2:34pm Friday 5th March 2010
By Herald Reporter
A FESTIVAL run entirely on renewable energy is set to return to Oxfordshire for a third year.
The Wood Festival, which was dreamed up by Robin and Joe Bennett, the team behind the Truck Festival held at Steventon, features stages powered by bicycles and solar panels, with additional power coming from reused chip fat.
The line-up for the boutique festival has been announced and is set to include Frank Turner, formerly of Million Dead, Tunng, Fionn Regan, Danny and the Champions of the World and acclaimed folk act The Unthanks.
Nick Cope, of the Candyskins, will be performing twice — once pitched at the younger elements in the crowd, and one adult, Candyskins set.
Organiser Robin Bennett said the festival had been in part inspired by the birth of his son, Brynmor, in 2007.
He said: “We wanted to do a festival run on renewable energy, highlighting environmental issues, but also having good music.
“The first two years were both very successful, the big feature has been workshops which have been in all kinds of things.
“This year, we will be having everything from grow your own veg to thatching to foraging for food, to harmony singing.”
Only 800 tickets are available for the festival, which will be held at Ipsden on Friday, May 21, to Sunday, May 23, but Mr Bennett said that for roughly every adult ticket sold, at £70 for the weekend, there was a child coming along for free.
The festival also features composting toilets and the main stage is made entirely of wood with a living roof.
About a quarter of the tickets have already sold, and Mr Bennett said he believed the festival was on course to sell out for the first time.
Mr Bennett said: “The way we view all our things is the music is the most important thing, it is what allows you to have these gatherings, but once you’ve got the music there, all kinds of other things can happen to.
“Wood is probably my favourite of all our festivals, it is quite amazing to be able to be on the toilet and still watching a band.”
To find out more, visit thisistruck.com
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