It's that time of year again… Festivals are back and they're better than ever! Now is the time to dig out your sunscreen and sleeping bags, but don't forget your wellies and raincoats (let's not forget the incredible ability of British weather to change in the blink of an eye). Whether you’re going solo or bringing the whole family, there’s a festival for absolutely everyone this year.
Take a look at the fantastic fezzies happening in Oxfordshire this summer...
Witney Music Festival & FestivALL, Witney, 10th - 11th June
First up we've got Witney's fantastic two-day open-air music festival which returns this year. Head down to see The Inflatables, playing the best of reggae, soul and ska, Tom Hingley & Kar-Pets with their selection of blues-inspired songs, as well as British alternative rock band EMF. Along with the music, there will be a variety of food and fashion stalls from local traders to indulge in.
Also coming this year to Witney Music Festival will be FestivALL, providing a safe space for people with autism, anxiety or learning disabilities to enjoy the festival with friends. There will be a dedicated wheelchair-accessible viewing platform so you can watch the live performances in action without any bopping heads in the way! There will also be fun and engaging activities to take part in throughout the day, exclusive access to the main bar, accessible toilet blocks and even a chill-out zone if you want to take a break from the music.
With all tickets at under £20, this is a fantastic day out for a terrific price!
KITE Festival, Kirlington Park, 10th - 12th June
And also that weekend is brand-new festival KITE, taking place just north of Oxford. The festival has an absolutely brilliant line up of artists, comedians, writers and activisits as well as musicians and some fabulous food.
The music line up incudes Internationally renowned icon Grace Jones, English indie-pop band Saint Etienne and smooth, soulful singer/songwriter and producer Tom Misch along with some other incredible artists. Amongst those speaking include notorious star of Ru Pauls Drag race Bimini, actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament, world renowned historian and best selling author David Olusoga to name a few.
You can camp for the weekend with tickets at £140 or drop by for the day (day tickets are priced at a very reasonable £54 or a mere £30 if you're a student)
Nocturne Live, Blenheim Palace, 15th - 19th June
Nocturne Live is back with their series of concerts that combine a stellar lineup of performers with the breathtaking setting of Blenheim Palace's Great Court. This year's headliners include reggae and pop legends UB40 feat. Ali Campbell, Simply Red and David Gray who will be celebrating 20 years of ‘White Ladder’, one of the best selling albums in Britain. Many other incredible musicians will perform alongside them, like Jimmy Cliff, James Morrison, Nerina Pallot, and more!
Amazing music is not all that Nocturn Live has to offer; why not take advantage of the beautiful setting and enjoy a stroll around the royal grounds of the palace? Look out for the historical monuments such as the Column of Victory, Grand Bridge and Temple of Diana or visit the nearby pleasure gardens where you'll find a giant hedge maze and even a butterfly house! Your ticket allows you to arrive at any time during the day of the concert so you could even bring a picnic to have by the lake or enjoy some delicious food from a selection of stalls that will be there.
Cornbury Music Festival, Cornbury Park, 8th - 10th July
After a two year sabbatical, Cornbury music festival is back! Albeit, a short and sweet return as this year will be the last Cornbury to grace the Great Tew park with its presence. This quintessentially English festival is the perfect outing for families and friends alike or even perfect for a solo excursion.
The line up this year boasts ex-military singer-songwriter James Blunt, joining Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, along with theatrical rock popsters The Darkness, Scottish talents The Waterboys, and a great Sunday finale double bill of Ronan Keating and Jools Holland.
The kiddos can enjoy a variety of activities, including circus school, samba drumming workshops, storytelling, discos, and yoga. Arts and crafts classes are popular as well, with everything from willow weaving to screen printing available. There’s even a nanny service if you fancy ditching the youngsters for a couple of hours!
Treehouse Festival of Music and Arts, Marcy Fields, Uffington, 29th - 31st July
And with a festival combining a sensational weekend and sustainability we’ve got the Treehouse Festival of Music and Arts which will be returning to Oxfordshire for its sixth year. The festival will centre around a magical hand built treehouse in the same woods where founder Tom de Wilton has been building them since he was eleven years old. Tom has aimed to create an environment of community and connection where you can meet new people and embrace your inner child with a line-up of music, art, workshops and experiences.
There will be three music stages with an amazing selection of live music and DJs, workshops, life drawing, foraging, silent discos, gong baths and plenty more. There are also some exciting new additions this year, including a wood fired hot tub, a cold plunge pool as well as bell tent glamping!
But the best thing about the festival is that sustainability is at its heart. The treehouse is powered by a biodiesel generator and the majority of the festival site is hand-built from sustainable materials with community build weekends that have taken place over the year, so you can party AND protect the planet!
Elementary Festival, Braziers Park, Ipsden, Oxfordshire, 30th June - 4th July
Elementary, the UK’s friendliest little festival, is taking place this July. Immerse yourself in a magical world of music, movement and relaxation through live performance, workshops, sound journeys and healing sessions.
Elementary have an incredible variety of live acts with the line up including performances from Yogev Haruvi, a human rhythm machine that plays the drums and didgeridoos at the same time, who will have you dancing with delight and experiencing spiritual vibrations. Joining Yogev will be Brighton-based collective Rooted Elements who will most definitely take you on a musical roller coaster with their multi-genre mix of Trip Hop, Funk, Drum and Bass, and plenty more, as well as OmiVibes who will transport you with his enchanting sounds of India reverberating through his Sitar.
In addition to their magical line up, Elementary are hosting a number of healing workshops, helping to soothe away the aches and pains from dancing away the night, including sound bath meditations, dance sessions, massages, drumming circles and much more! There will also be stalls where you can turn yourself into a walking piece of art by receiving some henna, or you could decorate yourself with some beautiful handmade jewellery.
The fun isn’t only for adults, there will be plenty of activities to keep the kiddos entertained. There will be a secret woodland adventure playground to discover, as well as painting and arts and crafts, interactive messy storytelling, juggling and much more…
Wilderness, Cornbury Park, 4th - 7th August
Experience a multi sensory euphoria at Wilderness - a one of a kind festival that combines live music, world-class arts and performances, feasting, wellbeing and family fun, all set amidst the idyllic Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. The line up boasts incredible acts such as British synthpop band Years and Years, internationally renowned DJ and producer Peggy Gou, and Gabriels, the soulful, cinematic trio bringing you sweet sounds of gospel, plus loads more. Pop, techno, and soul… What more could you ask for?!
Wilderness’s spectacular collaborations have featured artists and creators from all over the world and this year's line up focuses on the body, movement and storytelling through physical theatre. You’ll have the opportunity to see performances from Sadler Wells, one of the world’s leading dance organisations, as well as from Hofesh Shechter and his award-winning ensemble Shechter II, who will be presenting a rhythmic and exhilarating performance.
It’s safe to say that Wilderness puts as much effort into their music line up as they do their food, welcoming world class chefs each year. Whether you want a long table banquet, a seven course meal prepared in front of your very own eyes, or a feminist feast, Wilderness allows you to fulfil your wildest foodie fantasies.
If that wasn’t enough there are absolutely LOADS of outdoor workshops and activities to get stuck into, including yoga in the wild, boating, and axe throwing, as well as a family field full of activities from arts and crafts to pop up theatre and weird science! And not to forget the famous wilderness cricket match where you’re more likely to see more streaking than points scored... It’s a festival that really has it all!
Fairport Cropredy Convention 2022, Cropredy, 11th - 13th August
After a two year break the annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk rock band Fairport Convention, is back. Held on the edge of the Village of Cropredy since the 1970s, the festival hosts up to 20,000 music lovers and is sure to be a fantastic weekend. The line-up includes the likes of Steve Hackett, Richard Thompson, Trevor Horn Band, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Holy Moly & The Crackers, Martyn Joseph, and of course Fairport Convention and guests. And if the music on the festival stage isn’t to your taste, you can take a trip to the two pubs The Brasenose Arms and The Red Lion who will be hosting live outdoor music whilst the festival is on.
One of the many great things about Cropredy is that there is no backstage bar and so if you’re in the queue for a drink and think you’re behind some famous musician, you probably are! Oh and pets are also welcome!
Waterperry Opera Festival, Waterperry House, 12th - 20th August
This year, the Waterperry Opera Festival is celebrating its fifth anniversary, providing the ideal setting for people of all ages to enjoy opera and classical music while taking in the beautiful garden scenery.
You will be able to see a variety of outdoor productions in the gardens as well as indoor performances in the gorgeous Georgian Ballroom at Waterperry (you’ll be able to see as many as four per day!). The line up this year includes fabulous performances such as Figures in the Garden, a collaboration between dance students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of music and dance and young local musicians from Oxfordshire county youth orchestra. There’s even child-friendly productions such as Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the wolf, an interactive family-friendly production perfect for little ones experiencing classical music for the very first time!
Your ticket not only allows you to see the wonderful productions but also provides access to the amazing Waterperry gardens where you can explore the Mary Rose Garden, Waterlily Pond, the Mediaeval Church and much more!
Rewind Festival South, Henley-on-Thames, 19th - 21st August
Travel back in time and attend Rewind South, one of the biggest 80s music festivals! With multiple venues including its legendary silent disco, pop up pubs with live sing-a-longs and even an inflatable church, you’ll find it hard to be bored at Rewind. The 80s act headliners this year include Frankie Goes to Hollywood star Holly Johnson, the Human League and Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp.
For those in search of some festival thrills there will be a funfair, or if you prefer a more relaxed setting there will be a unique riverside stage alongside the River bank Thames where you can grab a pint and enjoy some talented musicians with a view! There will also be an electro picture lounge where you can nurse your hangover by watching classic 90s music videos, documentaries and 80s film footage whilst the kids can enjoy the Kidzone Circus workshops, magicians, balloon bending and much more fun.
Tickets are now tier 3 so if you want to go book asap!
Towersey Festival, Claydon Estate, Buckinghamshire, 26th - 29th August
The four day Towersey Festival is taking place at Claydon Estate, the UK’s longest running independent festival run by generations of the same family! Beginning in a family back garden in 1965 the festival has come a long way, and has since been branded by the Guardian as “One of the most bravely adventurous festivals in the folk and world music calendar”.
This year the line up welcomes talented acts such as headliner Imelda May, one of Ireland’s most respected female singer songwriters, alongside Barnsley folk royalty Kate Rusby, acoustic indie trailblazers Turin Brakes, Grammy and Tony Award-winning singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and many more! There will be a festival dance house where you can join in swing and jive dancing, along with ballroom ballet, contra. Or show off your dance moves in the silent disco or to music from the Yiddish Twist Orchestra or the DJs that will be playing a selection of afrobeat, roots reggae and blues. The choice is yours!
Towersey is another fantastic family friendly festival, with absolutely tons of activities for all ages including circus and theatre shows, storytelling, outdoor games, history and ghost walks, a fun run, forest school, campfires and music jams, alongside a new “Evolving” young people’s area launching in 2022, which will feature everything from crafts to discos.
Early birds have already sold out so if you fancy getting your groove on this summer be sure to book soon!
Image Credits: Yvette de Wit on Unsplash, Grace Jones at Fremantle Park by Stuart Sevastos, UB40 at Rock the Ring by Sven Mandel, James Blunt by EJ Hersom, Treehouse Festival of Music and Arts, Adam Fagen on Flickr, Peggy Gou at Primavera Sound by Jwslubbock, Fairport Cropredy Convention by Andy F, Waterperry Opera Festival, Towersy Festival