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Bearded Theory is a lovely little festival and would certainly get my vote for 'Best Little Festival' as literally this is the best little festival I have ever been to!

Ok, that might be over zealous on my part when there are so many other good festivals around. However, if you ask ANYBODY who has been to Bearded Theory 2008 there can be no doubt that this would certainly be 'Best Value Festival' ever!



Where else could you get the line-up & good times had by all for only £12 a ticket! This means with a limited capacity of 500, the organisers did a phenomenal job with only a £6,000 budget to create such a brilliant 'Grass Roots Festival'.

Following on from the coup of securing 3 Daft Monkeys to perform at his Birthday Party last year, organiser 'Bearded Richard' came up with the mad idea to have a "Bearded Dance for Charity" the idea being a one day mini festival; with beards!; to raise money for charity. This quickly evolved into a 2 day festival, partly because more than 90% of us decided we wanted to arrive on the Friday!

After all the pre-excitement in the build up to this much anticipated festival May 16th arrives and on the Friday afternoon we all start to arrive. As we enter the site we are greeted personally by one of the organisers, the lovely and beautiful Sally. The team of marshals (all voluntary for Friday to help make this event happen) are well drilled and make the check in an easy affair, and that is even with the Land Owner enforcing the 'Camping Field' to be swapped for the 'Parking Field' which actually results in the site layout working really well.

Once parked and walking through to the camping area we are greeted by a pirate and the infamous 'Litterbugs' to ensure we have bin bags for our rubbish. A lovely Lancashire Lass offers me a drink with the enticing words of "Would you like a Cherry Bakewell?" A delicious cocktail liqueur, how could anyone refuse?



It is enjoyable to set up in a relaxed unhurried atmosphere. For many of us it is a great opportunity to meet friends old & new and soak up the vibes in readiness for the 'Bearded Ball' later that evening.

A quick 'recky' of the site during which I spot many festival goers in fancy dress and I meet the proprietor of Martins Jerked Meat famed for his appearance on the BBC 'Dragon's Den' television show and a real character with a pink psycho-billy Mohican hair style and contemporary kilt. I manage to sample some of his delicious jerky and biltong. Later that night I spot Martin dressed in Napoleonic Military attire and stumbling around offering people a glass of port.

After the revelling Friday & Saturday most of the festival goers pack up Sunday morning and there is much talk that we have participated in one of the best festivals many of us have ever experienced. We can't wait until 2009, but don't tell everyone... we want to keep Bearded Theory small & special.

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