Family Friendly Festival Guide 2014

My favourite part about summer is festivals, they have contributed greatly to the lady I am today and I am forever grateful. This year I will be hitting five festivals to make videos and to say I’m EXCITED(!) would be a terrible understatement. So if it all goes to plan, I will start off at Womad from the 25 – 27th July. Womad attracts musicians and revelers from every corner of the globe. The festival naturally welcomes an amazing array of culinary backgrounds, this year it will celebrate this annual fusion of flavours by becoming a foodie heaven in its own right.

I’m particularly looking forward to Peter Gabriel talk at the Society of Sound Stage at WOMAD 2014. He will be taking part in a discussion at WOMAD, the festival he founded over 30 years ago, on Saturday 26th July at 11.30 am, to discuss two other long-running projects he’s been involved with: Real World Records, who are celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, and Bowers & Wilkins Society of Sound on Who’s stage at the festival the event will take place.

This discussion aims to delve a little deeper into Peter’s initial motivations for starting the label, offer some first-hand insight into the history of the label and it’s diverse roster of artists as well as explore the effect that his involvement in the label has had on him personally as a song-writer. www.realworldrecords.com

The weekend after, I head off to Nozstock, the Hidden Valleys from 1-3rd August. This festival was described by Russel Howard as a “rural slice of English eccentricity.”

Amid the emerald fields and raggle-taggle farmhouses of Herefordshire’s most stunning countryside lies Nozstock The Hidden Valley. Nozstock was founded by a fun-loving family and the Hidden Valley has successfully retained this homely, welcoming feel. The festival has become well-loved for its delightful blend of performance, art and electronic super sounds and an ethos of bringing play to everyone, in whatever form it can. Nozstock believes in the value of not only entertaining, but in participation and contribution.

After a couple of days of work, I then head off to Boomtown and Wilderness on at the same weekend! This is going to be a bit tricky, my friend who’s coming with, will be driving so we can dash from one to the other. #ROADTRIP! BoomTown Fair is a pop-up city where the impossible is possible and abnormal is normal! Over 400 artists are set to perform within the make-believe metropolis this summer. BoomTown is made up of nine very distinct colourful and characterful districts, each celebrating their own musical genres and dedicated fancy dress themes! At Boomtown, I’m hoping to get a couple of interviews for le blog and youtube so I’ll keep you posted.

Wilderness is the proud winner of Best New Festival 2011 and Best Extra Activity 2013 at the UK Festival Awards and Best Small Festival 2012 at the Live Music Awards. It’s a magical landscape filled with fairy tales and fables brought to life for wild ones of all ages.

This year, Wilderness aims to once again pique festivalgoers’ curiosity and enhance their hunger for knowledge with a dazzling range of events, activities and speakers that will invigorate the mind and enhance the senses, hosted by The Secret Forum, with support from The Huffington Post UK. This year, the topic for discussion is “Monogamy Equals Monotony”, It is sure to be a breathtakingly quickfire and endlessly provocative discussion

Last but not the least is Green man! Located in the truly lovely Black Mountains (near Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons), with ten entertainment areas in lush Welsh wilderness; 1500 performers, 24 hour entertainment, comedy, poetry, literature, art & science – you name it- they’ve got it! This is where my festival journey ends, I know it will be emotional, profound, and philosophical and I just cant wait!

PEACE OUT!