Wychwood, one of the UK’s best family festivals had a record breaking weekend at the 11th annual event. The festival sold out on Saturday and thousands to Cheltenham Racecourse for live music, stand-up comedy, craft workshops, children’s areas and a Literature Festival. This year also included a debate hosted by Ectotricity on green issues and the festival’s first marriage proposal during The Proclaimers set on the main stage.
The stages at Wychwood showcased a great mix of performances from industry legends and local talent. The line-up on the main stage included Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue of UB40, 70s icons Boney M, Scottish twin-brother duo The Proclaimers and Northern Irish punk-rockers The Undertones The Ecotricty Big Top hosted contemporaries like Ghostpoet, Lucy Rose, and Charlotte OC during the day and the famous Wychwood headphone disco at night. Craig Charles played a DJ set and famous children’s entertainer, Justin Fletcher made an appearance.
UB40’s Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue Reunited on mainstage at Wychwood Festival 2015 (C. Steve Porter)
The Children’s Literature Festival offered activities for the whole family in addition to the music. Literary talents and stand-up comedians entertained throughout the weekend. Workshops were offered in Bhangra dance, hula hooping and circus tricks. The Healing Gardens offered families a more relaxing experience at the Literature Festival.
Wychwood is one the UK’s best family fun festivals.
A word from the Wychwood Festival founder Graeme Merifield on this year’s success “What a year! It’s the busiest I’ve ever seen the festival thanks to a fantastic turnout from Wychwood fans and spectacular performances across all of our stages from legends like Boney M and The Proclaimers right through to rising stars Charlotte OC and Puppy. To top our landmark 10th year in 2014 with record ticket sales in 2015 is such an achievement and we’d like to thank everyone who joined us this weekend. We hope they enjoyed the festival as much as we did and look forward to making 2016’s Wychwood better yet!”
2015 Line Up
MUSIC
Ladysmith Black Mambazo / UB40 – Ali Campbell, Astro, Mickey Virtue reunited / Boney M
The Undertones / Justin Fletcher / The Proclaimers / Craig Charles / Andy Kershaw / Dreadzone / Basseskou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba / Mad Dog Mcrea / Dr & The Medics / Songhoy Blues / The Outcast Band / The Going Goods / Talk In Code / A Way With Words / The Edwin Starr Band ft. Angelo Starr / Electric Swing Circus / Rusty Shackle / Pocket Club / Ghostpoet / Lucy Rose / Mt. Wolf / Plastic Mermaids / Fickle Friends / Monsieur Doumani / The Wonder Stuff Acoustic / Darlia / Demob Happy / TED ZED / Black Honey / Palace / Zak Abel / Lanshapes / Syd Arthur / Henry Green / Hunter & The Bear / Loud Mountains / Cooper Black / Object Object / Josephine and the Artizans / Sophronie / George Montague / Danni Nicholls / The Black Feathers / John Adams / Grace Palmer / James Michael / All Ears Avow / Spice & The Readies / SPOILS / Ben Cipolla / Gigi St. Fallow / Bobby Scaife / Katie Collins/ Megan Timms / Joe Buckingham / Dan Walton / Maxine Stacey / Neil Morris / David Young
BBC Introducing Coventry & Warwickshire: Grassroutes / Rosetta Fire / Yes Sunshine / Reece Bahia / Quarry / Speak Brother / James TW / Emily Burns / The Commonjets / Joe Doloman
BBC Introducing Hereford and Worcester: Cantaloop / Ronin / Clark Carmody / Tom Forbes / Interior Castle / Crowsaw / 7shades / The Dale Von Minaker / Fictonian / Chase The Deer
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERSTONES
Ali Sparkes / Petr Horacek / Giancarlo Gremin / Steve Anthony / Steve Cole / Chris Edge / Paul Strickland / John Dougherty / Anna Wilson / Karen Langtree / Tracey Corderoy / Philip Ardagh / Cathy Cassidy / Philip Adagh / Tracey Corderoy / Matt Brown / Tony de Saulles / First Draft WYCHWOOD COMEDY IN ASSOCIATION WITH EFESTIVALS
Michael Legge / Jenny Collier / Jack Heal / Chris Turner / Jay Cowle / Jamali Maddix / Jarred Christmas / Becky Brunning / Sam Chaplin / David Jordan
Written by FestPop Staff Writer
Lindsey Morrison
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