Wych Craft

AFTER an interminable winter, and even worse spring, the sun is finally out – and the opening salvo is being fired for the start of the summer festival season.

Yes, it’s time to scrape last year’s mud from your wellies, dig out that badly-packed tent and musty sleeping bag, stock up on cider and sunscreen, and start thinking about which al fresco bashes to grace with your presence.

For one music-lover, however, festival season has never gone away. From his small attic office perched above Witney Market Square, Graeme Merrifield has been busy planning one of the first proper events of the season – Wychwood Festival. And it has taken him most of the year – starting straight after the last one finished.

Early next month the fruits of his labour will ripen spectacularly, when his popular celebration of music, comedy, literature, and fun springs back into life on Cheltenham Racecourse.

Over the course of the three-day gathering, from June 8-10, the manicured site in the shadow of the Prestbury Hills, will play host to 8,000 festivalgoers a day, who will come to see 100 bands and artists, 15 comedians, and to take part in a choice of more than 100 workshops covering everything from circus skills to mask-making.

Over the course of the weekend, they will get through 9,000 pints of real ale, 6,800 pints of cider and 5,500 of lager.

“It’s almost here,” says Graeme, talking from his West Oxfordshire base.

“This is when we focus on building the site and getting everything how it needs to be. We are very excited.”

And he has every right to be. Now in its eighth year, Wychwood has established itself as not just one of the first of the summer, but one of the nicest. It is family-friendly while also boasting a respectable line-up for those who just want to have fun. Hopefully in the sun.

“We have tried to create a very family-friendly festival,” he says. “And we have the right mix of music and workshops, which means everyone can enjoy it without it being dull. And because it is fairly small, there are no queues and never any trouble.

“We have an awful lot of customers who come back year-after-year. We are not like other festivals which only concentrate on music, and for which people will come to see a particular band.”

That’s not to say there aren’t some pretty decent acts on. Highlights are likely to be sets by indie-pop bands James (of Sit Down fame) and Dodgy; raucous brass and string folk collective Bellowhead; psychedelic space warriors Hawkwind; punk pioneers The Damned; acoustic roots duo Show Of Hands, Subcontinental drum bashers The Dhol Foundation; and sing-along Irish rockers the Saw Doctors.

The festival is also proud of its efforts to promote new music. And being organised by an Oxford scene-watcher, some local favourites inevitably make the bill. This year that includes Alphabet Backwards, Gunning for Tamar, Half Decent, Secret Rivals and Wild Swim.

Then there is late-night comedy, a theatre, a silent disco (dancers choose their tunes which are pumped loudly through cordless headphones); and, for those so inclined, poetry, talks and discussions.

As well as workshops, there is a Children’s Literature Festival, and a visit by some kids-own celebs, such as CBeebies’ Nina and the Neurons, the author Philip Ardaugh, Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs creator Ian Whybrow, and award-winning illustrator of the Horrible Science series, and Cotswold local, Tony de Saulles, who will be holding Horrible Science cartoon drawing classes.

And Graeme is well-qualified to know what goes down well with the kids, having two of his own, Hannah, six, and Laura, eight – both life-long-Wychwood aficionados.

“My children have grown up with the festival, as have many other people’s,” says Graeme.

“And they love it.

“We did a survey last year that showed 99.6 per cent of people would definitely come back and recommend it to their friends.

“But that shouldn’t deter people who don’t have children, as there is lots of music to be listened to, ale to be drunk and dancing to be done.

“It’s also not as commercial as many festivals,” he adds. “People can sit around and talk about lots of things, and a mini ‘positive society’ comes together for that weekend.”

And because the festival is run on the site of the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup (punters camp in the middle of the course which has been the stamping ground of four-legged superstars, such as Desert Orchid, Kauto Star and Best Mate) there is none of the ankle-twisting yomps or battles with chemical toilets for which other less-civilised events have become famous.

Graeme says: “Because it’s a race course it has all the facilities in proper buildings. It also has a proper hard-standing car park – and you can drive onto the campsite to off-load your gear, so, unlike some festivals, you are not exhausted before it even starts!”

* Wychwood Festival takes place on Cheltenham Racecourse, from June 8-10. Weekend Festival tickets are £115 for adults. Kids, concessionary and day tickets also available. Under 5s get in free. Call 01993 772580 or visit the official festival website