Author: Lucy Purdy / Source: Positive News
For some revellers, the feeling of letting loose in a ‘festival bubble’ is part of the appeal. But many events now draw on their local connections to create experiences that feel rooted in their corner of the world. We explore five in the UK and Ireland
1.
Lush and local: Green Man festival, Brecon Beacons, WalesNestled in a lush valley with the river Usk weaving through it and the Black Mountains rising steeply behind the main stage, Green Man festival has a head start when it comes to a strong sense of place. But, if the mist descends and you begin to forget where you are, the festival will remind you.
The festival, which kicks off this week, offers a Settler’s Pass: a ticket that allows access to the site from the Monday before the festival begins, as well as discounts on local heritage sites, galleries and castles. The festival’s website includes lots of links to other local attractions, from the nearby Brycheiniog Theatre to local bicycle and canoe-hire companies. The idea is, say organisers, to offer people the chance to savour a ‘full Welsh holiday experience’ rather than turning up, rocking out and moving on.
This year, Green Man’s Settlement Stage is curated by Clwb Ifor Bach, a club and live music venue in Cardiff, and will feature a wide range of Welsh musical bands, from electro pop act HMS Morris to funk rock four-piece Sock. Welsh culture makes its way on the main stage too this year in the form of Public Service Broadcasting, whose latest album Every Valley depicts the history of the Welsh mining industry.
Provenance is sewn into the festival in ways other than musical too: festival-goers can learn what wild plants are edible in the local area with forager Adele Nozedar; go bat-spotting in the verdant festival surrounds; head up the Sugar Loaf mountain to learn about local wildlife; and attend Welsh for Beginners classes for a proper immersion in Cymru and a chance to brush up on some handy Welsh phrases. And Welsh bilingual company Dan Yr Haul (Under the Sun) will hold songwriting workshops.
Jamie Bevan is from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society), which has been represented at Green Man for 10 years. “The Welsh language is part of the land, the beauty of this area, and we want people to experience that,” he told Positive News. “We find them very receptive: people want something real. They want to feel where they are. Us being here and offering things like five-minute Welsh language lessons, helps with that.”
Festivals aren’t usually associated with improving people’s CVs, but there is a work experience scheme at Green Man too. Now in its eighth year, students from Merthyr Tydfil College join the crew for a week in August to learn technical skills and get hands-on experience from the festival’s audio visual team.
In 2017, a giant puppet of Tom Jones wandered the site, while the huge Green Man sculpture was intertwined with a fire-breathing Welsh dragon. The symbolic sculpture, which is made from natural materials by local artists, stands at the centre of the festival, which turned 15 in 2017. Members of the public are encouraged to tie wishes and messages to the green man before he is rigged with fireworks and burned as part of a spectacular closing ceremony.
Our world is beautiful.
2. Dive into Devon: Off Grid festival
The team behind Off Grid festival, which was held in Instow in North Devon from August 9-12, believe that “another world is possible”. They use the four-day event to explore collaborative systems and resilient living.
The festival is organised entirely by local volunteers and many of the speakers, stallholders and musicians hail from Devon and the south-east. “The main ethos of the festival concerns resilience to change, and building local connections is a huge part of…
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