Rhythm Festival 2011

Rhythm Festival which offers three days of classic and modern acts plus a host of 'fringe events', will return for its sixth year over August bank holiday, from Friday 26th until Sunday 28th August 2011 at Mansion House, Old Warden Park, near Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire having left it's previous home at Twinwood Arena.

Line-up

Acts announced include Toots & The Maytals, Steve Cropper and The Animals, Imelda May, Nick Lowe, The Men They Couldn't Hang, plus Pretty Things, Saint Jude, Tracie Hunter Band, Jack Bruce, Terry Reid, Mud Morganfield, Curved Air, Oli Brown Band, Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs, Miranda Versus The Crok, Oysterband, Sandi Thom, From The Jam, The Blockheads, The Burns Unit, Nine Below Zero, the recently reformed Slim Chance, Missing Andy, Parker & The Flowing Wow, abd Three Bonzos And A Piano. Bellowhead and Hank Wangford have pulled out. For the line-up details as available please click here.

The event features acts from the realms of Rock, Blues, Folk, Ska and World Music including big name headliners who will join the line-up over the next few weeks. Rhythm Festival 2011 expects to feature three live music stages (including one named after plus comedy and "fringe events".

Tickets

The early bird offer has now ended. An adult weekend ticket is priced at £110. Weekend tickets do NOT include camping.
Infants (under 5 years) are free when accompanied by adult ticket-holders.
One child (5-16 years) is free with each adult ticketholder; additional child tickets are available priced at £50.

Day tickets are now on sale priced at £45 (Friday) and £49 (Saturday and Sundfay, each day) for an adult (17 years and older), with the option of a free child/ youth ticket (aged 5-16) when bought at the same time. Under 5s are free when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult - no ticket required.

Camping tickets charged per tent/ caravan (not per person) are priced at £30 (Buena Vista Field a quieter, family-centred site) or £35 (Vegas Field nearer the Main Arena), Campervan tickets are priced at £30 (Buena Vista Field) or £35 (Vegas Field). There are also yurts and belltents available to hire.

To buy tickets, click here.

New for 2011

Rhythm Festival has also announced that a new stage, programmed by Samantha Jean Scuffham of London's Secret Showcase, will be presenting young up-and-coming acts from around the world.

Ethos

Rhythm Festival aims to be different from other outdoor music festivals, by being smaller (a capacity of under 5,000), friendlier and geared towards the festival goer. There's a kid's field (including things like mini olympics, workshops, entertainers and Panic Circus), a healing/alternative culture field, and a comedy stage.

Amenities

The festival has a general store, as well as a large variety of high quality food at sensible prices. Plus, real ales, beers & lagers from the Pot Belly Brewery, Wells & Young's of Bedford as well as guest ales, and real ciders.

The festival site is semi-permanent, and includes flush toilets (augmented by portaloos), and proper roads and pathways. The arena is a drained grassy amphitheatre and many attractions are housed indoors. Showers have been hired for the (supervised) campsites and there'll be free car parking adjacent to the festival site.

Festival Coaches

Rhythm have teamed up with Festival Coaches to offer a low carbon alternative to the car - coaches and shuttles. It's hoped the green initiative will reduce the festival's emissions (it's a whopping reduction of around 67% on emissions). Festival goers should pre-book for shuttles to ensure they have a seat, with pay on the day offered for remaining unsold seats on a first come first served basis. Shuttle services will run from Biggleswade Railway Station on Friday 26th and Monday 29th August.

There is also a direct to site coach service running from London Paddington - adult (17+) fare £33.00 return, kids fare (5-16) £15.00, kids under 5 travel free.

More details will be here when available.

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