Buddhafield Festival 2011

The 16th Buddhafield Festival takes place from Wednesday 13th until Sunday 17th July 2011 at a secret location near Taunton in Somerset.

Line-up

Bands confirmed so far: Undercover Hippy, The Turbans, Avalon Roots, Dende, Cantara, Bob Hillary & The Massive Mellow and Seize The Day. Live music covers a wide range of tastes from folk, ska, Bollywood, opera, Irish Folk, African drumming, Breton dance music, Reggae and Gypsy plus a varied mix of DJs each night in the new Dance Tent.

Tickets

Early bird tickets have sold out. The ticket price includes camping, access to as many workshops as you can cram in, all kids' activities and entertainment. Tickets are priced at £105, a concession (students, those on benefits) ticket is priced at £85, a teen (aged 13-16 years) ticket is priced at £40, a child (aged 3-12 years) ticket is priced at £20, and baby (0-2 years) can attend for free. There is also a day ticket option for 18th July only, priced at £20. A car pass (including carbon tax) is priced at £25, and a live in vehicle pass (including carbon Tax) is priced at £30. The carbon tax helps plant trees on some of Buddhafield's 40 acres of land, and pay for the hire of the field.

To buy tickets online, click here.

Workshops

Be inspired, and informed by hundreds of life changing workshops, in 5 venues, with 15 different forms of dance, including 5 Rhythms, Ecstatic Dance, Contact Improvisation, Meditation and Movement, Salsa, Forro, Bhangara and Bollywood, and Biodanza Heart in Motion, for nearly 12 hours every day.

There are workshops for everyone: Jewels' Tantra and Couples Workshops including men and women only this year, Shamanic Journeying, Shamanic Trance Dance, Green T-shirt Stencilling, Sonic Incense's Sound Baths, Non Violent Communication lead by Vajrasara, and Jayaraja, Work That Reconnects, Art Therapy, Drawing, Book binding, Felt Making, Clothes Upcycling, Adult Games, Bee Keeping, Tai Chi and Taiji Chi Gung, Singing with 300 others, Skillful Flirting, Writing workshops lead by Manjusvara, Wolf At The Door, and writer Cath Drake, Permaculture Design with Patrick and Cathy Whitefield, and Social Change speakers: Tim 'Mac' Macartney from Embercombe, Kathryn Tulip from Radical Roots and Seeds of Change, Brigit Strawbridge from BBC2's 'It's Not Easy Being Green', Viv Goodings, woodworker, visionary and Ben Law's teacher along with Guhyapati from EcoDharma, plus many more.

Stages

There are 4 stages, including Small World, Lost Horizons, Triban and Padma Pancakes. The Permaculture and Social Change Garden also run a cinema and acoustic night every evening. There is much sponataneous singing and acoustic music in the cafes throughout the day and night, especially in Pachamama's Tipee with beautiful Bhajans around the fire. At 11 o'clock, the sound systems quieten down for the children, but things get cosy, especially in Small World, with their charcoal braziers which keep you warm into the morning light.

Cabaret, Theatre and Spoken Word

2011 sees the second 'Buddhafield's Got Talent' show, under 16's and over 16's, along with their very own 6th 'Poetry Slam' lead by Buddhafield Slam Queen and stand up poet, Lizzie Mchale. There will be an even richer mix of story telling, and walk about theatre in 2011 with guest appearances from Buddhafield's well loved stand up poet Paradox.

Workshops

Be inspired, and informed by hundreds of life changing workshops, in 5 venues, including 12 different forms of dance, for nearly 12 hours every day. There are workshops for everyone: 5 Rhythms Dancing, Non Violent Communication, Jewels' Tantra and Couples Workshops, Shamanic Journeying, T-shirt Stencilling, Adult Games, Bee Keeping, Tai Chi, Singing with 300 others, Skillful Flirting, Writing, Permaculture Design and Feeding Your Demons.

Dharma Parlour

Buddhist speakers from various traditions debate and give talks throughout the festival in 2 large venues offering thoughts on ethical living, wisdom, beauty, social engagement and many other current topics. There are also daily mindfulness workshops for children. Speakers confirmed so far: Akasati, Amaranatho, Amaragita, Amitajyoti, Caroline Brazier, Christopher Titmuss, Dhivan, Guhyapati, Jayaraja, Kamalashila, Mark Leonard, Lokabandhu, Shantigarbha, Srivati and Vajrasara.

Kids area

Majical Youth have run the kids area amazingly for the last 16 years. There are a wealth of activities throughout the day, including face painting, bush craft, music making and circus skills workshops, with climbing frames, mobile climbing wall, ropes, swing boats, merry go round, and trampolines, along with plays, parades and spontaneous antics every evening. Confirmed workshop: Trick swap and Circus Skill troupe Shambolic Sideshow, along with Hoop Dance teacher, Sachiko Quelch.

Meditation and Healing Garden

Buddhafield now supports over 70 different healing practitioners, at the heart of which is a lovingly created healing garden. There is a 24 hour meditation space, with meditation teaching and hundreds of yoga classes, from 9 different schools, throughout the day. There is also a 12 step dome.

Not For Profit Stalls

Amida Trust, Karuna, Network of Engaged Buddhists, The Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, Free Buddhist Audio, Tibet Relief Fund, Viva, The Vegan Foundation, Radical Routes and SPEAK's Big Dress, walk in petition tent.

Ethos

Buddhafield values harmony and transformation in ourselves and the world around us, along with creating a uniquely creative and inclusive atmosphere or forum where anything's possible.

Buddhafield is both a charity and a not for profit company, which not only runs an annual festival, but also outdoor Buddhist retreats, an award winning vegan cafe that tours the festival circuit, and maintains 40 acres of land, all of which is made possible by hundreds of hands of generosity.

Green Credentials:

All aspects of Buddhafield aim to tread as lightly on the earth as possible, so they are powered almost entirely by renewable energy, from the wind, sun, biodiesel & wood fired hot water systems, (except gas for cooking in the cafes).

Getting there:

Buddhafield would love their festival goers to be as creative as possible with their travel, and use public transport, or the Freewheelers website which helps travellers offer or share lifts. Alternatively, festival goers could cycle as some hardy folk did last year.

Buddhafield aims to provides a half hourly pick up service from Taunton Railway station throughout the busiest periods of the festival.

Camping

There is ample space for camping, and live in vehicles, with a Family Camping Area, close to the car park. They offer a spacious quiet camping area, away from the hustle and bustle, along with women-only camping in the Women's Area.

Facilities on site

Taunton's local wholefood store 'Sunseed' provides all that you could need on site.

They have wood heated showers, and a number of saunas, including the much loved Sam's Sauna. Our compost toilets are described by one appreciative festival goer as ' the best festival toilets I have ever come across!'

Radical Midwives offer a safe space and well-being advice to all women, mothers and fathers, along with the women's space who run a communal dome, fire and women-only workshops, with daily yoga classes for children.

In 2011 they also aim to have a sweat lodge.

Recycling

Organisers ask festival goers to think carefully about what they bring to the festival, especially non-compostable nappies or other non reclyclable waste. There are full recycling facilities on site.

Dogs

No dogs on site.

More information will be here when available.

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