[dropcap size=small]B[/dropcap]estival rounds up the summer this year on the 10th-13th September. Running since 2004 and established by Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, the Isle of Wight based festival was initially attended by just 10,000 festival goers.
In recent years, that number has exponentially increased to 55,000 in 2010. Despite the growth in popularity, the event has held on to the characteristics of a smaller festival, rejecting corporatism in favour of creativity and independence.
The stages are almost as impressive as the acts performing on them, with venues ranging from an old boat to a hollowed-out tree trunk. They’ve all been given trippy titles such as ‘Stardust Field’ and ‘Magic Meadow’ just to drive home this year’s theme of ‘The Summer of Love’
2015 promises to be just inventive as previous years, with Bestival offering free haircuts, blind dates and rave knitting for those looking for something beyond the music.
Organisers were faced with a tough task to match last year’s headliners of Outkast and Foals, but they have managed to represent a diverse range of genres, booking Tame Impala, Duran Duran and the Chemical Brothers for some of the top slots. Their more recent additions to the line-up are equally guaranteed to attract attention. Along with more conventional acts like Wiley, Skepta and Drenge, the festival have confirmed the appearance of the legendary Chuckle Brothers.
This is what distinguishes Bestival from other festivals. Plenty of festivals can confirm impressive headline acts, but few would book a set from such a curveball act as the “to-me, to-you” duo. It’s not just the music which matters at Bestival, but the experience.
As with previous years, we’re promised a diverse range of acts as well as other innovative events meaning that Bestival offers something a real alternative UK festival experience.
Katie Costello
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