THE organisers of Greenbelt thanked festivalgoers for his or her “patience, kindness, and understanding” after heavy winds disrupted the beginning of the event which took place at Boughton House, in Northamptonshire, over the Bank Holiday weekend.
“We really have had all the weather this 12 months, haven’t we? Wind, sun, rain, and more. It’s been a real Greenbelt baptism,” a message to supporters said on Monday.
After heavy winds delayed the opening of the venues situated within the shelter of the positioning’s many trees, by Friday morning sunshine and warmer weather had arrived.
A press release confirmed that 10,500 people attended the festival, “in a 12 months where many festivals have struggled; even closed”. A latest venue, “No Fly Zone”, live-streamed talks and performances to cut back the environmental impact of flying speakers in from world wide. The Franciscan friar and author on spirituality Fr Richard Rohr was one in every of the speakers who spoke on live-stream.
Jacob LoweFestivalgoers party into the small hours
Greenbelt’s creative director, Paul Northup, said: “Come wind and rain, Greenbelt battled all of the weather at Boughton House last weekend to triumph within the face of adversity and gather 10,500 people of all ages and backgrounds together to have fun the magic and meaning that may occur when artistry, activism, and belief are intertwined.”
Highlights within the festival programme included the Grammy-award-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, who performed her album Black Rainbows in its entirety on the principal stage; the Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, who contributed to a panel discussion on criminal justice; and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Dr Andrew Rumsey, who performed his folk songs (Features, 23 August).
Other speakers included the economist Kate Raworth, the creator of Doughnut Economics (Books, 28 June 2019), and the American author Brian McLaren (Features, 10 May).
At the festival eucharist on Sunday morning, members of the Tent of Nations, a Christian peace project near Bethlehem, joined via video link.
Tickets for next 12 months’s festival, from 21-24 August, at the moment are on sale: greenbelt.org.uk/buy-tickets.
