The Big Green Gathering - CANCELLED 2009

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Mendip District Council and emergency services forced organisers to surrender the license for this year's festival over safety fears. Ticket purchasers are asked to contact their point of purchase for refund information. There will be a full ticket refund procedure.

====================
The highlight of the annual calendar for thousands of members, activists and supporters of the Green movement, Britain's largest Green event returns in 2009. The popular five day family, camping event promises to be bigger and better with all the old favourites plus some new innovations.

The dates for this the fifteenth anniversary are confirmed as Wednesday 29th July until Sunday 2nd August.

The line-up includes Nik Turner, and 3 Daft Monkeys, Stornoway, Kangaroo Moon, Martha Tilston and The Woods, David Celia, 10 Ton Tongue, Syd Arthur, Glitzy Baghags, The Undercover Hippy, The John E Vistic Experience, Cocos Lovers, The Roots Union, Ed Rome, Howard Marks, Rodney Branigan, Dubblehead, Excentral Tempest, Celt Islam, Dragonsfly, Seize The Day, King Porter Stomp, Love Grocer, Tarantism, Hadar Manor, Gabby Young and Other Animals, Edd Keene, Bert Miller and the Animal Folk, and more.

Green Gatherers can also be trained up in the art of nonsense by Jonathan Kay leader of the National Academy of Fools (NAF)! More theatrics will come from Fragments Theatre Company presenting a special performance of 'The Bay' which had promotional input from the crew behind the Climate action film 'The Age of Stupid'.

Festival goers who are fans of the spoken word can enjoy Hammer and Tongue who will bring with them a line-up of poets and wordsmiths.

The festival will offer hundreds of workshops in every area of permaculture, talks, campaigns, healing, music arts and crafts. These include Laughter Workshops with Joe Hoare, Ecstatic Dance with Jewls Wingfield and a chance to learn how to build your own sustainable world and take action!

An adult five day camping pass is priced at £125, Concessionary tickets are £100 and child (10-17) tickets are priced at £50. Children under the age of 10 are free. A car park pass is priced at £30, a motor cycle pass is £5, campervan pass (up to 5 metres) £45, extra for campervans 5m+ (£5/m) £5, caravan £30, and disabled parking is free.

This five day festival is divided into several themed zones, each contributing to a vision of sustainable living, combined with entertainment from alternative theatre to carnival and eastern folk.

This year Big Green Gathering will offer entertainment across the following areas, The Green Theatre Area, Green Futures Forum, Croissent Neuf Solar Powered Stage, The Small World Stage, Rinky Dink Soundsystem, Green Room, Village Green, Kids Area, Teen Space, Fairground, Green Access and Mobility Area, Permaculture, Healing Fields, Tipi Circle, Gender Area, and Central Fields.

The Big Green Gathering has a serious message about environmental issues and by showcasing sustainable lifestyles alongside entertainment powered by renewable energy, the event intends to show people how they can reduce their carbon footprint in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.

Powered by wind, sun and the people the Big Green Gathering has something for everyone from child to pensioner offering clowns, theatre, dance, poetry, cinema, music, workshops, green markets, campaigns, earth energies, permaculture, tipis, fairground,sustainable homes, and daily discussions with panels of prominent experts exploring key green issues.

Workshops and performances include Flamenco dance with fire, Can Can dancing, pole dancing, Tribal Style BellyDance, Gardening for Clowns, Laughter workshops, Ecstatic Dance, Songs of our Ancestors, Sing From Your Feet, Natural Voice, Contemporary Dance, Contact Improvisation, Creative Dance, Bring on the Love partner Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Nia Dance, Drumming workshops, Urvashi Classical Indian Dance, and Physical Theatre and Clowning.

The festival will also have a groceries shop, Sound Bites, a worker's co-op from Derby who will be selling organic veg, bread, whole foods, snacks and toiletries at their normal shop prices. Orders can even be placed in advance.

The Big Green Gathering has a GAMA (green access and mobility area) field ensuring that all members of society have equal access to the festival.

On the Sunday of the festival hundreds of farmers will attend for the national sheep shearing competition, held on the organic Fernhill farm to mark their annual highlight.

Alys Fowler, presenter BBC's Gardeners World will be a guest at the Big Green Gathering's own 'Gardeners Questions Time' and at various workshops, as well as making a new documentary for BBC 2.

Author Emma Cooper, who also hosts a regular online radio show, is launching her fabulous new book 'The Alternative Kitchen Garden' at the festival and will be on hand to answer any questions and do signings.

Strummerville, the registered charity that aims to create new opportunities for aspiring musicians. It was set up by the friends and family of Joe Strummer in the year after his death, the charity seeks to reflect Joe's unique contribution to the music world by offering support, resources and performance opportunities to artists who would not normally have access to them. This year at Big Green Gathering they will be showcasing some of up and coming talent including Nat Jenkins, Wild Wolves and Dan Smith.

More information will be here when available.

Latest Updates