Organisers are predicting the best festival yet as the Village Pump Folk Festival returns to The White Horse Country Park in Westbury on 22nd – 24th July.
The Festival boasts a whole host of exciting attractions including top musicians and singers from the folk and roots world with the Proclaimers headlining on the Saturday; open mic sessions; workshops; street theatre entertainers; food and drink stalls; real ale and cider bars and craft and retail stalls.
Clive Woodland from the village pump team explains why it is so popular with fans.
“The Village Pump has a history going back over 40 years to its beginnings in a pub garden in Trowbridge. People come back year after year; some remember coming with their parents. But we’re keen that local people see this as their festival, friendly and small scale perhaps, but with top quality music, sound and lighting.
“Forget all those pictures of people struggling miles through the mud at Glastonbury and standing out in the pouring rain watching bands hundreds of yards away! Our site is flat and well-drained and the performance areas are all under cover! We had awful weather last year but we proved that we can cope with bad conditions. This year we’ve even got a covered area for people to eat their delicious festival food.
“You can come for the whole weekend, for a day or just an evening. Tickets are available on the gate but will be cheaper in advance. Car parking and camping is close to the main arena. We aim for an intimate feel, rather than a mammoth event. There’s even a branch of the Steeple Ashton Village shop.
“It’s great for families, with a programme of activities and entertainment just for them. Open mics, sessions, workshops and ceilidhs provide opportunities for anyone who wants to participate. And dance teams and street theatre entertainers create a party atmosphere all around the site. Food and drink stalls, real ale and cider bars and craft and retail stalls cater for everyone.
“We have some of the top musicians and singers in the folk and roots world. We know many fans of The Proclaimers will be coming especially to see them.
“Anyone who has been nominated for a Radio 2 Folk Award has to be good and we’ve got lots of them. Martin Simpson is one of the finest guitarists around and he’s playing with Dom Flemons, formerly of The Carolina Chocolate Drops. They were a big hit at WOMAD last year.
“There’s the female duo O’Hooley and Tidow known for their highly original songs, young Dublin band Lynched who bring a new twist to Irish music, Devon-based award-winning duo Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer and his Band. There are loads more fabulous acts. A weekend ticket gives you 30+ hours of entertainment on three stages.
“Stretching the boundaries of folk, Andy Kershaw will be bringing a disco with music from around the world and will also share his experiences working as a radio and TV presenter. Then there’s the punk-folk of Ferocious Dog or the electro-folk of Harp and a Monkey.
“The festival is a place for local performers to shine, with many performers from the area. Westbury singer/songwriter Phil Cooper has recently turned professional and has been impressing audiences all around the country. Trowbridge’s After Aura will have a larger audience than in the local pubs. Or there’s the bluesy rock of Big Mama and the Misfits. The music doesn’t stop when the main stages close either, with late night parties in the club house.
“Good times, good music, good company – what more could you want?”
Full weekend and day tickets are also available. For full details see www.villagepump.co.uk
