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The magic of festivals: the mud and madness of Glasto, New
Orleans' Mardi Gras and the light fantastic of Bonnaroo
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12—14 Jun. Donington Park. Castle 12-14 Jun. Isle of Wight. Donington. Derby. www.down|oad festiva|.co.uk
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ROCK MESS 12-14 Jun. Loch Ness. Highlands. www.rockness.co.uk
ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL
www.isleofwightfestival.com
LLAMA
12—14 Jun. Lynton and Lynmouth. Devon. www.llama.org.uk
Napoleon. happily without and bloodshed.
In turn ol the eentury .-\meriea. .\lardi (iras had heeome a regular li\ture in New Orleans. What began as a religious earnhal marking the run-up to l.ent has now morphed into a gay-l'riendly parade that attraets tourists hy the tltousand. It was the inspiration in part celebrations l'or like (lay Pride and our own queer eulture eelehration. Pride Seotia.
The peak tin scale and influence terms at least lit the ltlsl eentury has 10 he \Vtttltlsltk‘k. the landmark l‘lo‘l l'olk musie and art l'estiyal that epitomised the elima\ ol' the hippie moyement. and attraeted almost 4(ltl.()()() people. \Vith .limi llendri\. Neil Young. The Who and The (iratel‘ul Dead on the hill it was an era-delining moment where lree lose. skinny-dipping. mind— e\panding drugs and hohemian ideals eame together 0\ er three days.
The .-\ltamont l-‘estiyal in (‘alil'ornia headlined l1} the Rolling Stones' some lour months alter \Voodstoek. signalled a sea ehange lor l‘estiyals when the eyent descended into ehaos with a erowd memher murdered by the Hells Angels operating as erow d seeurity. 'l‘he hippy ethos ol‘ getting down (and out) together has always been in conflict with the need l‘or sale. seeure and ultimately law l‘ul heltayiour. Nowhere has this been more apparent than at (ilastonhury whieh. alter kicking «ill in a dairy farm witlt Mare Bolan playing and a {I entry lee. has morphed into a monster-si/ed tnusie and performing arts l'estiyal. ()rganiser Miehael liayis has eontinually striyed to halanee ethies
with staying on the right side ol‘ the law sueli as when the l()().()()() eapaeity eyent swelled to quarter ol’ a million thanks to l‘enee jumpers.
'l‘oday. (ilasto and 'l‘ in the Park arguably stand as the two biggest eyents ol‘ their kind in the l'K. but the list ol‘ liestiyals runs into the hundreds. With more popping tip eyery year. it seems our loye ol‘ muddy llelds knows no bounds.
l'ltimately howeyer. they are all about the same thing: a eolleetiye experienee. a sharing. an indttlgenee. a celebration. So whether it's modern day pagans and hippies stripping ol‘l‘ and throwing down at the Burning Man liestiyal out in the Ari/ona desert or a meet and greet with your l‘ayourite author amid the quaint surrounds ol‘ \Vigtown Book liestiyal. this summer. as with eyery summer. you're in tor a treat.
Piteeweem Arts Festival, 1-9 Aug, www.pittenweemartsfestival.co.uk; Festival of History, Lanark, 22-23 Aug. For details of all other festivals mentioned, see timeline below.
RAGLAN MUSIC FESTIVAL LEAMINGTON PEACE 12-14 Jun. Raglan. FESTIVAL Monmouthshire. www.rag|an- 13-14 Jun. Pump Room festivalorg Gardens. Leamington Spa. . ' a Qan- 5.2mm Warwickshire, 'r'u .(w P st: Barri www.peacefestival.org.uk ' . 1/," ' Bart/estwu (Judd‘f, Comm: ,0“;' a?“ at the a'wtm‘ ' z" I ' :1 S" ' ; ‘/1ti?:”.‘:'_ {,‘m’f: f‘:'.l
WIMBORNE FOLK FESTIVAL 12-14 Jun. Wimborne. Dorset. www.wimbornefolklestival.co.uk '.1 y: l.‘/,Csww,x 8am. Kris
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28 Map‘t‘t Jun 2009 THE LIST 17