Big Tent Festival

[Paul ™]

Ok so as an alternative to Wickerman, might head up to this to check it out this year after Doc raving on about it the past couple years.

Welcome to the Big Tent

Tickets are now available - buy now and take advantage of our early bird special (10% discount).

Big Tent 2009 - Scotland’s biggest eco-festival - Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July.

Last year the Fife Herald said: “The Big Tent was simply amazing… one of the most chilled-out, family-friendly events there can ever have been.”

This year’s festival will include loads of new stuff like: the Climate Challenge Ceilidh, a Climate Champion’s Zone, Earth Action Talks with WWF Scotland, a Family Zone, a brand new Wood Zone, plus the return of our celebrated Food Village. There will also be a (much improved) campsite with a family/quiet area, a camp shop and cafe, and, in a first for UK festivals, the Black Isle Brewery will be serving Big Tent Brew from our own Falkland grown Barley.

The mighty Shooglenifty, talented Attic Lights, the amazing Chipolatas and Mr McFalls Chamber playing Martyn Bennett are just a taste of the music line-up coming your way this July. Our full details to be announced soon.

Edited March 6, 2009 by Paul ™

[stevieg72]

Ok so as an alternative to Wickerman, might head up to this to check it out this year after Doc raving on about it the past couple years.

Black Isle Brewery.. hope they have some of their lovely Organic Cider

http://bigtentfestival.co.uk/

When is the camping from? Is it the Friday or Saturday?

Might just stay at my mums though

[Paul ™]

Nice one.. lovely cider .. that might have just clinched this for me.

Good news on the Friday camping, means I could head over after work Friday and camp till the Sunday and possibly come home the Sunday night.

Cheap for a ticket too..

[stevieg72]

Nice one.. lovely cider .. that might have just clinched this for me.

Good news on the Friday camping, means I could head over after work Friday and camp till the Sunday and possibly come home the Sunday night.

Cheap for a ticket too..

[Paul ™]

Yup catch ya at the bar.. will decide soon though to get a discounted ticket

[duncan123]

I went along to this year and to be perfectly honest it was dire. The fact there was only one music stage, meant if you didn't like the band playing you just had too walk around the very small site. Another problem was food ran out @ about 6ish. Meaning unless you actually went into Falkland, you went hungry. I can understand why some people would enjoy it with the Black Isle Brewery Tent. But this festival is just not for me.

[stevieg72]

I went along to this year and to be perfectly honest it was dire. The fact there was only one music stage, meant if you didn't like the band playing you just had too walk around the very small site. Another problem was food ran out @ about 6ish. Meaning unless you actually went into Falkland, you went hungry. I can understand why some people would enjoy it with the Black Isle Brewery Tent. But this festival is just not for me.

[Da_J_Doc-~]

If folks are looking for a festival with a social conscience then this is the one to go to, as Paul says i have been raving about it now for a few years and i will try and answer a few complaints made in this thread.

Camping, this was only introduced last year and was always going to be a steep learning curve, i didn't camp as it's only 20mins away on the train however friends did and say it has potential to become better and the organisers have listened to all the complaints from last year.

Music, Big tent was never essentially a music festival and its ethos is firmly on stewardship and the environment, there was only small local bands on in a small marquee style tent the first year and from there we now have the ample sized main stage which hosted everyone from King Cresote to Zimbabwean dancers last year. Plans for a ceilidh tent this year should be a great addition.

Lack of food, there was a stage last year where the food ran out due to the fact the place was absolutely rammed given the good weather, the fact is that if you walk less than 2 minutes from the site into Falkland you could have easily got fed there, there will be more food made availiable this year though.

Things to do, if you didn't like the band playing there were a myriad of things to do such as take in a talk on the environment, look round the stalls, wander round the kids zone or just take in the beautiful scenery with a pint you could even head down to the healing zone for a massage, remember folks as i said this is not a music festival this is a festival that happens to have a music stage.

So in summary come to the festival but do so understanding what it is about and why it is there, if you are coming leave the car at home we get the train to Markinch from where there is a free bus to the site some ten minutes away, have a pint of big tent brew and relax, remember to treat the site well and recycle in the bins provided.

[Paul ™]

Great post mate.. and yes it's down to you saying about this that am going to try it out.

Saying that, knowing rollergirl will be at Wickerman I needed something to do for the Sat/Sun and this is ideal since the folks stay in Glenrothes anyway.. might even drag them along

[jkb1]

thinking about a holiday after T to relax after a hectic month or so but if i am around that weekend, then this sounds quite interesting. maybe find out a bit more ,nearer the time.

[Da_J_Doc-~]

Great post mate.. and yes it's down to you saying about this that am going to try it out.

Saying that, knowing rollergirl will be at Wickerman I needed something to do for the Sat/Sun and this is ideal since the folks stay in Glenrothes anyway.. might even drag them along

[Da_J_Doc-~]

Some Pics from last year.

Main stage.

Phil Kay compering the main stage last year, was absolutely brilliant and the kids attacked him with grass and hay towards the end of Saturday, sadly i couldn't get any pics of the stage invasion by all the 5-9 year olds during B Raymond and the voicettes but it was brilliant.

Couple of pics from round the site.

Hope these have whetted your appetite for a great festival, if you can't come for the weekend come for the day and make it a green day by taking the free transport availiable, the value for money is amazing i mean a W/E with camping bought now is only £36 with a day ticket setting you back £10.80 (these prices go up by 10% soon) but still even with the increase its hell of a value for money and kids go free.

[Paul ™]

Great pics, looks fab

And yeah.. it's your round eh?

[Da_J_Doc-~]

And yeah.. it's your round eh?

[stevieg72]

If folks are looking for a festival with a social conscience then this is the one to go to, as Paul says i have been raving about it now for a few years and i will try and answer a few complaints made in this thread.

Camping, this was only introduced last year and was always going to be a steep learning curve, i didn't camp as it's only 20mins away on the train however friends did and say it has potential to become better and the organisers have listened to all the complaints from last year.

Music, Big tent was never essentially a music festival and its ethos is firmly on stewardship and the environment, there was only small local bands on in a small marquee style tent the first year and from there we now have the ample sized main stage which hosted everyone from King Cresote to Zimbabwean dancers last year. Plans for a ceilidh tent this year should be a great addition.

Lack of food, there was a stage last year where the food ran out due to the fact the place was absolutely rammed given the good weather, the fact is that if you walk less than 2 minutes from the site into Falkland you could have easily got fed there, there will be more food made availiable this year though.

Things to do, if you didn't like the band playing there were a myriad of things to do such as take in a talk on the environment, look round the stalls, wander round the kids zone or just take in the beautiful scenery with a pint you could even head down to the healing zone for a massage, remember folks as i said this is not a music festival this is a festival that happens to have a music stage.

So in summary come to the festival but do so understanding what it is about and why it is there, if you are coming leave the car at home we get the train to Markinch from where there is a free bus to the site some ten minutes away, have a pint of big tent brew and relax, remember to treat the site well and recycle in the bins provided.

[Da_J_Doc-~]

Doc i was not critising the festival in anyway, so hope i did not come across that way, i need no convincing on how good it is and pointed this out in previous post.

[Paul ™]

Excellent, jkb1 already said he is on the 3rd... so looks like am on last round

[stevieg72]

No don't worry mate you didn't, i am a big fan and supporter of the festival and the message it is trying to get across so i thought i would cover all the points that had been raised both good and bad, your on the second round by the way

[jkb1]

Excellent, jkb1 already said he is on the 3rd... so looks like am on last round

[Paul ™]

if i'm about and i end up here that weekend, of course i will stand a pint ....... and ... erm ... 4 straws

[treacle]

Sounds awesome Doc! I wish this wasn't on the same weekend as Wickerman

[Paul ™]

Sounds awesome Doc! I wish this wasn't on the same weekend as Wickerman

[jkb1]

Skint mate? Thought you were loaded

[Da_J_Doc-~]

Big Tent is supporting WWF Earth Hour get involved.

Earth Hour!

[Da_J_Doc-~]

Phil Kay confirmed as main stage compere again, he was amazing last year and had the kids eating out his hand.