The festivals allow audiences to gain an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music. WOMAD aims to excite, to inform, and to create awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society.
It has a fantastic friendly atmosphere, as well as lovely chilled music on seven stages from all around the world, and includes Whirl-y-Gig (now held inside the Rivermead Sports Centre). Line-ups are expected to be announced soon.
Also includes a full programme of adult and children's workshops, as well as a global village of food and merchandise stalls.
Very campervan and family/children friendly!
Line-up for 2001:
Friday
- Soweto String Quartet (South Africa)
- Kazufumi 'Echo' Kodama (Japan)
- Mabulu (Mozambique)
- Asian Dub Foundation (UK)
- Ballet Folklorico Cutumba (Santiago de Cuba)
- Rachid Taha (Algeria)
- Joji Hirota & the London Metropolitan Ensemble (Japan/UK)
- Dounia (Sicily)
- Paul James & Mark Hawkins (UK)
Saturday
- Siyaya (Zimbabwe)
- Tarras (UK)
- Hamid Baroudi (Algeria)
- Oliver Mutukudzi & The Black Spirits (Zimbabwe)
- Kazufumi 'Echo' Kodama (Japan)
- Imbizo with special guests Nuclearte (Zimbabwe/Sicily)
- Cecile Kayirebwa (Rwanda)
- Jose Merce (Spain)
- Juan de Marcos' Afro-Cuban All Stars (Cuba)
- Modou Diouf & Beugue Djamm (Senegal)
- Cachaito Lopez (Cuba)
- Cheikh Lo (Senegal)
- Dounia (Sicily)
- Whirl-Y-Gig
Sunday
- Regis Gizavo (Madagascar)
- Orchestre National de Barbes (Magreb/France)
- Shilpi Baruri
- Badenya les Freres Coulibaly (Burkina Faso)
- Danza Libre (Cuba)
- Hamid Baroudi (Algeria)
- Badejo Arts (Nigeria)
- Trilok Gurtu (India)
- Oliver Mutukudzi & The Black Spirits (Zimbabwe)
- Siyaya (Zimbabwe)
- Mushtaq (UK)
- Whirl-Y-Gig
Ticket Info
Online booking now available - visit the official website, and follow the links.
The box office address is The Hexagon, Reading. Phone +44 (0)118 939 0930
Ticket Prices
STANDARD TICKETS - Weekend ticket: (includes camping), £72 (until 15 May), £77.50 (16 May onwards); Day Tickets: Friday £20, Saturday £36, Sunday £36
REDUCTIONS (ES40s, students, over 60s and 14-16 year olds - proof of status must be given) - Weekend ticket: £65 (until 15 May), Weekend ticket £70 (16 May onwards); Day tickets:
Friday £15, Saturday £32.50, Sunday £32.50
CHILDREN - Two children aged 13 and under can come free with each adult ticket buyer. Third and subsequent child tickets are £10.
DISABLED PEOPLE
If you are a registered disabled person and wish to attend the festival with your personal assistant, you can purchase two tickets (for yourself and your assistant) for the price of one full day or weekend ticket. Please ask at the box office 0118 939 0930 for details.
NOTE: £3.50 p&p charge per transaction.
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