A year of planning comes to fruition today as the gates open on the most beautiful and creative festival of the summer – Wilderness.

Thousands of people will start arriving at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury, for a freewheeling gathering which has distinguished itself as the smartest, glitziest but also most sophisticated of the summer.

Now in its seventh year, the award-winning celebration of music, performing arts and food has played host to some absolute musical legends – names like Bjork, The Flaming Lips, Robert Plant, Burt Bacharach, George Clinton and London Grammar, and chefs Raymond Blanc, Yotam Ottolenghi and Russell Norman. Yet this year it excels itself with a line-up which organisers describe proudly as its best yet.

It features Grace Jones, indie-rockers Two Door Cinema Club, electronic producer and musician Bonobo and singers Michael Kiwanuka and Laura Mvula.

“We are very excited about this year,” says one of the creative geniuses behind the festival, Rory Bett.

“I genuinely believe it’s the best programme we have had so far,” he says. “The main stage bands in particular are amazing. In past years we have been quite brave in bringing artists who are not just popular but can split the crowd. But this year we have got bands for all. These are artists everyone will want to hear.”

Rory is CEO of the Mama festival group, which prides itself on its stated aim of ‘creating extraordinary experiences’. The group is also behind The Great Escape, Love Box and Wilderness’ s new metropolitan sister event Citadel.

This year’s line-up is headlined by 80s pop and art-rock icon Grace Jones, indie-rockers Two Door Cinema Club and lush electronic producer Bonobo.

They are joined by Swedish duo First Aid Kit, soul singer Michael Kiwanuka, reggae stars Toots & The Maytals, Norwegian folk artist Aurora, Ray BLK, Isaac Gracie, Lisa Marini and Cosmic Strip.

Banquets will be presided over by Nuno Mendes, Thomasina Miers and Yotam Ottolenghi. Hungry revellers can also feast at Angela Hartnett’s Caffe Murano or at chef’s table events by Robin Gill, Tommy Banks, Hamish Brown and Merlin Labron-Johnson.

Elsewhere, there will be hip-hop karaoke, a night of jazz from Ronnie Scott’s with Lucky Peterson, and the Wilderness Orchestra paying tribute to Nina Simone with the help of Laura Mvula and special guests Will Young, Honeyfeet’s Ríoghnach Connolly and the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion.

Then there is acoustic loveliness in the Folk Barn, gypsy bass, Balkan madness, electro-swing, breaks, roots and funk at The Carousel from the creator of Glastonbury’s Shangri-La, and new party venue The Hustle.

“Wilderness is the cherry on our cake,” says Rory. “It is the most demanding event on every level and our team are squeezed until their pips squeak to get the very best out of it. We also get the most out of the site to make those magical moments we are famous for.”

Wilderness is designed around the peculiarities of the landscape of Cornbury Park, encompassing expanses of the historic Forest of Wychwood. Shows take place in clearings in the woods, there is swimming and boating in the lakes, wood burning hot tubs in a waterside spa, dancing and acrobatics in a steep valley, and merrymaking against the backdrop of Cornbury House.

New for this year is The Love Hotel – a kitsch, Japanese-style boutique bar, headed up the eye-catching Anchorsong, Fifi Rong and Blue Lab Beats.

After hours action in the Valley features sets by NMBRS Boss Jackmaster, Magnetic Man and Nightmares On Wax and Crazy P.

Rory says: “We like to invent content, and one thing I’m particularly looking forward to seeing is the Nina Simone tribute with Laura Mvula and Will Young. It’s going to bring a tear to the eye. But we will also have the Wilderness Orchestra playing movie theme tunes – because people demand that.”

He laughs: “Sometimes you have to give people what they want and sometimes you have to give people what they don’t know they want yet.”

A highlight is always the Saturday night spectacle. Always a closely guarded secret, previous years have featured fire, tight rope walkers, a living curtain of acrobats and a giant robot.

Rory is keen not to give the game away but reveals it will involve lasers. Impressive ones at that. “We are doing something a bit different, with high production values,” he says. “Mirrors also feature – so we are encouraging people to wear reflective gear to ensure full audience participation!”

* Wilderness takes place at Cornbury Park, Charlbury, from today to Sunday. Go to wildernessfestival.com for full line-up and tickets