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What Is The Big Chill Festival Like?
It's very difficult to sum up The Big Chill Festival in a few hundred words.Part of the reason for this is that there's so much going on. The other reason is that the festival is different things to different people.
Some use it to see as many great live bands and DJs as they can. Some concentrate on the visual art. Some like to dance the weekend away in the Club Tent. Some people hang around their tents enjoying sunshine, barbeques and the company of friends old and new.
Most people will do a bit everything, but the joy of it is that you can do whatever you like, and take in as much or as little as you want.
These are just some of the options...
Music
The line up at The Big Chill represents quality music across many genres - from familiar favourites and seminal acts, to brand new, up & coming performers on their way to great things.
The site
The layout of the site at Eastnor Castle Deer Park evolves every year, with evolutionary changes to stages and site features every year
The Open Air stage showcases a variety of top quality bands and DJs throughout the weekend.
The outdoor Sanctuary stage is a space to listen to electronic and experimental music under the sun and the stars. A return to The Big Chill's roots.
The Club Tent hosts some of the biggest and best names in electronic dance music.
The Media Mix Tent
Big Chill is known as a leader in multi-media entertainment and the Media Mix tent at the Big Chill festival has a reputation for hosting one of the strongest mix media programmes in the country - comedy, cabaret, dance, live and electronic music, film, video and digital art come together under one canvas roof.
Words In Motion at the Big Chill Festival
Building on its reputation for exciting presentation of literature and debate the Big Chill has set out to become a fresh landmark on the literary circuit. The Words In Motion space opens up new ground for wordsmiths by bringing literature, writing and spoken word to new places, inviting new and established talent to come and read from their works during prime times over the festival's three days.
Right next to the Club tent, the 24 Hour Café provides a social space for chat, relaxing, grab a hot or cold drink and a bite to eat, and enjoying Jamaican sounds throughout the weekend.
Art
The Big Chill has always been much more than a music festival. Our dedication to other art forms manifests itself in several ways.
The Art Trail showcases site-specific installations from leading contemporary artists.
The Mediamix tent features a range of AV performances, combining audio and visuals performances.
A full programme of VJ sets to compliment the bands and DJs on the stages with cutting edge, live video performances.
Fun & Games
In addition to the fantastic music and art, there's all sorts of fun and games - from walkabout artists to Chillers' Spaces like the Snail Races.
Lots of plans afoot for this year. Fancy dress silliness courtesy of The Dressing Up Tent means that whatever you do at the festival, you’ll be able to do it looking your best...
Food & Drink
Bars dotted around the site will not only host world-class DJs, they'll also be serving a wide range of world class drinks - quality cocktails, ales, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks.
Food stalls will have delicious food from around the world. Whether your preference is for creamy french potatoes, sushi, roast free-range chicken, pizza, burgers or pie - you're bound to find plenty that's to your taste.
Camping
For many, the opportunity to spend a weekend living outdoors in a beautiful rural location is a big part of the attraction of the festival.
There are various camping areas around the festival site. Whether you'd prefer to be as close as possible to the action, rather be somewhere beautiful and peaceful, if you have children and want to camp close to other families, if you want to camp in your own live in vehicle, or if you want to hire a tipi - there'll be an appropriate camping area for you.
Wherever you camp - meeting your neighbours and convening by the tents to prepare for the day ahead, or swap stories about the day just passed - is all part of the fun.
Chilling
The name sort of gives it away, doesn’t it? It’s quite possible to spend the weekend lying down in long grass, watching the world go by. Whether it’s the sun setting over the Malvern Hills, a picnic with friends away from the stages and bars, or watching the ducks swimming on the misty lakes at night, nature’s beauty is never far away at The Big Chill.
For blissful, relaxing or invigorating holistic treatments, the Body and Soul area offers a wide range of massage and therapies.
The Big Chill Festival will take place at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire, on August 1st - 3rd 2008.
Below are links to features documenting the Big Chill, as well as Chillers' thoughts and memories of the festival...
A Personal Record of Eastnor 2004
What's the Big Chill all about?
What is the purpose of The Big Chill?
Big Chillers' earliest memories
The Big Chill changed my life...
Written: 5th Jul, 06
Read: 75625 times
