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WOMAD 2011

Guest Staberinde

By Guest Staberinde,
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Staberinde

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Thanks to the great festival news ticker up in the right hand corner, I've just found out that the Trowbridge Village Pump has been canceled so I'm now considering Womad as an alternative.

I just read last years topic on Womad http://www.womad.org...010-sitemap.jpg

Any helpful advice would be much appreciated. specifically...

  • - Is the caravan field quite a long way from the arena? - We will have a 2 year old with us, bloody mud and prams don't mix.
  • - Is there a good atmosphere at night by your tents / caravan, with people enjoying a late night (but not rowdy) drink and chat?
  • - I'm guessing the arena closes at night ?
  • - Are the security strict? We always have a round bar-be-que we use to burn wood in for a fire at night, not strictly legal, but no one complained at the Village Pump or Larmer Tree

Maybe see you there this year - Or will it be the Larmer Tree for me, been there a few times now.

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eFestivals Mentor

eFestivals

Posted
Posted

Thanks to the great festival news ticker up in the right hand corner, I've just found out that the Trowbridge Village Pump has been canceled so I'm now considering Womad as an alternative.

I just read last years topic on Womad /index.php?showtopic=133991&st=0&p=3384523&hl=womad&fromsearch=1&#entry3384523">here and was surprised no on has started a topic for this year.

Are many people going this year? Reading the other topic I see it's well liked. Looking at their web page I get the impression it's quite 'posh' for a festival.

5co77ie's link to the map is still valid, I doubt this years set up will change that much.

http://www.womad.org...010-sitemap.jpg

Any helpful advice would be much appreciated. specifically...

  • - Is the caravan field quite a long way from the arena? - We will have a 2 year old with us, bloody mud and prams don't mix.
  • - Is there a good atmosphere at night by your tents / caravan, with people enjoying a late night (but not rowdy) drink and chat?
  • - I'm guessing the arena closes at night ?
  • - Are the security strict? We always have a round bar-be-que we use to burn wood in for a fire at night, not strictly legal, but no one complained at the Village Pump or Larmer Tree

Maybe see you there this year - Or will it be the Larmer Tree for me, been there a few times now.

WOMAD at its new site in Wiltshire is lovely - and it's lost the Islington Mothers Day Out feel that it used to have at Reading. I'm guessing that those Islington mothers find it too scary to go that far from London. :P

I believe that there's now two campervan/caravan areas - one of which is as far from the arena as it's possible to be. So I'd get booked up quick if you want the near one.

The atmosphere is good, tho there was a bit of problem with pissed teenagers last year from an apology that WOMAD put out afterwards - but having said that, it wasn't anything I noticed myself. There's a bit of life to the campsite, but it's not an all-night party type of place.

I think the arena closes at night, and if it does it closes pretty late - I've not actually seen it closed.

Security are very laid-back in my experience - about the best I've experienced at any fest.

The rules say "Open fires are banned everywhere on site". I don't know if you'll get away with having a fire in a raised bbq.

The one downside to the new site is how it copes with the wet. The first year it was there it had rained solidly in the weeks before, meaning that the ground was waterlogged before anyone arrived, leading to campervans and the like having to be towed onto site, and the ground harder going than a wet Glastonbury (deep deep mud in places). Overall tho I'd say it's likely to cope with the wet a little better than Glastonbury, as the site is on some of the higher ground in the area. It's not been troubled by the more occasional rain during the fests there's been since.

I'll see you there. :)

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Staberinde Collaborator

Staberinde

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Thanks for a great informative reply Neil.

That's the first time I've ever used the 'Send link to email' button on here, I've sent a copy to my wife.

I can see by the map how far way the Caravan pitch is from the arena, but I haven't got a clue what distance that is. It's a small festival, so are we looking at 10 ins walk maybe?

See you there (Maybe) :)

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eFestivals Mentor

eFestivals

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I can see by the map how far way the Caravan pitch is from the arena, but I haven't got a clue what distance that is. It's a small festival, so are we looking at 10 ins walk maybe?

It's not "a small festival" - it's somewhere around the 40,000 mark I think.

There's two campervan areas.

The nearer one is about a five minute walk to the nearest arena entrance.

The one that's further away - Meadow Park and Camp - says that "This area is situated in a beautiful part of the festival site approximately 1km from the main arena."

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5co77ie Enthusiast

5co77ie

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I'll see you there too - we're taking our campervan and going on Thursday to get settled in - there's not a huge lot happening but I do like being there on Thursdays.

There is a wealth of stuff for little kids to do - but a good tip is to make sure you turn up early - as there are lists you have to sign your child up to you can't just walk up.

The first year we went with our daughter we didn't have enough space in the car to bring all the stuff she made home (that didn't go down well) - we actually still have some of it from over the years, some of the things they build (well we make for them ;) at that age) are pretty decent.

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Staberinde Collaborator

Staberinde

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks for the Advice Scottie and Neil.

Early on a Thursday!!! heh, that's a day later than I would like :) So if I get there first thing on a Thursday (what's the earliest) will I be put in the closest C'van site ?

Thats also great advice about kids, there will be 5 of them in our group, 2, 6, 8,9 and 14. Should be enough to keep the little mites happy while Mums and Dads prop up the bar.

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Chas Rookie

Chas

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Gates open at 8 am Thursday morning and I think they open the arena around 2 pm with a couple of bands performing from 7 pm. These were on the main open air stage last year but in previous years they've been in the Siam tent (I'm thinking of the On-U Sound showcase with Little Axe & Lee Scratch Perry). Bear in mind that it costs extra to arrive Thursday so make sure you get those tickets too. There's a seperate ticket for the Meadow Campervan field so stear clear of that option and get the standard campervan ticket. You should then be ok and get a good spot up by the stately home and near the arena if you're early. Remember to order child tickets as well which will be free for four of your party but unfortunately you'll have to get one teenage weekend ticket for the 14 year old.

I've been going to Womad since 1988 and have always had a great time and even provided some entertainment for Scott's party on the Thursday last year by being rushed out of the arena in an ambulance. I was soon back though :-)

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Staberinde Collaborator

Staberinde

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Gates open at 8 am Thursday morning and I think they open the arena around 2 pm with a couple of bands performing from 7 pm. These were on the main open air stage last year but in previous years they've been in the Siam tent (I'm thinking of the On-U Sound showcase with Little Axe & Lee Scratch Perry). Bear in mind that it costs extra to arrive Thursday so make sure you get those tickets too. There's a seperate ticket for the Meadow Campervan field so stear clear of that option and get the standard campervan ticket. You should then be ok and get a good spot up by the stately home and near the arena if you're early. Remember to order child tickets as well which will be free for four of your party but unfortunately you'll have to get one teenage weekend ticket for the 14 year old.

I've been going to Womad since 1988 and have always had a great time and even provided some entertainment for Scott's party on the Thursday last year by being rushed out of the arena in an ambulance. I was soon back though :-)

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5co77ie Enthusiast

5co77ie

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Brassroots have self confirmed on their myspace - I first saw them at Bestival a couple of year's ago playing in the Spiegel at silly o'clock in the morning where I can remember a great horn driven reggae fueled skank to covers including Radiohead, and White Stripes

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