Solfest 2009

A non-commercial music and arts festival with a warm atmosphere set between the Solway Firth and the Lake District mountains in picturesque West Cumbria, as always it features a massive range of musical and cultural adventures.

The sixth Solfest takes place from Friday August 28th to Sunday the 30th, 2009 and offers something for everyone, with a main stage, dance tent, second stage with many smaller acts, and a children's area with workshops to amaze, educate and enthral kids and adults throughout the day.

The acts confirmed so far include The Charlatans (who have said they are Sunday headliners) The Orb, The Blockheads, Kula Shaker, Nerina Pallot, Buzzcocks, The Beat, Shooglenifty, Seth Lakeman, Dhol Foundation, Dub Colossus, The Lancashire Hotpots, Trickbaby, The Kabeedies, Ella Edmondson, The Resplendents, Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls, Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds, and more. For the line-up details, and stage splits, as available please click here.

The festival policy is "to appeal to four generations of people, from the tiny babies through to the great-grannies and great-granddads (and everyone else in between) and have them all partying together at the same time – and lovin’ it!" Solfest will be hosting Cumbria's biggest fancy dress party (no theme) on the evening of Saturday 23rd August.

Solfest is expected to include free camping (quiet and noisy!); free parking (next to your tent); plenty of food from around the world; a licensed bar (or you can bring your own); sculptures; a healing area; adult workshops where you can try things such as belly dancing and wood turning; craft stalls; walkabout performances and theatre; a baby area; fire performances; an acoustic music session tent, and friendly and helpful stewards.

Tickets are on sale. The prices are confirmed as £85 adult weekend; young person aged 12-16 £60; child aged 6-11 £25; parking FREE. Solfest are again reverting to counter ticket sales only available from branches of the Cumberland Building Society in Wigton, Aspatria and Silloth, and the Carnegie Theatre, Workington box Office tel. 01900 602122. For Solfest 2009 there will be a total of 6500 adult tickets available. There will also be a total of 750 children's tickets and 750 Young people's tickets.

The Solfest Workshop programme offers a wide range of activities to educate and inspire.

Solfest has an action packed kids area for children of all ages, from the Baby Chill-Out with facilities for feeding, changing and resting.

Plus painting drop-in sessions, circus skills, musical workshops, craft workshops, ultraviolet sandpit, wood lathes and green woodworking, facepainters, songs and stories, Hula Hooping workshops, water play, bubbles, and other toys and activities.

For older kids and teens there's the Trailer Trash Games Emporium, a mobile youth club featuring activities like table football, table tennis and other games and activities.

Last year the 'Shoreside' field (Noisy Camping) was open for public access between the hours of 5pm and 10pm on the evening of Thursday 27th August. There was no access to the main festival field or any of the other camping fields until the Friday.

More information will be here when available.

Latest Updates