What was once counterculture hedonism is now as mainstream as a package holiday. In the UK music festivals are fashionable, approved and plentiful. Ten years ago I might have added “profitable” to those observations, but with the market flooded, “risky” might be a more suitable word. For the punter though, it means options, but if you’re only annually able to budget for one or two, it means decisions and dilemmas…..
Across the country and wider you could trek, adding to your expenses. For complete and utter festival-heads and perhaps thrill-seeking younger generations it’s a cost worth digesting to savour that certain experience. For those with passing interest, first timers, or older festival goers simply wanting convenience, looking for festivals closer to home is the desired option, and locally we’ve our fair whack of quality choice. The trouble with so many on our doorstep is, which ones?
I really cannot make the decision for you. And I’m not about to suggest any of them are necessarily better than another, because, quite simply, they are not. I can only evaluate them in accordance to their individual style and ethos, and you must decide which ones sound more appealing to you personally, deal?!
A separate never-ending list I could publish of festivals within a relatively short radius of Devizes, and I endeavour to add as many as I can find on our event calendar. To lessen the task there’s fewer within the county I’d recommend. Minety and Mantonfest most, good allrounders with top headline acts and devotion to locally sourced acts. Bath’s Party in the City, HoneyFest at The Barge on Honeystreet, and Ramsfest in Ramsbury, all this weekend alone.
From dance festival Shindig at Charlton Park to Chippenham Folk Festival, The Curcus Festival in Somerset and Old Town Festival in Swindon, May alone is jam-packed, ending with Bradford-on-Avon Music Festival and of course, free and local to us, I have to mention Rowdefest; although I’m hosting the entertainment there, don’t let it put you off!
Of course it all depends on what you want out of your festival. During high season, June and July, if you’re a hardcore raver The Existence Festival near Malmsbury will be up your street, whereas for the more commercial, Melksham’s Wiltshire Throwback Festival is poptastic. Trowbridge Festival for those seeking a wide range of original local music, and so many town festivals welcome this ethos too, such as Inspire Warminster.
Some are as established as Womad, and some blossoming. Going with what you know is a fair game, Marlborough folk return every year to Mantonfest through familiarity, similarly with Potterne Beer Fest, but you should consider the underdogs too; striving to gain reputation can often mean a team dedicated to really pulling off a show.
The same rules apply if you are to stay in Devizes, and it’s fair shout. We punch above our weight. Aside from our wonderful curated arts festival operating multi-venue, and those memorable odd days like carnival, The British Lion’s Black Rat Monday, and the Lions on the Green, you have four main options for pay festivals. Unusually, while the two established events are niche, the upcoming ones have more general appeal. But the base of your dilemma of which to attend should rather be on personal preference, because, in their own unique ways, all of them are equally as good as the others. If that comes across crawling, it’s really not; go to them all and judge for yourself!!
Listed here with no priority, then, other to assist the flow of the article, are an overview of the big four of Devizes, which may/may not help your decision!
In a word; FullTone, on the weekend of 11th-12th July. It’s unique and magnificent. Spawned from a classical free party in the Market Place seven years ago, The FullTone Festival has become a beloved institution in Devizes, a pay orchestral dance music crossover, eclectic enough to incorporate upcoming local indie bands, stage shows and attract some big names to town.
Licensing regulations reduced last year’s FullTone to concentrate almost entirely on their namesake in-house orchestra. This year, with a relocation from The Green to Lower Park Farm, things are quite the opposite. Not only camping onsite can be introduced, FullTone boasts Jason Donovan, The Wurzels and Rozalla, alongside eclectic tributes and from jazz to themed orchestra concerts.
Of course, Park Farm has been home to the Devizes Scooter Rally for the past six years, after its inaugural rally in Rowde, the same year as FullTone, 2019. 24th-26th July this year, Devizes Scooter Rally doesn’t hold a major headliner like FullTone. They tried this last year to great effect. The Beat headlining elevated the rally’s attendance and reputation within the nationwide scooterist scene.
There was a feeling the rally last year had obtained the maximum expansion for the organisers’ preference and to retain a community feel, of which it excels in. And herein lies the most persuasive argument for attending. The Devizes Scooter Rally doesn’t require a big name, the reputation it has built, and its angle incorporating retrospective youth cultures is plenty to guarantee, even though you might not have a scooter or only a passing interest in ska and soul, if you go to Devizes Scooter Rally you’re in for one heck of a cracking party!
The other two festivals in Devizes, I’d call the underdogs for they’re new in comparison, but should be equally considered as FullTone and the Scooter Rally, especially if you’ve eclectic tastes and/or are looking for an amazing family experience.
If both aforementioned are on Park Farm, the site holds its own; The Park Farm Festival is on Saturday July 18th. In only its second year, and if last time things leant towards rock, this year sees a wider aiming family program, with tributes to Queen, Abba, Slade and Madness. Park Farm deserves your full consideration, because despite being new it’s organised by the creators of MantonFest, a brilliant Marlborough festival with twenty-five years under its belt and a reputation for excellence.
Tributes, yeah, tried and tested at previous Mantonfests. I’ve seen Badness, One Vision, and Slyde, at MantonFest and guarantee they’re among the very best of tributes around. Park Farm has a full program, including our very own Jon Amor Trio, and just like the Rally and Fulltone, there’s a free shuttle bus running to and from the site to the town. It may need to find its feet, but last year was absolutely brilliant and loved by everyone who made the effort to go.
The only one not on Park Farm is last here but certainly not least. Crownfest returns to The Crown at Bishops Cannings on Saturday 4th July, after a few years break due to landlord changes. It is great to see it back on our calendar, as the years we did Crownfest it was one of most memorable local affairs, ever! The thing is with Crownfest, things are looking bigger and better than before. And it’s undoubtedly the best for its focus on local acts. Some of the best are listed here, George Wilding, Ruby Darbyshire, Lucas Hardy, and none other than Talk in Code.
Crownfest is a landmark charity music festival, garnished with some of the finest local acts, highly recommended by us at Devizine, and supporting Wiltshire Hope and Harmony, a charity providing essential support to those with SEN needs and to families caring for loved ones living with conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s, as well as those at end of life, offering compassion, dignity, and a true sense of hope. And, on our recommendation there will be ant music, supplied by one my all time favourite tributes, Ant Trouble; we are the family!
I’ve been waffling far too long about your blind date with a festival, it’s time to be Cilla; “here’s Graham with a quick reminder!”
Will it be number one, the glitter, Prosecco and everybody’s freeeee to feel good festival with a full orchestra behind Jason Donovan?!
Will it be number two, the boots and braces moonstomping madness hairdryer extravaganza, with a seemingly never-ending supply of beer?!
Will it be number three, the friendly, family, outside chance, with John Amor, Barrelhouse and magnificent tribute acts to rock you; cum feel the noise for the dancing queen!
Or will it be number four, the grandest pub festival you’ll likely to find, set in a beautiful beer garden under the magnificent spiral church of Bishops Cannings, and with Tina, Ant music and a real dedication to supporting local live music?
Or will it be all of them?! Do it, be a festival slapper! Date the lot, and the Devizes Arts Festival, Food & Drink Festival, Black Rat Monday, carnival, Lions on the Green, and if I see you at any, mine’s a pint of cider, cheers mucker!
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