Big Tent Festival 2010

The Big Tent Festival is Scotland's Environmental Festival and will be held in Falkland, Fife, from Friday 23rd until Sunday 25th July 2010.

Line-up

The first acts have been announced, and are: - Rosanne Cash, King Creosote, Session A9, FOUND, Aberfeldy, Joe Acheson Quartet, Mr McFalls Chamber, Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, Black Diamond Express, Sharon King, Das Contras, Nuala Kennedy, the Chipolatas, Grassroots Zimbabwe, Brazil!Brazil!, the Second Hand Marching Band, The Homecoming String Band, Lomond Ceilidh Band, and Phil Kay. More acts will be announced soon.

Poets who will be reading and discussing their work, as well as leading walks with words through the woods and workshops over the weekend include Anna Crowe, Mandy Haggith, Brian Johnstone, Gerry Loose, Tessa Ransford, and in the adjacent Lapidus poetry tent there will be workshops on writing, open-mic poetry sessions, and family workshops.

Tickets

Early bird tickets are no longer available. An adult weekend ticket including camping (3 day pass) is priced at £70, or £40 without camping. Adult day tickets cost £13.50. Under 12s can attend the festival for free. To buy tickets, click here.

Fife's year of culture

Big Tent has been chosen to be a Flagship Event in Fife's Year of Culture 2010. The festival will have three key themes: Moving with Africa – how we can support Africa and cut carbon emissions; A future for food – looking at food traditions, local and sustainable food, the benefits of growing your own food etc; and Innovation, culture and habitat – change and transition – how innovations and culture can impact on natural habitats and can be intertwined.

Children

Big Tent is a true playground for children with lots of things to do such as craft-making, story-telling and face-painting. There will be an on-site solar-powered cinema offering big screen magic and Mr Boom will return. Street performers will amuse parents and children alike and there will be a fun-filled packed programme that is likely to leave children tired but happy at the end of a visit. The hugely popular and brilliantly talented Chipolatas will once again be performing their trademark high-energy show that combines juggling, music, clowning and a sprinkling of acrobatics.

Camping

The festival offers a family/quiet area, good facilities including a camp shop and café.

Zones

The Big Tent site contains different zones including the 'Family Zone' full of children's activities and entertainment including puppetry and storytelling as well as traditional crafts and entertainment designed to fire their imaginations and improve their knowledge about the environment. The 'Head Zone' will have a strong line-up of speakers, workshops and debates focusing on this year's three main themes. There will also be an exciting programme of poetry. The 'One Planet Food Village' the emphasis is on sustainable food and all food is sourced from local, organic or artisan producers. Look out for Falkland Estate beef roasted on a spit and other produce - next to no foodprint! Good food is at the very heart of the Big Tent - really good food.

The 'Body and Soul Zone' will provide rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. The 'Wild About Wood Zone' will celebrate the alive and kicking forest and wood culture of Scotland and this year will see the launch of the 'Craft Zone' focusing on heritage, culture and traditional skills.

The 'Market Zone' will showcase the very best in crafts, handmade environmental products and services. Many local groups and businesses will feature as well as those from further afield. Whether it's silver and wooden jewellery, leather goods, felt work, craftwork, vintage clothing, wooden furniture, soft furnishings, creams and lotions, children's books or wooden framed mirrors, there is bound to be something for everyone's taste.

Organisations

Large tents around the arena will play host to a number of organisations - expect Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, Save the Children, Scottish Native Woods, Friends of the Earth, WWF and Transition Towns Scotland — all of which will have lots of information available for visitors. The 'Climate Champions Zone' plays host to a wide array of information on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable living.

Entertainment

Other entertainment will involve storytelling, demonstrations on a range of traditional skills such as dry stone mortaring, stone sculpting, potting and wood carving, poetry, interactive workshops, reflective sessions, dance workshops, face painting and a full range of children's activities including, puppetry, dance, music workshops and craft.

Opening hours

Friday - full music programme, children's activities and ceilidh - 6pm to 11pm
Saturday 10.30am to 11pm
Sunday 10.30am to 9pm

Getting there

The Big Tent Festival is located by Falkland village in Fife, North of Glenrothes. It's only a few miles from Markinch train station with a regular service from Edinburgh and Dundee.

The festival is working with their partners at Stagecoach and SESTRAN, Scotrail and Friends of the Earth Fife to make it easier than ever to leave the car at home and go on foot, bike, train or at least to share your car.

There will be more information here when available.

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