Festivals

[jazzactivist]

Hi all, I have just spent the weekend attending different gigs at the Lockerbie Jazz Festival which is just 20 miles from where I live. It has been absolutely great with different types of jazz events in different hotels around town. The rest of the year it is quite a humdrum, small rural town but once a year it really comes alive with all the jazzers. Which festivals do you enjoy going to, and why?

[Oola]

I remember years ago we went to a festival in Hyde Park...something to do with Japanese culture I think. Really interesting, loads of different food and craft stands if I recall. Of course I just HAD to sample the food, as I love noodle dishes.

We also have a beer festival in Bedford each year, I went one year and wanted to go back but never remember that it's on until too late! I'm not a huge beer drinker, in fact I don't drink much at all (cheap date), but I enjoy trying all the different ales, and learning about the process - which ingredients can be used and what effect they have on the 'weight' and flavour of the beer.

Hmm...seem to be a sensing a food and drink theme here....

[CountryLady]

Hi Jazz, so glad you seem to have had such a great time. Do you know, I can't seem to think of ANY festivals that I "go to". Mm, must think harder and let you know!

[sheddie]

Hello Jazz, my daughter goes to lots of rock festivals and was a big Queen fan, glad you enjoyed yourself.

[eleanor2]

hi jazz you are brave..all those people and noise.the most i do is go to country shows.then not often.this bonfire extravaganza is going to be bad enough with the backbeat beatles etc.i am interested about you enjoying rock festivals.have you always attended them .so its a norm to you. it would be a shock to my system.

[Pippa]

The Jazz weekend sounded great, quite envious. We have a Festival of the Voice at Stourhead each year, which is a beautiful NT garden, lots of singing, mostly accapella, all around the grounds, many different styles, the group I sing with do mostly African, Eastern European or Mouri songs. It is a great day if it does not rain! We also have Larmar Tree Festival which Jools Holland usually plays at.

[Oola]

Oh yes that reminds me, I've done the Proms at Hyde Park too. I remember one of our local town festivals as a kid was fun too, I think it was around Bonfire Night. Loads of games and stalls, and a big sticky toffee apple to get your laughing gear around.

[Healing Hands]

Glad you had a great time. I remember going to the Isle of Wright festival many moons ago....."Peace"....and I do not really remember much about that either....!

[Oola]

Did you see Jimi Hendrix?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!

[jazzactivist]

Gosh, Healing Hands, I do envy you. I would have loved to have been a teenager in the late 60s to go to the real hippy music festivals. I go to a few music festivals - we have the Wickerman Festival near where I live which is a whole weekend of different types of music, craft stalls, food etc., oddly based on the fact that the B movie film was shot in the area. It is a cult classic. That festival has a lovely, friendly, family atmosphere. I don't go to lots of music festivals anymore as the noise and unsanitary camping puts me off, let alone the price of tickets! However, the jazz one is very sophisticated where you can lounge around in good hotels listening to great jazz bands. I think that there are now quite a few festivals in rural areas such as food festivals etc.

Your singing group sounds great, Pippa. Today I was at an International Women's event where one of the suggestions was that we form a women's singing group to perform international women's songs across the region.

[sunflower]

Well,!! I can say with pride that I attended the very first two Isle of Wight Pop Festivals!
Great time was had by all....except on the second one, something happened to the water.(Ica'nt remember it raining) I think the toilets must have overflowed and there was mud, mud, mud everywhere. All night long in my tent I could hear the slish sloshing of people walking through the mud. I also remember using the toilets, Oh please do'nt let me look down..toilet seat suspended over an almighty gap!!! Happy days. Peace and love!xxx

[sunflower]

Hey Healing Hands, were you there at the first two I of W festivals. ?Would'nt it be funny if we knew one another back then!