Your at-home summer festival guide
Cookalongs in your kitchen. Wine tastings on your sofa. And Glyndebourne in your garden...
Summer signals festival season for many, young or old. Yet events from Glyndebourne to Glastonbury have been cancelled in lockdown.
But all is not lost — in a triumph of creativity and ingenuity, organisers have come up with clever ways to bring the festival spirit to us.
And best of all? Festivals limited geographically to London, edinburgh or east Sussex — and by ticket numbers — can be enjoyed by anyone, wherever they are. There’s no need to trudge through mud or brave a damp tent, simply enjoy the events from your garden.
So, which to try? Here are some of the best digital festivals on offer . . . OPERA ON THE LAWN
What is it? Glyndebourne Open House (every Sunday evening this summer, last date TBC; free but donations are encouraged, glyndebourne.com).
What’s happening? A fixture of the social season, the Sussex opera house’s 13-week festival was cancelled lled as the auditorium was forced to close. e.
While smaller events are planned for r its gardens (details online), the festival has already found a bigger- than- ever ver audience by streaming past opera era productions on YouTube each Sunday. ay.
About three times as many opera lovers vers logged on to the Open House as attend end the festival. So far, they’ve enjoyed yed classics such as The marriage Of Figaro. aro. Next up, on Sunday, is Strauss’s ss’s romantic comedy Der rosenkavalier. r.
Get the festival spirit: recreate the glamorous Glyndebourne e atmosphere,
main picture, in your garden en by dressing in your finery and posting ng pictures at # GlyndebourneOpenHouse. ouse. On the website, download special l backgrounds for Zoom, showing typical Glyndebourne scenes, to watch with friends ends remotely; and find recipes p for piccalilli p illi and salmon rillette e for a picnic on the lawn.
THE FOODIE ONE
What is it? The Great Feast Feaast of London (July 3-5; most events are arre free, prices vary for food deliveries deliveriess nationwide, greatfeast.com). east.com).
What’s ’s happening? With a line-up of top chefs efs and DJs, this is a virtual festival with real food — recipe kits from restaurants urants such as trendy burger joint Patty&Bun &Bun (from £25, to serve four) can be delivered ivered all over the uK.
make e your meal then enjoy it in front of a free workshop by florist Kuit Flowers on Sunday. ay. Other events include a live wine tasting g (book ahead for a three-bottle hamper, er, £135.34) on Saturday, or a tea ceremony ony (free) on Sunday.
Also worth a look is The Yorkshire Dales Food And Drink Festival (July 1819; free e at yorkshiredalesfoodanddrink festival.com). al.com). The fifth annual celebraf celebration of regional and artisan food goes online to offer cocktail and cookery demonstrations. everything from cakes to condiments can be delivered to your home ( foodanddrinkfestival.uk). Get the festival spirit: Try the Great Feast’s live tasting of British cheeses, such as Corra Linn and Golden Cross, with La Fromagerie. Before Saturday’s online event, you’ll be sent a hamper (£65.27, orders placed by tomorrow) of six 100g cheeses.
FEEL-GOOD FESTIVAL
What is it? Happy Place Festival (until July 12; free but charity donations are encouraged, happy placefestival.com). What’s happening?
TV presenter Fearne Cotton is also a self
Wellbeing: Gok Wan and Fearne Cotton help guru with a wellbeing festival. This year, it’s s moved online with the aim of promoting much-needed needed ‘serenity, calm m and escapism during ring these unsettling times’. Watch speakers, cookalongs and workshops via the @ happyplace official Instagram account or website, which arranges events on a festival ‘map’. Virtual spaces include the Talk Lounge (where Fearne will chat to Gary Barlow about mental focus this Saturday), the Family retreat (join Dermot O’Leary for storytime on July 7) and The Bar (Gok Wan’s playing a DJ set on Saturday). Get the festival spirit: After a live yoga session in the Wellbeing Garden, reward yourself with sustainable retail therapy in the virtual marketplace — think, natural deodorant, yoga accessories and crystal infuser water bottles.
BLACK TIE EVENT
What is it? Henley Festival: Digital edition (Sunday July 12; tickets £10.10, henley-festival.co.uk).
What’s happening? If yo you’re looking for as close to a live concert experience as possible, this is the one for you. The boutique, not-for-profit festival is normally held in Henley- on-Thames, Oxfordshire, over five days.
In its virtual incarnation, hosted by cricket legend David Gower, a live evening show will be streamed over its website, with performances from Beverley Knight, Will Young, classical pianist Hao Zi Yoh, jazz pianist Joe Stilgoe and comedian rory Bremner.
Get the festival spirit: Henley is strictly black tie, turning people away if they’re casually dressed. In a virtual world, black tie is optional, say organisers. But with opportunities to dress up few and far between, why not dig out the dinner jacket or sequins?
A RUM COCKTAIL
What is it? The Scottish rum Festival (July 25; tickets £34.95 each, scotrumfest.com).
What’s happening? The inaugural celebration of Scotland’s rum scene (which dates back to the 17th century) was set to take place at the merchants’ Hall, edinburgh. Now, rum lovers across the uK can enjoy talks and tastings via live sessions with Scotland’s leading rum distillers and blenders.
The event will also raise money for The Ben, a charity for people in need in the hospitality trade.
Get the festival spirit: Bottoms up! Tickets include ten rum samples (plus tasting glass; uK addresses only). They will be sent out two weeks before the festival, then each brand featured will take a turn to give live talks and distillery tours. Ticketholders will be able to message each other via the site with tasting thoughts.
THE FUTURISTIC ONE
What is it? Wireless Connect (July 3-5, free, wirelessfestival.co.uk).
What’s happening? While the BBC has been celebrating past Glastonburys (tune in to iPlayer for Adele’s set), London’s rival Wireless festival is staging a virtual reality event, Wireless Connect.
Artists will perform at London’s Alexandra Palace and a studio in LA, with the audience at home able to switch viewpoint from the photo pit to the side of the stage at the touch of a button.
Get the festival spirit: Download the melodyVr (virtual reality) app to your phone to enjoy the full 360view of the pre-recorded action.
FOR THE FILM BUFFS
What is it? ed Film Fest At Home (from now until July 5, £9.99 per film, edfilmfest.org.uk)
What’s happening? The edinburgh Festival Fringe performing arts festival is off this year, as is edinburgh International Festival.
But the edinburgh International Film Festival lives in digital form — presenting a brand-new film to watch at home each day of the festival, including ron Howard’s rebuilding Paradise, a documentary about a fire-hit community. (The book festival is going virtual too, with more than 100 free events in August, edbookfest.co.uk). Get the festival spirit: Catch Thomas Clay, director of British period thriller Fanny Lye Deliver’d and its stars maxine Peake, Charles Dance and Freddie Fox in an ed Film Fest Q&A tonight at 8.30pm ( live.curzonhomecinema. com), then settle down on the sofa to watch the flick.
CALLING BOOKWORMS
What is it? Lockdown Lit Fest (ongoing, free; lockdown litfest.com).
What’s happening? This online festival — whose founders include a former bigwig at literary juggernaut The Hay Festival — offers interviews with writers, poets, and more on their YouTube channel, Facebook Live and website. Writers featured include crime star Peter James and Chocolat author Joanne Harris.
Also worth a look is my Virtual Literary Festival (free; myvlf.com) and, of course, Hay, with a feast of archived material ( hayfestival. com/hayplayer). Get the festival spirit: Join cookery writer, TV host and novelist Prue Leith at Lockdown Lit Fest on Friday.