As we dive headfirst into another delicious installment of Bestival brilliance, it's time to whet yr appetites once more with an sensory-overload of extra-curricular world beyond the music,
a madcap jamboree of magic, mayhem and mind-blowing creativity, the likes of which you'll only find at
Bestival!
Rob da Bank says: “From our very own new structures
the Swamp Shack with its voodoo vibes to the Roller Disco to burn off the pies, from infamous food blogger MsMarmitelover’s Underground Restaurant to your very own humungous
Free Sports Park with everything from BMX to Inline Skating and Parkour lessons...plus the Wishing Tree is expanding with the world’s smallest pub , an incredible array of cabaret and
a bloomin’ great circus and so much more... Bestival is not getting bigger this year and we’re nearly sold out so get your (roller) skates on!”
The Wishing Tree, under the spell of its cultish hosts The Siblinghood of the Adjoined Orbs, has dramatically grown in size over the past year. Thankfully though there’s a wood cutters yard nearby to process all the timber from the tree, ready for some crazy construction. Thirsty work, we think you’ll agree, so the mini bar within the tree has been transformed into
The Wood Cutters Arms, the smallest pub in the world.
Just as the cheering dies down from the last band on the Main Stage, you turn around to see a precession of huge, mysterious white figures floating down through the crowds. Twisted yet majestic, bewitching and ethereal, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is
Herbert’s Dream, a magical show from French company Quidams, set to make you gaze in awe at this luminous and stunning night parade.
For the first time, Bestival will be giving you the romance of
a fully alfresco ballroom. Salsa with the sun on your skin, feel a late summer breeze in your hair as you shimmy through a cha cha. Framed by twinkling festoon lights as night falls you can lose yourself in a tango under the stars.
Pushing the boundaries of festi-food possibilities
MsMarmitelover AKA Kerstin Rodgers will be at Bestival with The Underground Restaurant, an achingly cool, supper club from the foodies foodie with three sittings a day –lunch, dinner and a midnight feast. Simply delicious!
We are stupendously excited about
a brand new area to Bestival; The Roller Disco. And when we say Roller Disco, we’re not joking, we mean the mother of all roller discos. With music blasting from a giant-sized jukebox stage that will feature the hottest DJs in the world, you’ve got no choice but to get involved as the skates are vintage and best of all they’re free to hire!
Proving you can never spoil a good walk, we’ve got
Crazy Golf with the best crazy golf course in the country. Fact. And if the Plus Fours action isn’t quite enough to rock your world you can run away with the circus as No Fit State Circus presents Parklife, featuring a company of 10 international circus artists and musicians who will emerge from their crazy caravan to dazzle you daily!
We are uncommonly excited to announce that this year Bestival will feature the only
Wall of Death act worth seeing. Death defying and deaf inducing. Hell’s Riders are due to put on a real spectacle that is as compelling as it is amazing. Rock n Roll in centrifugal form!
Amongst all the excitement, there’s always time for some intricate beauty so make sure you check
The Secret Emporium. With the hottest and most talented milliners, jewellers, fashion designers and artists this side of Jupiter displaying hand picked goodies for your delectation. You have to make sure you bring your pocket money, kids.
And let’s not forget
the all new Bestival Block Party on Saturday afternoon. Taking inspiration from the Blocos or individual sections of Brazil's Rio carnival, the Block Party will be a parade divided up into a number of blocks, each one with its own name, identity and uniform designed and funded by you and your block mates!
The
traditional Fancy Dress Parade for everybody on Saturday will this year start at the far side of the campsite with the floats picking up people through the campsites as it goes. Join in your finery or just stand and watch in amazement as the Rock Star, Pop Stars and Divas of your imagination parade by, topped and tailed by Lost and Found and a marching band plus the resident Bestival dressing up box will be stacked full of vintage jump suits and sequins, antique theatre costumes and hand-made nonsense for all.
There will also be two more brand new attractions;
The Ambient Forest, hidden deep in the woods will have spoken word programmed by Scroobius Pip, the David Lynch Foundation presenting meditation workshops and leftfield musical offerings and the best ambient and horizontal DJs in the world including Tom Middleton, Chris Coco, Phil Mison and Pete Gooding. And, new to the Wishing Tree field, The Swamp Shack; a ramshackle Louisiana bayou juke, straight from the pages of a Southern Gothic fairytale. Plus craziness abounds at the Cabaret Tent with the Boom Boom Club, Gay Bingo, Who's Talent is it Anyway and Marisa Carnesky’s Wunder Kabinet show.
There will also be a whole host more merriment including the
Blackout Gigs featuring live performances by acclaimed acts taking place in complete darkness, audiophile action with
Classic Album Sundays and you can mix science with art, music and play with renegade researchers Guerilla Science in the Tomorrow's World field. There will be the return of some old favourites too, including Bestival's ‘Relaxation, Massage and Healing sanctuary’ Heavenly Healing and foot soaks, facials, hair washing and styling in the Pamper Lounge to keep you feeling fresh. And a perennial Bestival highlight with Come Dancing classes and competitions in the Spiegal Tent during the daytime every day, so you can learn some amazing dance moves from our
Residential Specialist Dancing Teachers: The Jiving Lindy Hoppers!
If you want to make sure you can join us at Robin Hill Country Park for the eighth Bestival you’re going to have to be quick. Our main ticket agent Ticketline has now sold out so you’ll have to get your tickets from either the ferry companies;
Red Funnel (0844 844 9988),
Wightlink (0871 376 1000) or for Coach travel including your ferry and a ticket you can get tickets from
Big Green Coach - they’re nearly all gone, so as the man like da Bank says get your skates on!
There’s still one more headliner to announce and tons of far out fun and frolics to unveil so
keep on checking the Bestival website for all the up to the minute news.
One of the acts we're most looking forward to seeing at Bestival 2011 is DJ Shadow, a legend from way back in the 1990s whose never rested on his laurels but continues to push forward, experimenting with both his studio productions and live shows. And if you approved of Wayne Coyne rolling around in a plastic bubble then trust us, you're gonna love what Shadow has in store!
Thanks to all of you who came to our Sunday Best party at Cable on Saturday and made it such an enjoyable affair! Photek, Actress, Bullion and our very own Rob da Bank held sway in Room 1 while our friends from FACT magazine put on a show-stopping, room smashing new talent special with DJ Champion, Ossie, Brey and Logos in Room 2. It ruled, and you can see more pictures from the night over at FACT right about now...
This Friday’s FACT mix is a session of bottom-heavy UK Funky by DJ Champion, who will be playing at our Sunday Best party tomorrow (Saturday) night at Cable, alongside three more up-and-comers from London’s underground club scene, curated by FACT magazine, namely Logos, Brey and Ossie. Sunday Best bring Photek, Actress, Bullion and more to Room 1.
