Festival season is nearly here again – our favourite time of the year. The festival scene is always evolving and this year sadly sees a few significant changes. Several we thought of as a constant presence on the festival calendar are either taking a fallow year or have decided to call it a day. No secret…
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Festival season has moved into high gear. Several have sold out (Green Man, Kendal Calling and Beautiful Days to name just three – and Rally is close to selling out) but there’s still overall plenty of choice. Our list includes several metropolitan (non camping) shindigs too, right into September. If you’re desperate to attend a…
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We LOVE compiling this list each year. And it feels particularly liberating to almost be back to ‘business as usual’ on the festival front – plus some new and expanded events are going ahead, meaning those in charge of the festival purse strings are confident we’re heading back in the fields this summer. So here’s…
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Our festival piece looks a little different this year. It’s been a difficult and rather harrowing task putting it together as many have decided – and are still deciding – to cancel, mainly due to the lack of Government-backed covid insurance. Operating on a knife edge is everyday stuff for festival organisers, but this is…
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In the third of my ‘festivals and food’ series, Gourmet Gigs this week takes a look at the gorgeous global food treats at Womad. The festival might be known primarily for world music, but it has steadily built a name for itself in the food arena too, and the Taste the World stage has proved popular over the…
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If you’re a festival fan, by now you’re dreaming of a green field, banners waving in the breeze, the sound of a band on the main stage… yes, festival season is nearly upon us again, and here is my Ultimate Festival Guide. Most have been personally tried and tested, some on a yearly basis – plus there’s…
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Do you have a business that you think would go down well at festivals? I asked four such entrepreneurial types, with ventures in T‑shirts, vintage tents, gourmet coffee and holistic massage – about their experiences as festival traders. Is it a combination of fun and profit, and are you guaranteed enough time out to catch a favourite band? One…
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Festival planners are busy putting together their lineups for 2015 – and these are just a few of my personally tried-and-tested events. When it comes to festival size, I’m not one for marathon walks from tent to stage (nothing like a trip back to basecamp for an afternoon snooze and a cup of tea) so there’s no mention of…
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Here’s an update of some of my top festival recommends for 2014 and as of the time of posting, still have tickets available. These are all small to medium-sized gatherings (no hour-long trudges to the arena). All these festivals have plenty of well thought-out activities for children and a fairly broad age range of attendance, so whether…
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