Wickham Festival News

The show must go on…

Wickham Festival organiser Peter Chegwyn has paid a heartfelt tribute to the staff and the fans after somehow ensuring the show went ahead.

KT Tunstall performing on The All Time Grates Stage at 8pm

In the 24 hours leading up to the event, more than three inches of rain fell on already sodden fields turning many of them into quagmires and making it a logistical nightmare to set up the site.

But the crews battled tirelessly to overcome the elements and get all the fans, campervans, artists and equipment in place.

Although the start was delayed while straw was spread over the main arena, it was still a remarkable achievement to get the event on at all.

Chegwyn said: “I have been putting on festivals for 25 years and I have never seen rain or mud like this.

The queue before the music starts

“In all that time I have never cancelled a festival and I was determined not to let the elements get the better of me now – even though they were absolutely exceptional.

“This really was something else and caused us massive problems but I have to say all the staff and volunteers have been magnificent. Without them we couldn’t have got the event on. They worked tirelessly.

“An awful lot of festivals would simply have cancelled. The Y Not festival in Derbyshire had to be called off last weekend and the weather got even worse after that.

“It s just the nature of festivals. You are at the mercy of the elements and there is nothing we can do when it rains like that.

“We didn’t quite move the heavens but we certainly moved earth! We have put down tonnes of straw to improve the arena and laid as much roadway as we could.

Thursday Crowd watching 10cc at Wickham Festival

“We spent and extra £30,000 on the opening day alone and must have brought in every available tractor in South Hampshire to help tow cars and campervans.

“We were prepared for the bad weather and planned for it bringing in extra staff and stewards. We really did everything we could and thankfully it paid off.”

After two years of glorious sunshine, the mud returns

Inevitably the weather did cause some problems accessing the site with long traffic jams on surrounding roads.

Blind Lane was jammed with campervans queueing to access fields and having to wait while tractors towed vehicles through the mud. That had a knock-on effect to the main road.

Chegwyn added: “We are really sorry for the inconvenience but these really were exceptional circumstances. I have never known anything like it.

Welcome back … 4 days of music on the way!

“Normally it runs very smoothly and even though we brought in extra staff, it was still a huge problem getting everyone in.

“We did our best to keep people informed via our facebook page and people appreciated that but it was difficult to gauge exactly how things would pan out.

“Any event would have struggled whether it was Boomtown or Glastonbury; they have not seen anything like what we faced. But I am very proud that we have got everyone in.

KT Tunstall lifted the spirits of our Thursday crowd

“Everything considered we had a fantastic first night. KT Tunstall produced a fantastic set which really lifted the spirits and she even took time to phone a disabled girl who couldn’t get her wheelchair through the mud.

“Our old friends 10CC were electric as always and for those who were not ready for bed, we had our first ever late night comedy stage which went down very well.

“Now we are looking forward to three days of dry weather and a lot more wonderful music and comedy so all our efforts will be worthwhile.”

 

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  • Facebook Posts

    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    Delighted to announce that top Scottish band Skipinnish are newly confirmed for the 2024 Wickham Festival on Sat. 3 Aug. Same day as Tankus the Henge. Lots more artists being announced this week. Earlybird tickets still available via www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/tickets
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQCuw59ND78
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    Video image

    2 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Saw them at the Brook last month and now looking g forward to seeing g them again at Wickham 🥳

    Please consider Robert Plants Saving Grace, his latest project which is very folk based.

    Seen in East London. We've booked Ronnie Lane's band Slim Chance several times. They're great! Have you any photos of other roads named after musicians? ... See MoreSee Less

    Seen in East London.  Weve booked Ronnie Lanes band Slim Chance several times.  Theyre great!  Have you any photos of other roads named after musicians?

    14 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Here's another. Heinz Burt Close in Eastleigh. Named after Heinz, the former bass player of The Tornados (famed for their hit Telstar)

    Not named after me as such, but I’ve dj’d the silent disco the last 2 years for Bug Beats Events at the Wickham Music Festival! 🤣🤣

    There's Charles Watts Way at Hedge end of course

    Hi Pete. Did you see my email. Croft No 5 have reformed!! 😊

    I saw Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance in 1976 in the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm. What a great band.

    Marylebone, London

    As part of the 'other festival' in Pilton you will find a new road Maggies Farm, not a band member but of course from Bobs tune.

    OK - I need to get out more! Here’s a little something to fulfil the request!

    Ash Smither

    Can't remember where this was now but great name 🤭

    Of course its Swansea so it may be the Welsh Dylan

    Spotted this in Partinico, Sicily.

    In his home town of Paisley.

    Not a road name, but Billy Bragg Bicycles sign in Gillingham is one I remember from childhood. Obviously not that Billy Bragg!

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    Great to meet up with The Magic Teapot crew at The Showman's Show today and confirm that The Magic Teapot will be back at Wickham next summThe Magic Teapotvenue ... See MoreSee Less

    Great to meet up with The Magic Teapot crew at The Showmans Show today and confirm that The Magic Teapot will be back at Wickham next summer.  https://www.facebook.com/magicteapotvenue

    12 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Yay!! My favourite place

    I hope so… best place to be at the end of an awesome day!

    That is great news, just love the Magic Teapot vibe. The coffee’s great too ❤️

    Love The Magic Teapot it’s my festival happy place

    Fab!! Loved ending the evening here, chatting to a few people or just listening 😊

    This is great news xx

    The best place to be for singing and tea!

    Excellent especially the young lad.

    I ❤️ The Magic Teapot

    Great news

    Music to my ears ❤️

    Look good Peter

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    Thank you to everyone who supported Matthew Bannister on his walk from Wickham Festival to Folk East and helped to raise a fantastic £18,014 for the charity 'Help Musicians'.We've done the sums, and from your donations and t-shirt purchases you raised a staggering £18,014 for Help Musicians!

    Thank you so much both for supporting us on this adventure, and for supporting the musicians making the music which brings such joy to our lives
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    Thank you to everyone who supported Matthew Bannister on his walk from Wickham Festival to Folk East and helped to raise a fantastic £18,014 for the charity Help Musicians.

    5 CommentsComment on Facebook

    Amazing effort. Well done Matthew!

    Absolute amazing congratulations and well done 👏

    That is a incredible amount Congratulations

    Fab job!

    Fabulous !!

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