Wickham Festival News

The Wickham Festival 2018 site build story in pictures

Posted on 31st July 20182nd August 2018 by Peter Chegwyn

The excitement is really starting to build at our festival site and morale couldn’t be more positive for this weekend. Wickham Festival kicks off at 4:30pm this Thursday and according to the BBC web site it’s going to be a weekend of sunshine just as we welcome Alistair Russell to kick things off.

Just as a forecast of wall-to-wall sunshine begins our speakers will be switched on as the clouds fade for Wickham Festival 2018!

Preparations this week have all gone to plan and run ahead of schedule. The heavens opened last Sunday as if to order to help soften the ground enough for us to get rid of ruts. For those of you not following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram here’s how we’ve been progressing…

Friday 27th July – installing £20,000 worth of temporary roadway to ensure easy access

We know many of you remember the muddy start encountered on Thursday last year and we promised we’d get a plan in place to make improvements. Along with a new entrance directly off the Winchester Road for the tented camping fields to improve traffic entering the site we’ve got much more temporary roadway.

Our Main Stage 1 – The Valley Stage will welcome some incredible artists this year, we think it’s our best ever line up with the likes of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, The South, Show of Hands, Kate Rusby, Squeeze, John Illsley of Dire Straits, Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings, and the Richard Thompson Electric Trio all taking to this stage.

Saturday 28th July – Main Stage 1 – The Valley Stage is up

For 2018 we’ve upgraded our Main Stage 2 – The Village Stage … it’s bigger and better! It’s impossible to please everyone and we appreciate both sides of the argument with regard to people bringing chairs. Our plan is to not allow chairs into this marquee as we’ve scheduled the livelier bands for this stage. This includes The Dhol Foundation, Mad Dog Mcrea, Police Dog Hogan, Black Kat Boppers, Gaz Brookfield & The Company of Thieves, Ferocious Dog, The Undertones, and The Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Sunday 29th July – Main Stage 2 – The Village Stage is up

Talking of The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, as if by magic they’ll be performing on Kilt Sunday this year.

The Wickham 2017 tartan army looking fabulous. Remember to pack your kilt for Sunday.

What was a typical looking Hampshire field just a few days ago is starting to look like a festival site…

Sunday 29th July – Somewhere across a field there’s a festival taking shape

Our camping fields are in ideal condition and all ready for you lovely people to make it your home this weekend…

Monday 30th July – that’s right … glamping tents is just what this field needed

This year we’ve over 20 real ales and ciders for the weekend, mainly from independent local Hampshire breweries including Bowmans and Itchen Valley.

Monday 30th July – Real Ale Tent waiting for its beers

Tuesday 31st July – We’ve even got a bandstand this year!

You won’t go thirsty at this weekend’s Wickham Festival … we’ve lots of bars around our festival site.

Tuesday 31st July – Stubbs McGee’s purpose-built pub in our Backstage VIP Area is erected. This is thirsty work!

It wouldn’t be right to have Wickham without the ever popular Moose Bar. After a busy week we’re all looking forward to when the pumps get connected.

Tuesday 31st July – A little way to go but with only two days to go The Moose Bar is in full construction.

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31st July - 3rd Aug 2025. Tickets available now: https://t.co/zXhzJdFwXy

Wickham Festival @festivalwickham ·

12 Feb

The ever-popular Phil Beer will be appearing solo at #WickhamFestival on Sun. 3rd Aug. as well as joining with Reg Meuross, Marion Fleetwood & Geraint Watkins to perform 'Fire and Dust: A Woody Guthrie Story'

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Merry Hell - Folking Mag Best Live Act Award 2022+ @merryhell_band ·

31 Jan

Huzzah for @festivalwickham and Saturday 2nd August and another mighty HUZZAH for it is a particular favourite of ours, do thoroughly deserving of thrice Huzzah! http://Www.wickhamfestival.co.uk for tickets!! See you there. Is there time for one more Huzzah?

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Wickham Festival @festivalwickham ·

23 Jan

We've updated the 'Line-Up' pages of our website to show who's playing (so far!) on which day. You can also view artist biogs & videos by clicking on artist photos. https://www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/line-up/

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Wickham Festival @festivalwickham ·

22 Jan

The wonderful singer-songwriter @NewtonFaulkner will make his #WickhamFestival debut on Friday, 1st Aug. Same day as @Fishy_Friends, @TaliskMusic, @FlookQuartet and many others.

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Wickham Festival @festivalwickham ·

21 Jan

Another band confirmed! Legendary Geordie folk-rockers @lindisfarneband will headline the opening night of #WickhamFestival on Thursday 31 July.

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Wickham Festival @festivalwickham ·

20 Jan

More artists confirmed! @IanProwse and Amsterdam will be at this year's #WickhamFestival on Sunday 3rd August. Ian toured with Elvis Costello last year and is touring with Levellers this Spring.