Small and quirky: Britain’s most unusual festivals
Madeleine Howell and Pip Sloan round up the summer’s best ‘micro gatherings’ around the country
If you are in any doubt that we are a nation of eccentrics, just take a look at our burgeoning festival calendar. Glastonbury may be the country’s biggest music festival, but quirky, niche interest “micro gatherings” are also booming.
New gatherings, as well as a revival of traditional celebrations, are popping up across the country. Those who are looking for something a little different in 2019 are spoilt for choice, with monster trucks, scything and even bog snorkelling festivals on the horizon.
According to ticketing platform Eventbrite, UK festivals have enjoyed a 400 per cent increase over the past four years – and food festivals alone have risen 600 per cent. But music and feasting aside, these days there’s a theme to suit every possible taste, however unusual. “Experiences and social capital are now considered by many to be more valuable than things,” explains Paul McCrudden, head of marketing at Eventbrite, of the phenomenon.
“Online platforms allow us to explore our specific hobbies and passions and put on events to bring like-minded people together in the real world. People are craving a sense of community beyond their screens and, thankfully, finding an event that fits your interest is easier than ever –
even if it’s off the beaten track, both literally and metaphorically.”
Many such festivals begin as small gatherings, but according to McCrudden, it’s easier than ever to turn an idea into an event.
“It’s a countrywide trend: the British have a spirit of adventure, a desire to try new things and pursue their passion projects. Meanwhile, traditional entertainments are attracting new audiences and being reinvented for the world today, being made relevant with a new spin.”
From a hot-air balloon fiesta in Bristol and a new celebration of the 1969 moon landings in Cornwall, to the Porthcawl Elvis Festival in Wales, there’s a weird and wonderful experience to tickle every fancy on any given weekend. Here’s a selection of our favourites…