19th September 2023
This was the title of an Access All Areas article written by Gus Agostini and in the main I do have to disagree with a lot of what he is suggesting. The teeny-bop rock and pop world may well have lost a good number of its potential customers during Covid, some of whom have yet to come back and some of whom have never actually accessed a festival. However, throughout the AFO there is very cl...
13th September 2023
As festival season draws to a close, many artists and backstage workers may be experiencing post-tour recovery; a physical, mental and social readjustment to life back home. Tonic Rider will be delivering on why peer support is important for backstage workers after festival season. The talk will be facilitated by Jeordie Shenton and Jade Hughes, who will also highlight the besp...
7th September 2023
A request from Jo Tuffs, a director of Broadstairs Folk Week, asks if any members can recommend better software for data processing. Her current software is a little dated and needs an upgrade and the simple question is ‘What does everybody else use?’ You can contact Jo direct at [email protected] and please copy in the AFO office....
6th September 2023
Once again Standout magazine are first to report Birmingham City’s delivery of their Festivals Sustainability. Their events took place from July 24 to August 6 to mark a one year anniversary of the Commonwealth Games Production. And building on that legacy was a wide cultural programme of entertainment both live and visual. Sustainability goals set for the event included a cle...
4th September 2023
Fiona Stewart, Managing Director of the Green Man Festival, announces that this year has been the greenest edition yet. Her 25,000-capacity festival, now in its 21st year, sold out and ran from 15 to 18 August. Green Man was also awarded a Gold Charter for improving disabled people’s access to music from Attitude Is Everything. Among the environmental initiatives implemented t...
3rd September 2023
As the name suggests the Onwards Festival leads audiences successively through Huddersfield town centre and its grass roots music venues. Showcasing a curated programme of live music. Onwards Festival began in 2016, obviously had two years off in 2020 and 2021, but with ACE support along with a local authority, in 2023 the festival has bounced back. It takes place between 23 and 2...
15th August 2023
The guests are all booked, all the venues are booked, morris sides and dance display teams are all ready to go. Craft stalls are signed up and tickets are on sale. In fact everything is in place for the 30th Tenterden Folk Festival. They were just getting ready to finalise the programme for printing when they were told that one of main venues would not be available as the fire escape at ...
9th August 2023
Steve Heap visited Underneath The Stars Festival on the last day of a somewhat stormy and wet weekend at the beginning of August... "The site is just off J 38 of the M1 near Barnsley and organised and run by a strong team based on the family of Kate Rusby inc her sister and festival director Emma Holling. Eddie Barcan, of Splendid Events fame, ex of Cambridge Folk Festival is a leading member ...
8th August 2023
In 2024 plans are already ahead to invite 30,000 people to attend a new festival called the Brit Fest Cheshire, celebrating British culture, the arts, fashion, food, drink and classic cars. Being brought together by promoter Great British Festivals they intend to run the event in July at Ashley Hall and Showground, Altrincham in Cheshire. They have already booked a few headline rock and...
6th August 2023
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th August 2023 Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire Just So Festival, one of the longest running independent family festivals in the UK, returns to Cheshire in two weeks’ time. It takes place from Friday 18th - Sunday 20th August on the historic Rode Hall Estate. Weekend and day tickets are still available at www.justsofestival.org.uk. Just So Festival is all about fam...
4th August 2023
Following a successful Folk by the Oak 2023, they have said the following... "We simply can't express how joyous it was to be back in the field with our wonderful Folk by the Oakers, sharing music, fun and laughter with our festival family! 2023 was the year we all had to ‘go with the flow’, with illness and travel issues on the day creating 2 gaps in our line-up. As a festiv...
14th July 2023
For many years now I have heard many festival organisers telling me that they wish they could attract a younger audience. My answer has quite often been that young people come to festivals at an early stage, then drop out for a while in their late teens and early twenties and return in their thirties and forties. But it doesn’t always solve the problem. The two years off for Covid meant th...
12th July 2023
With a few festivals falling by the wayside, as I have often said, there is always somebody else prepared to have a go. And here it is – In A Field by a Bridge. Launched this July from 22 to 23 at Potter’s Field Park near London Bridge. No big names, no massive stages, just a whole wide collection of attractions to this free event. Highlights include Panels, Conversations...
10th July 2023
Unless you live in the Northwest you have probably never heard of it. It is a small town that nestles near Blackpool and Fleetwood on the Fylde Coast. The kind of place where your granny went to retire, where a lot of the people who live there work at seaside towns like Blackpool, but not a place where you would expect giant concerts to take place. Well, they just did! The Lytham Festival ...
3rd July 2023
One of UK’s first and biggest Mela events, this year known as ‘Spotify presents Sandwell & Birmingham Mela’, will return to Victoria Park, Smethwick on 22 – 23 July. Now in its eleventh year, the Mela is an established highlight in the UK’s cultural calendar, attracting thousands of audiences, an artistically led celebration of Asian c...
25th June 2023
The Hay Festival of Literature 2023 had a 37% increase in footfall and ticket sales for special events increased by 17%. Not bad in a year where some people are really struggling. The Hay Festival is an 11-day programme looking at everything from new fiction right through to debates on significant global issues, comedy, music and a vibrant programme of pop-up events, workshops and activities. ...
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24th June 2023
In our constant drive to engage with climate change, saving the planet for future festivals and working with power companies, I am delighted to say that Glastonbury, which has just been and gone, was powered entirely by renewable energy. All production areas were either powered by direct electricity from low impact fossil-fuel-free sources or by solar, PV and battery hybrid systems. Generators ...
24th June 2023
Twinwood 2023 Tickets Are Selling Fast! Twinwood Festival 2023 will boast four days of live music from Friday August 25th to Monday August 28th, with campers having up to five nights stay normally, or six nights with their special SUPER package. Many of the campsites (including Campsites A, E, SUPER, and the non-electric B pitches) are already sold out, and the other sites are selling fast, es...
22nd June 2023
The 2023 edition of Beyond Festival due to take place at Leicester’s Abbey Park on June 24th have cancelled the event due to various infrastructure challenges and the cost-of-living crisis (i.e., low ticket sales). Organiser, Paul Brindley, made it quite clear that he wanted to keep the show going but the pressures were mounting, though it may well return in another year. There have been ...
16th June 2023
A Sneak Preview of the latest Folk by the Oak news ahead of the festival... Sarah Braithwaite of Foundlings Future, a firm favourite in our Craft Tent and designer of our Acorn Stage banners and festival posters, has been busy creating their 2023 poster design. Here's a sneak preview of some of the gorgeous flora and fauna to feature this year. Festival Fun & Sparkle When we first ...
