Heavenly Planet - CANCELLED 2009

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Unfortunately due to poor ticket sales this event has been cancelled. Anyone who has purchased a ticket will be able to secure a full refund from the Reading Arts Box Office (Tel: 0118 960 6060).

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Heavenly Planet is a new FREE international music festival to be held at Rivermead in Richfield Avenue, Reading on the site that WOMAD was on before it moved to Wiltshire. The festival will take place over the weekend from Friday 10th and Saturday 11th July, featuring two days of music. This is set to be the first all weather outdoor festival.

This festival is intending to become a free event without camping, for more information, see this news article, here. The recommendation for Heavenly Planet to be a free event will be considered by Reading Borough Council's Cabinet members on Monday 16th March.

Organisers hope that most of the bands already announced would still be appearing but admit the decision to become a free festival would dramatically change the budget available.

Artists set to appear include Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, The Wonder Stuff, Patrick Duff, Toto la Momposina and Chase & Status featuring Plan B & Takura. Beat*Reading will host the best in dance, drum 'n' bass, dubstep, UK hip hop and live programming. The festival will continue to host a series of world class acts across the two days and further artists will be added to the bill. For the line-up details of the original paying event, as available, please click here.

Heavenly Planet will also showcase a Festival Supergroup, led by Billy Cobham featuring six international artists, brought together for one completely improvised performance.

The festival will have four all-weather stages, three in big tops and one will be Rivermead Leisure Centre being used for night and day-time events.

Weekend passes for the event were priced at £75 for adults, and day passes, were priced at £35 for Friday, and £45 for Saturday. There were camping tickets available, but the festival is no longer a camping event.

Those who have already bought tickets will have their money refunded, contact 0118 960 6060 for a refund, and organisers are looking at some form of thank you for those who supported the festival.

The brainchild of Reading Borough Council, Reading Festival organiser Melvin Benn and WOMAD's ex-artistic director Thomas Brooman, the festival is planned to feature various genres of music from across the world and will be aimed at families and teenagers with entertainment which will appeal to all generations. There will also be a sister festival held in Palermo, Sicily.

Camping will not be available, although it is expected there will a food court, celebrating food from around the world. The festival was expected to feature both world-class artists and local talent, with comedy, club-nights, poetry, participation and debate.

All performances will be under cover, with secure camping, shopping, a pool for swimming and more.

More information will be here when available.

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