BoomTown Fair 2012

Now in its fourth year the festival will offer an array of music, theatre, comedy and art. BoomTown Fair is a music, arts and family festival that takes place at Matterley Bowl, nr. Winchester, Hampshire, from Thursday 9th until Sunday 12th August 2012.

The main stage line-up will consist of ska and party bands from around the world, with the other live music stages offering cabaret, gypsy, folk, reggae, dub and country and western. Plus loads of cabaret, comedy, spoken word, a range of stages, an anarchist theatre, lots of site art and many areas to explore with plenty of catering options, all the normal facilities you'd expect at a festival and a massive emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives. All attendees are encouraged to dress up in fancy dress, the fancier the better!

Line-up

Alborosie, Reel Big Fish, Caravan Palace, Beanie Man, Natty, Dirtyphonics, Jack Beats, The Beat, Dub Pistols, The Beat, Pronghorn, Skatalites, Tanya Stephens, Asian Dub Foundation, Balkan Beat Box, The Slackers, Gappy Ranks, Jah Shaka, David Rodigan, Zion Train, Stanton Warriors, Kill The Noise, Caspa, Movits, Dunkelbunt, Babyhead, The Urban Voodoo Machine, The Meteors, Batmobile, Mad Sin, Molotov Jukebox, The Filiments, Macka B, Trojan Sound System, South Rakkas Crew, Blak Twang, Mungos Hi Fi, Channel One, The Heatwave, General Levy, Lady Chan, MC Soom T, Stanton Warriors, DJ Hype, Breakage, 16bit, Benny Page, Marcus Visionary, Roska, The Nextmen, Plump DJs, Krafty Kuts, RackNRuin, Foamo, Far Too Loud, Engine-Earz, Dub Phizix, Tomb Crew, Freestylers, Dub Mafia, Slamboree, The Slackers, Gadjo, Sick Note, Sonic Boom Six, Swing Zazou, Gypsy Hill, Bush Chemists, Serial Killaz, Laid Blak, Jaya the Cat, The BaRLey Mob, Demolition Man, Chris Liberator b2b with Dave The Drummer, Shy FX, JFB, Ed Solo, and SL2, with more acts to be announced.

Tickets

Tickets have sold out for the fourth year running. Tickets are priced at £124 plus a £5 eco bond deposit (part of the new 'keep the town tidy' scheme). A Deposit Scheme is also available priced at £50 + £5 refundable eco bond deposit. Teen tickets (13-17 years inc) were priced at £75 + £5 refundable eco bond deposit and have SOLD OUT, a child ticket (6-12 years inc) is priced at £10, and under 6's can attend for free (but must register). Car parking passes are priced at £15, a campervan/caravan pass is priced at £40. Coach and ticket deals are also available.

Even though the festival is officially sold out, any unclaimed tickets from the deposit scheme will be re-released at shortly after Midday on Friday 20th July (estimated at around 500 tickets).

To buy tickets, click here.

Family area

BoomTown will have a specially designated family campsite with showers, toilets, etc. There will also be a kiddies area with its own area and reception for babies, toddlers and children up to 12. The area is programmed with creative workshops, and has a chill out space for parents, and games.

Theme

Boomtown Fair's fancy dress theme will be 'Outer Space!'. With the mothership Arcadia crash landing onsite, strange creatures infesting the surrounding woodlands and mutated vehicles patrolling the landscape, this year the aliens will be walking among the crowds.

Extra terrestrial areas

This year there will be 15 new venues springing up across the various streets of BoomTown: hidden deep in the underbelly of Downtown, propping up the rickety walls of Oldtown and gracing the marbled streets of May-fair Avenue, each just waiting with a whole array of new secret shenanigans to be uncovered, plus attractions and adventures.

New for 2012

2012 will see the evolution and expansion of every single venue in town not to mention more complete and utter randomness and crazy site art. Town planners have already started designing the new streets and will be spending the winter months building these huge structures which will include footbridges over streets, better camping facilities, woodland village forest parties, backstreet gambling dens, fine dining restaurant serving six course meals, Oriental quarter, park gardens, mutated vehicles, second storey buildings, courtyard raves, leisure chill out zone and lots more house parties.

The town committee have been given the go ahead to expand the city into a huge luscious new area for more camping, with access to the town being only a short walk along the beautiful wooded walkway. The ever growing craft and healing field has also expanded this year with new additions including saunas, hot tubs, psytrance and chillout areas.

The festival is offering the chance for Boomtowners to create their own neighbourhood in the suburban campsite districts. Each 'hood will have its own theme, provide a service and create a space for the greater community. These could include a workshop, activity or a crazy interactive invention. The best 'hood will win a prize. Only the best ideas will be given the go ahead for more details please visit the website.

Boomtown also launched the Boomfactor competition for emerging talent offering the winner a chance to perform on the Main Stage at the festival, with runners up performing on one of the smaller stages. Entry was free. A shortlist was then put to the public vote, before competing in heats, and a battle of the bands style final.

Arcadia Spectacular

This year the monstrous mechanical beast known as the Arcadia Spectacular takes over a whole area of downtown BoomTown! The area will feature the Arcadia Spectacular show offering a flame filled fusion of post apocalyptic huge moving sculptures, pyrotechnics, light and laser extravaganzas, aerial trapeze shows and live acts and DJs pumped through a gargantuan Soundsystem with Sci-Fi, flame throwing, smoke blasting exclusively designed sets.

The Hidden Woods stage

Set in the leafed canopy of the surrounding woodland tucked away from the chaos, this stage will present some of the finest live dub and reggae bands.

Bearded Kitten presents...The Bank

Bearded Kitten return to host a plethora of lawn-based mischief all day in their brand new outdoor arena and the very first branch of the Boomtown bank! Expect array of financial fun, games, activities and general silliness followed by late-night knees-ups in their Gentleman's parlour.

Eco bond

To keep the site free from litter, Boomtown are launching a new eco bond initiative to help keep the streets of BoomTown tidy. Ticket purchasers will be asked to pay an additional £5 eco bond deposit. On arrival at the festival attendees will be given a 'boomtown eco bag'. Organisers ask everyone to fill this bag with all their rubbish and hand it back into one of the drop off points for recycling, and have their £5 deposit returned.

BoomTown cups

Boomtowners can purchase a BoomTown cup - and receive a reduction on drinks when it's used at the bar.

Early entry Thursday

This year sees Boomtown once again open its gates on a Thursday for festival goers to get their Boomtown bearings whilst enjoying a light sprinkling of musical entertainment in a selection of the smaller venues on the outskirts of the town.

More information will be here when available.

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