled off by Nick Page, Anna Keirle, Christian Steel, Dan Mitchell, Sam Harland, Tony Simpson, Jonathan Elston, Matt Richardson, Silky, Carly Smallman, Jim Smallman, Tony Law and Jarred Christmas.
The Kids Literature festival grew in size with entertaining performances from Petr Horacek, Jamila Gavin, Anna Wilson, K J Wignall, Phillip Ardagh, Jacquie Trajan, Ian Whybrow, Karen Langtree, Shoo Rayner and Tony de Saulles among many others, and of course not forgetting Floppy the Dog and Winnie the Witch.
- 2013
The 2013 line-up boasted The Human League, Bill Bailey, Soul II Soul, Caravan Palace, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, John Otway, Moulettes, Eddie and the Hotrods, Dreadzone, Toploader, Sam Lee and Friends, Lucy Rose, Craig Charles, Public Service Broadcasting, Thrill Collins and many more great acts. The kids were also treated to an appearance from CBBC star Mr Bloom.
The Hobgoblin tent was again packed with fantastic bands selected by regional BBC stations and comedy supported by efestivals. For the first time we had a full beer festival, with a great selection of ales and ciders to pick from. The workshops area was again full of life with the Waterstones Kids Literature Festival and the usual selection of great activities. There were even a few surprises, with pop-up choir and ukulele performances. We also welcomed a larger artists and makers area and an improved relaxation and healing area. The sun even shone for the Sunday afternoon parade to complete a fantastic festival weekend.
- 2014
The 2014 line-up included headliners The Stranglers, Levellers and The Boomtown Rats. Other highlights included Graham Gouldman 10cc, Bad Manners, Craig Charles, La Chiva Gantiva, Lee Thompsons Ska Orchestra, Newton Faulkner, Reef, The Gaslight Troubadours, The Real Thing, Baraka, Benin City, Bipolar Sunshine, Gabby Young and Other Animals, Gentleman’s Dub Club, King Charles, Kyla La Grange, Lloyd Yates, Merry Hell and Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer. Wychwood FM covered the event capturing interviews and acoustic sets with many acts. The nights closed with the biggest ever Headphone disco, including a neon party on the Saturday night.
The Hobgoblin tent again hosted some amazing bands selected by BBC radio stations and hilarious comedy supported by efestivals. The Kids Literature Festival grew with the addition of the Booktrust and more great storytelling from The Roald Dahl Museum and various poets. The workshops areas was a hive of activity in the new location where the bigtop was previously positioned. CBBC star Justin Fletcher returned as was popular as ever. The artists and makers area also found a new spot and we had a new improved set up for the healers and therapists. A number of charities ran activities including World Vision, The British Ecological Society and Toybox.
- 2015
The 2015 line-up included headliners UB40’s Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue reunited, Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Boney M. The list of great acts continued including The Proclaimers, The Undertones, DJs Craig Charles and Andy Kershaw, Lucy Rose, Dreadzone, Electric Swing Circus, Ghostpoet, Monsieur Doumani, The Wonder Stuff, Darlia, Thrill Collins and many more. Promoters Smashing Blouse, BBC introducing and University of Gloucestershire all partnered with the festival to provide some exciting emerging bands. The university also ran the Wychwood FM radio station again to cover the event, capturing interviews and acoustic sets with many acts. As always the evenings ended with festival goers basking in silent parties courtesy of Headphone disco.
Ecotricity sponsored the Big Top, which housed their Green Britain debate, which encouraged people to think about their impact on the environment. Hobgoblin once again supported the third stage with music and hilarious comedy sponsored by efestivals. The popular real ale festival also returned and we had great ciders and lager on offer from Heineken too. We continued to grow our Kids Literature Festival with more great authors and poets. Our Workshops area was popular as ever, neighbouring the relaxing Healing fields and Artists & Makers area. A number of charities ran activities again including The British Ecological Society making learning fun by swabbing people for bacteria and Toybox supporting homeless street children. There were a great range of other stalls and attractions including a Mega Roller Disco for the first time.
References
Citations
- ^ a b Perrone, Pierre (5 June 2010). "First Night: Wychwood Festival, Cheltenham". The Independent. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ^ "Wychwood Festival - Our History". Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- ^ a b c "Wychwood Festival gets under way". BBC News. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
Bibliography
- Dalton, Nick & Rebecca Ford, Donald Strachan, Stephen Keeling, Rhonda Carrier, Deborah Stone, Louise McGrath (2011). Frommer's England and the Best of Wales 2012. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-1199-9454-1.
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