Wychwood Festival

Where and when? Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire - May 29th-31st.

Why should I go? Relaxing, family-friendly and all for a good cause, Wychwood is the festival centered more around fun than rowdy frolics.

Any interesting titbits of information? Wychwood has been running for five years now, and its success relies on its dedication to contemporary music staged in an intimate, family-friendly environment.

Festivals can be brash, overwhelming affairs, full of unsubtle displays of bravado (from both acts and punters) and people throwing things at each other. Thank heavens then for Wychwood, the three-day event in Gloucestershire that’s far more of a communal exercise in getting stuck into stuff than a cramped mosh-en-masse.

Now in its fourth year, Wychwood fits all of the criteria that make a
festival fun, friendly and ethical. For a start it is very family-orientated, incorporating, for the first time this year, a Children’s Literature Festival. Or how about packing the little ones off to one of these activities: bhangra for tots, yoga for kids or withy teepee
making. Older folk have the festival cinema, The Groovy Movie Picturehouse, and some super bands to appreciate: Super Furry Animals on Friday night and Supergrass on Saturday night to be exact.

But with all this relaxation in the sun will you be aiding the world?
Yes… sort of, as the festival keeps links with Friends Of The Earth,
Oxfam and Greenpeace. Feel all your cares soothed, take in a bit of the first-class comedy line-up and generally kick back and let the family vibes settle in at this special little fest.

Ticket price: £110 for a weekend ticket; youth/concessions save a whopping twenty-five quid and get in for £85. Day tickets start from £35.

Accommodation: Camping is included in the price, but it’s an extra £30 to bring your caravan or campervan.

Site opening: Entrance to the campsite is at midday on Friday the 29th of May. Day-goers will be admitted into the festival at 5.00pm the same day.

Capacity: 7500.

Stages: Music stage, Children’s Literature Festival tent, Silent Disco, Comedy stage, a solar powered cinema plus loads of workshops dotted around the site.

Travel: Coaches that go to Cheltenham run from most major cities including Bristol, Birmingham, London and Cardiff. Cheltenham Spa is the nearest train station, and there are a number of direct lines that run from London, Glasgow and Manchester. Situated at junctions 10, 11 and 11a of the M5, Cheltenham lies within the main motorway network in easy reach of London, Bristol and Birmingham.

Website: www.wychwoodfestival.com

Buy tickets: www.wychwoodfestival.com