Organisers of the Village Pump Folk Festival say this year’s event was a great success and they are already looking ahead to 2014’s festivities.
The annual gathering welcomed 2,000 visitors to its White Horse Country Park site, in Westbury, last weekend, when headline acts included The Proclaimers, Steeleye Span, Eric Bibb and Kate Rusby. About 50 acts performed across two stages and a club tent.
John Alderslade, the festival director, said: “This year’s event was a resounding success and we are delighted. Some of the major highlights had to be Steeleye Span and, of course, The Proclaimers, but I think we offered something for everyone.”
The festival did not take place in 2011, because of organisational problems. It was back last year, but had moved from its former base at Stowford Manor Farm to a site under Westbury ’s White Horse monument.
Mr Alderslade said: “We are definitely back on track now and it is fair to say that the event is secure at the White Horse Country Park and we are looking to establish it further. Any good festival is looking to learn and improve going forward.
“One of the things we’ve noted from this year is looking at giving people who have brought their own chairs more space at the main stage tent.”
Mr Alderslade praised the hard work of the festival’s 10 committee members, crew of 50 and 200 staff who were working on site over the weekend.
He said: “Our team did a great job in putting on the event. For many, this was their first time putting a festival together.”
The crew has spent this week clearing the festival site and it is expected the White Horse Country Park will be back to normal by the end of the week.
l During the festival, a ukulele signed by the band Elbow was auctioned with Martin Harrison, from Ascot, in Berkshire, winning it with a donation of £112, which will go to the RUH’s Forever Friends Appeal for a new cancer care unit.
l Reviews: Page 50
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