Larmer Tree Festival
The Larmer Tree Festival is a music and arts festival held annually at the Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal on the Dorset-Wiltshire border in England. Described as "One of the most family-friendly festivals around",[1] it is also noted for its "stunning location ... and outstanding eclectic line-up."[2]
Location
The festival is held in the Larmer Tree Gardens, Victorian pleasure grounds founded by Augustus Pitt Rivers and described as having "an enchanted and tranquil atmosphere".[3] The Larmer Tree itself was an ancient landmark tree on the ancient boundary between Wiltshire and Dorset. The tree was possibly an ancient Wych elm (Ulmus glabra) under which King John (1167-1216) and his entourage were reputed to have met when they were out hunting. The festival takes part in a setting of lawns and carefully-tended gardens, dotted with Nepalese pavilions and Roman temples, with free-roaming peacocks and macaws.[4]
Organisation
The festival was founded in 1990 by James Shephard, who had come across the Larmer Tree Gardens while out jogging one day in Cranborne Chase. The first festival was a one-day event, featuring jazz and blues music, with about 200 attendees. The next festivals were two day affairs, held over a weekend, with co-director Julia Safe joining the Festival staff in 1993. Their company J & J Events Ltd. now produces the festival. In 1995 the festival was extended to include the Friday night, and on-site camping was introduced.[5]
The festival is now a five-day event licenced for 5,000 people. The organisers state that "numbers are still strictly limited to protect the intimate atmosphere cherished by devotees." Tickets for the event have sold out months in advance every year since 1995.[6]
Shephard and Safe have rejected several major sponsorship deals as they are keen to protect their original concept. The ensuing independence and lack of sponsors' interference has allowed the small team of six staff to develop the festival along its own unique lines.[7]
A community spirit is encouraged at the festival: hundreds of volunteers from the local area help out at the event, and it has links with many local organisations.[8] The festival organisers try to minimise its environmental impact, by such measures as recycling as much as possible and insisting on the use of biodegradable trays and wooden cutlery by the catering outlets at the event. They also encourage festival-goers to take green living measures such as lift-sharing, recycling and saving water on site.[9]
Events
In 2008 the festival featured 108 hours of entertainment, including 80 bands across seven stages over five days.[10] There is also an extensive creative workshop for both adults and children.
The festival predominantly features acoustic folk, world music, reggae, roots and blues.
Line-ups
See Larmer Tree Festival line-ups for listings.
Facilities
Catering facilities on site provide food and drink from around the world, served breakfast through to late night snacks. The site also has three bars.
The campsite next to the festival ground is free, with free hot showers. In 2006 the festival toilets won the UK Festival Awards 2006 Portaloo Sunset Award For Best Toilets.[11]
References
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2007/12/12/larmer_tree_2008_feature.shtml
- ^ http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFestival/LarmerTreeFestival.cfm
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/entertainment/days_out/larmer.shtml
- ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2003/05/24/glarm24.xml
- ^ http://www.larmertreefestival.co.uk/about_us.html
- ^ http://www.larmertreefestival.co.uk/about_us.html
- ^ http://www.larmertreefestival.co.uk/about_us.html
- ^ http://www.larmertreefestival.co.uk/about_us.html
- ^ http://www.larmertreefestival.co.uk/festival_info/green_larmer_tree.html
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2007/12/12/larmer_tree_2008_feature.shtml
- ^ http://www.contactmusic.com/new/festival.nsf/webpages/larmer%20tree%20festival