2nd best festival ?

[wockey]

We will be back next year but would like to go to another festival in 2010. Same criteria applies,good music,people,beer,food,toilet facilities and surroundings. Thanks for the forthcoming expert advise.

[GTG]

We will be back next year but would like to go to another festival in 2010. Same criteria applies,good music,people,beer,food,toilet facilities and surroundings. Thanks for the forthcoming expert advise.

[Better Late...]

Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire in August fits the size, facilities and (almost) the friendliness criteria. Tends to be "blasts from the past" acts, with a few random current/new ones. This year it was quite folky, with another big theme of ska/two tone/rock steady. Headliners were (Friday) The Proclaimers, (Saturday) Alabama 3, (Sunday) Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Last year there was a big West Coast vibe, with Jefferson Starship and Quicksilver.

[Fat_Buddha]

The Wychwood Festival on Cheltenham racecourse is a similar size and has a similar vibe. The range, number and quality of bands ain't quite up there but it is still superb and is a bit more eclectic, with a mixture of indie type stuff, but for old folk, and loads of folk and "world music".

Beer and food is cheaper there and you can drive your car onto the campsite. The food and the bogs are as good, almost identical in fact, but you do have access to the huge racecourse bogs as well.............with running water!

I can't believe that this year I did a festival at the end of May and one in Mid September and had glorious weather both times.

Some pics from this years Wychwood.

[wockey]

Been a regular Cheltenham racegoer for 20 odd years and didn't know they had a festival there. Fantastic location and less than 2 hours from S.Devon........and 30 minutes from my daughter in Worcester !! FB thanks for the pics and info,Wychwood sounds great. Maybe we'll fit in 3 festivals

[MattL80]

We will be back next year but would like to go to another festival in 2010. Same criteria applies,good music,people,beer,food,toilet facilities and surroundings. Thanks for the forthcoming expert advise.

[Swindlebiscuit]

Personally, I thought Latitude was a little disappointing. Theoretically brilliant (what with the rather nice, varied line-up and everything), but more corporate, less carefree and more forced than EOTR.

Still a good festival of course, I just had very high hopes.

You could confine yourself to the Avalon/Park/Acoustic areas of Glastonbury (and various hidden corners in between).

EOTR was in part inspired by Green Man, so it makes sense that there's a big crossover of music, punters and atmosphere. Though I haven't been to Green Man before, so I can't comment on it first hand. Line-up always looks fantastic.

[Elfy]

Personally, I thought Latitude was a little disappointing. Theoretically brilliant (what with the rather nice, varied line-up and everything), but more corporate, less carefree and more forced than EOTR.

Still a good festival of course, I just had very high hopes.

[Elfy]

Glastonbudget - near Loughborough - is a lovely little fezzie on end of May BH weekend. It's basically a tribute band fezzie, with some new bands. Tributes this year included ones to The Who, Queen, Blur, REM, Led Zep (they were brilliant!!!) and others. The weather was fab this year which helped - we've been there in ghastly weather before. Only about 2000 people, nice selection of ciders and I think they had real ales too - I stuck to the cider . Really chilled and friendly Very cheap as well.

[sadwitch]

My 2nd favourite festival is Glastonbury. It's hideously hard work but also the most fun and the only one I can think of that ticks the music box as well as the rest. There are loads of good smaller festivals if you're willing to go more for the funtimes rather than the folk. :angry:

[fogged]

I was at Green Man and Latitude this year as well as End of the Road. Both compare to EotR, but Green Man was far better than Latitude in most ways. The atmosphere was more chilled with a stronger community feel, the surrounding countryside, weather, food and drink were all glorious, and the lineup was the best of the summer. No hula-hooping Grace Jones at Green Man though, but I guess that's what you pay the extra £40 for :angry:

(should probably say here that I don't work for Green Man)

[MattL80]

I was at Green Man and Latitude this year as well as End of the Road. Both compare to EotR, but Green Man was far better than Latitude in most ways. The atmosphere was more chilled with a stronger community feel, the surrounding countryside, weather, food and drink were all glorious, and the lineup was the best of the summer. No hula-hooping Grace Jones at Green Man though, but I guess that's what you pay the extra £40 for

(should probably say here that I don't work for Green Man)

[fogged]

I got into both those ones for free! :angry:

[marooned]

...why has no-one mentioned THE Larmer Tree Festival - different brand of music, sure - but held at exactly the same venue, with a slightly different layout. If you like LT, then do both....

AND, as someone else suggested - Wychwood.

Glastonbury has every festival within one big festival.

Definitely NOT our own Isle of Wight Festival - unless you like 24 hour 'in-your-faceness'

[Sipperana]

...why has no-one mentioned THE Larmer Tree Festival - different brand of music, sure - but held at exactly the same venue, with a slightly different layout. If you like LT, then do both....

[Wiggum]

Somehow, any other festival at that venue wouldn't be the same as EOTR. Though they contribute massively, it's about more than the music and the setting.

From what I've read, it's like V, only worse. If you could imagine...

[marooned]

Yeah, been to the IOW Festival twice - NOT my cup of tea. Only 8 miles up the road, but way too crammed. Glastonbury has about 3 times as many punters - but the site's about 20 times bigger - so, you can still get away from it all when you want to (is it 30 odd stages??)

Anyway the original poster DID say he liked the Larmer Tree surroundings so, THE Larmer Tree Festival would still seem the OBVIOUS solution.

AND it's a five-day job. So, if you like tinkly-tinkly folkish c/w plinky-plonky 'world/Womadish' music then, THE LT Festival is for you.

The place DOES get to you - hence, 14 LT's and all four EOTR's under our belt.

Be warned, THE LT Festival is darned expensive and is prone to being over-toddlered - not known as Musical Mothercare for nothing!!!! If you think some Festivals have too many pushchairs, folding chairs, blankets and wino hampers then...........well, you know.

Anyone suggested EOTR does what some others do, and let the early folks in on Thursday evening (or is that too much like the dreaded 10k rumour).

Isn't it sad when you look at your watch on Saturday afternoon and you realise it's already half over!

[Elfy]

Anyone suggested EOTR does what some others do, and let the early folks in on Thursday evening (or is that too much like the dreaded 10k rumour).

[perfectpassion]

I would *love* to be able to do that ....... but it may be an issue with licensing or just general preparation time.

Maybe they should just let the Early Birds in early

[GTG]

Elfy you are full of good ideas.... and Geof needs a bigger pole

[Androoo]

If you like folk music, you'd like Cropredy - claims to be the friendliest festival in the world, and I believed them until I went to EoTR; it's certainly the most civilised festival I've ever been to; flushing toilets and camping next to your car makes it all very easy and it's not all folk; this year we had Dreadzone, Buzzcocks, Nick Kershaw and Yusaf as well as the fiddley-diddley stuff. If you'd rather stab yourself in the ears than listen to folk music then I'd echo the above - if you've never had the Glastonbury experience then get involved - it's epic!

[Neville Street]

Surprised no-ones mentioned Beautiful Days yet, definitely good feel to it, absolutely sponsor free, no arena (camp in with the stages like Glastonbury). Organised by the Levellers, but lots of different musical styles represented. 10,000 paid for tickets, 12,500 site licence (staff, etc.) so bigger, but doesn't really feel that much bigger. Bimble Inn

Tiny (3,000) festival called Chagstock on Dartmoor was great this year. Seriously small (one big field) but a very friendly feel to it.

Agree the comments re Wychwood, also good, but has a more "organised" feel to it and some (reasonably) subtle sponsorship. It is a very convenient festival as you drive on to the campsite, etc., and the proper loos and so on. We have used it to introduce two sets of non-festival goers to festivals as it is a gentler introduction, but TBH I would use EOTR as an intro to festivals for the same reasons, relaxed, easy and so on. Wychwood music has a bit more mainstream to it for the "pop" fans and families.

[TinSoldier]

Glastonbury. Great, something for everyone.

Beautiful Days. Never been (as difficult time of year for me to get time off) but everyone that I know that goes raves about it.

Latitude. Hmmmmm. Some great things BUT If you're used to the End of the Road "doing it for the love of it" ethos you might find the priorities of the Latitude organisers a bit hard to swallow. They weren't called "Mean Fiddler" because they were good at the violin.

Why not try a small local festival you might be surprised, some of the best I've been to.

Edited September 23, 2009 by TinSoldier

[perfectpassion]

Has anyone mentioned Cambridge? Dont know how big it is but I have a friend who goes every year and says its wonderful...anyone else been??? Wookey I think (but I may be wrong about where you live) that Beautiful Days is in my/your part of the world.... near Exeter. And that there is also the very small Chagstock on Dartmoor which I have been to and is very small but was good when I went. Hope this helps

Sue x

Edited September 23, 2009 by perfectpassion

[wockey]

Has anyone mentioned Cambridge? Dont know how big it is but I have a friend who goes every year and says its wonderful...anyone else been??? Wookey I think (but I may be wrong about where you live) that Beautiful Days is in my/your part of the world.... near Exeter. And that there is also the very small Chagstock on Dartmoor which I have been to and is very small but was good when I went. Hope this helps

Sue x