Wickham Festival

Wickham Festival
Status	Active
Genre	folk, world, traditional, rock, pop
Location(s)	Hampshire Eastleigh (2003-2005) Stokes Bay (2008-2009) Wickham (2006-2007, 2010-present
Country	United Kingdom
Years active	2003–present
Next event	August 3, 2017 (2017-08-03) – August 6, 2017 (2017-08-06)
Participants	See Lineups
Capacity	7,000
Website
wickhamfestival.co.uk

Wickham Festival (previously known as Eastleigh Big Top Music Festival,^[1] sometimes referred to as Wickham Festival-Incorporating Stokes Bay Festival) is a 4-day music event, that takes place in the village of Wickham, Hampshire. Listed by The Guardian as a top 'Family Friendly Boutique Festival',^[2] Wickham hosts live music across three stages, as well as food stalls, craft stalls, real ale and cider bars and childen's entertainers.^[3] The 2015 Wickham Festival was named Best Festival (Cap. under 15,000) at the Live UK Music Business Awards.^[4]

Although the history of the festival can be traced to the 2003 Eastleigh Festival, The first Wickham Festival was held from 3–6 August 2006 in and around the village community centre, with a line-up rooted in folk and traditional music.^[5] Since then the festival has expanded (moving to its current site in 2013) to become a venue for both well established artists and those just breaking through, across many musical genres, and has previously hosted talks from the likes of Tony Benn.^[6] Recent years have seen high profile performances from rock and pop artists, including James Blunt,^[7][8] Wilko Johnson^[9] and Lightning Seeds.^[10] The festival has not lost touch with its roots, continuing to promote folk music,^[11] world music^[12] and such festival stalwarts as Richard Thompson,^[13] Bellowhead and Steve Earle.^[14] Wickham Festival has also introduced British audiences to international musicians, including Carlos Núñez Muñoz,^[15] The Spooky Men's Chorale^[16] and Le Vent du Nord.^[17]

History

The origins of Wickham Festival can be found in the original Gosport Festival of the early 1990s, and the Eastleigh Music Festival. Both these events were organised by local councillor and music promoter Peter Chegwyn.

Gosport Festival

The original Gosport Festival organised by Chegwyn, Robin Fegan & Pam Pullen ran from 1991 to 1995 on Walpole Park, Gosport, Hampshire. Concerts were held in a 1000 capacity 'Big Top' and an Open Stage. Artists to perform at the festival included Roger Taylor of Queen, B B King, The Saw Doctors, The Manfreds and The Bootleg Beatles. The Gosport Festival also saw one of the first shows from the Supergroup SAS Band.^[18]

Gosport and Fareham Easter Festival

Mr Chegwyn also organised the popular Gosport & Fareham Easter Folk Festival, which ran from 2001 to 2011,^[19][20] Based out of Fernham Hall, Fareham (the festival also utilised the Ashcroft Arts Centre and Wallington Village Hall), attendees would be treated to 4 days of folk music, workshops, dance displays, craft fairs, and a Cèilidh.^[21]

The festival was set to move to Wickham in 2012, however it was decided to incorporate it in to Wickham Festival instead.^[22]

Eastleigh 'Big Top' Music Festival

The current festival began as the Eastleigh 'Big Top' Music festival in 2003:

The history of Eastleigh’s Music Festival can be traced back to 2002 with the involvement of Keith House, Eastleigh’s council leader with his fellow Liberal Democrat and county council colleague Peter Chegwyn who was also a music promoter. Mr Chegwyn had been organising a highly successful music festival in Gosport which had featured artistes like the international blues superstar and guitar legend B.B King. The intention was to try and replicate the success in Eastleigh.^[23]

Location(s)

Los Pacaminos at the 2006 Wickham Festival.

Previous locations

Since the first Eastleigh Music Festival in 2003, the site changed a number of times before settling in its current location.

Eastleigh

Between 2003 and 2005, the festival took place at Eastleigh Park, Eastleigh. The Eastleigh Music Festival was a six day event featuring live music and entertainment, with free lunchtime world music concerts, free family entertainment every afternoon and ticketed evening concerts.^[24]

Stokes Bay

The festival moved to Wickham in 2006, however due to issues with Winchester Council,^[25][26] it was relocated for 2008 and 2009. For these two years, Wickham was incorporated in to the Stokes Bay Festival at Stokes Bay, Gosport. The festival returned to Wickham in 2010.^[27]

Wickham

Chesapeake Mill.

Wickham is a village located in Hampshire, just north of Fareham. The historic village square is home to a number of bars, restaurants, boutique shops and hotels. Wickham is also home to the historic Chesapeake Mill, built from the timbers of the HMS Chesapeake.

Apart from 08/09, the festival has taken place in Wickham since 2006. The first Wickham Festival included performances from Daby Blade from Senegal, Spiers and Boden, Los Pacaminos, Richard Thompson, Shooglenifty, Sparks, Oysterband, Fiddlers' Bid, Osibisa, Flook, Steeleye Span and The Larry Love Showband. These shows primarily took place in and around the Village community centre.

In the years since 2006, the festival site has moved slightly to the fields either side of Blind Lane, north of the village square. The festival settled on its current site in 2013, where it has expanded to include 3 music stages, a dance stage, food and craft fayres and real ale and cider bars. The festival also features family entertainment, including a Digital Funfair and the Groovy Movie Solar Powered Picture House. Camping facilities have also grown to include glamping fields and spaces for motorhomes.^[28]

Present day

The Bowman Ales Stage 2 at Wickham Festival 2015

2014

Running from the 14–17 August, the 2014 festival started with one of Wickham's biggest audiences, when 7,000 people saw James Blunt perform in the Big Top. Other acts to appear that year included Lightning Seeds, Bellowhead, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and Hugh Cornwell. The festival was also treated to a rare U.K. appearance from Steve Earle & the Dukes.^[29]

2014 also saw the introduction of the Acoustic Stage, and the first editions of the Wickham Festival Podcast.^[30]

2015

The dates for the 2015 festival were 6–9 August. The festival saw the introduction of an open mic stage and a late night Festival Club,^[31] a new viewing platform for the use of disabled festival-goers, and other improved facilities.^[3]

Artists appearing at the festival included: Billy Bragg, Seth Lakeman, Eliza Carthy Big Band, 10cc, The Proclaimers, Moulettes, Show of Hands, Martin Carthy, Wilko Johnson, Andy Fairweather-Low, Tom Robinson,^[32] De Temps Antan, The Spooky Men's Chorale, Askew Sisters, The South, Lisbee Stainton, Luka Bloom, Tankus the Henge, Les Barker and Roy Bailey.^[33][34][35] The main stages were known as the 'All Time Grates Main Stage' and the 'Bowman Ales Stage 2'.^[36] Gosport based Quay West Studios provided support in managing the second and third stages.^[37]

Buoyed by stunning weather and lineup, over 25,000 people attended the festival, making it Wickham's most successful year. Festival organiser Peter Chegwyn stated: This festival has really put Wickham on the map. Now we are becoming well known we have top acts asking to play here rather than us chasing them, with Tom Robinson adding: It has been a fantastic festival and I am delighted for Peter Chegwyn who is truly a legend in this area. He is a one-off and people are very lucky to have him. The atmosphere here is wonderful and the reaction from the fans was amazing. I was quite moved by it.^[38]

Wickham Festival was awarded the 'Best Festival (Cap. under 15,000)' at the 2015 Live Music Awards,^[39] and was shortlisted for 'Best Event' at the Portsmouth WOW247 Awards.^[40]

2016

The 2016 Wickham festival took place from the 4th-7th August. The first acts announced for 2016 were Lynched, a traditional Irish folk group from Dublin, Skerryvore, Keston Cobblers Club and The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. The headliners for the Big Top Main Stage included Tony Hadley, The Stranglers, SAS Band (featuring Toyah Willcox and Roger Taylor) and Lindisfarne.^[41] Other acts to appear included 'Rockney' legends Chas & Dave, Folk music icon Roy Bailey, American/Irish folk super-group Cherish the Ladies, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Gretchen Peters, and pop producer extraordinaire Trevor Horn (who will be joined by Lol Creme of 10cc and X Factor winner Matt Cardle).

Comedian and conservationist Bill Oddie gave a talk at the festival, on behalf of the League Against Cruel Sports 'Sanctuary' campaign, and performed two songs with SAS Band.

The number of stages at the Festival increased for 2016. The site included three covered stages and one open air stage, as well as a performance stage for dancers. All Time Grates sponsored the main stage at the festival, with Sam FM and The Breeze joining the festival to support the second stage.

2017

After another successful festival in 2016, the 2017 dates were announced as 3rd-6th of August. Earlybird tickets at a reduced price were made available on the final day of the 2016 festival.

Charity

Wickham Festival works closely with Two Saints,^[42] a Fareham-based charity that supports homeless and vulnerable young people across south Hampshire.^[43] Over £4,000 was raised for them over the 2014 festival weekend,^[44][45] with this figure being topped in 2015, with a total of £5,000 being raised.

Starting with the 2016 festival, a partnership with The League Against Cruel Sports was announced. The League was established in 1924 and campaigns to end cruelty to animals in sport. The charity hosted a sanctuary tent at the Festival, where attendees could learn more about their campaigns and 'enjoy some tranquillity'.^[46]

Lineups

Billy Bragg (seen here performing at South by Southwest) made his first Wickham appearance in 2015

Levellers have played at all three festival sites

James Blunt drew one of the biggest crowds to Wickham Festival in 2014

This table shows the headliners and other notabale performers from the 'Big Top' Main Stage at Wickham Festival. The festival includes a further 3 stages, not listed here.

^[47][48]

References

External links

• Wickham Festival Official Website
• Wickham Festival Twitter
• Wickham Festival Facebook
• Wickham Festival Instagram
• Wickham Festival Interviews
• Wickham Festival Podcast on iTunes

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