Bestival
| Ketsival | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Indie/Dance |
| Dates | Late Summer, September (4 days) |
| Location(s) | Dorset, England |
| Years active | 2004 - present |
| Website | |
| www.bestival.net | |
Bestival is a four-day music festival held in the south of England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festival is to relocate to Lulworth Estate in Dorset. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank along with his wife Josie and is an offshoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial Bestival attracted 10,000 people, growing to 55,000 in 2010. Bestival won 'Best Major Festival' at the 2015 UK Festival Awards, having won 'Best Medium-Sized Festival' in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009, 'Best Major Festival' in 2010, 2012 and in 2015, 'Fan's Favourite' in 2011 and 'Best Innovation' in 2005.
The festival was held annually in late summer since 2004, in a small country park called 'Robin Hill' on The Isle of Wight. The event is organized by Rob da Bank and is an offshoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. Creative Director and wife Josie da Bank and co founders / partners John Hughes, Ziggy Gilsenan and Ben Turner are also involved in organising the event. The Isle of Wight was chosen for many reasons as the first site of the Bestival, primarily due to its notable natural beauty. It is also known that the Isle of Wight holds more carnivals per capita than anywhere else in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, the festival was attended by 10,000 people, a figure which has since increased to 43,000 in 2009 and 55,000 in 2010.
A family-friendly sister festival "Camp Bestival" launched in 2008.
In December 2016, the organisers announced a move to The Lulworth Estate in Dorset.
Bestival is well known for its fancy dress themed days (usually the Saturday of the festival). In 2005, an attempt was made to set the Guinness World Record for most people in fancy dress at any one event. By 2010 this was achieved, when 55,000 festival goers set a new Guinness World Record.
The festival is also heavily involved in supporting social and environmental causes. Rob da Bank and Bestival support several Isle of Wight-based charities and youth organisations; for example Rob da Bank's Music Club, Isle of Wight Toy Appeal, Isle of Wight Youth Trust, St Catherines School and Barter For Bestival. On site at the festival, Bestival supports Oxfam, RSPB, Amnesty International, Water Aid and the Legacy Project. Bestival actively reduces its carbon emissions and impact on the environment; for example schemes such as Bike to Bestival, Swim to Bestival, LiftShare, exchanging recycling at the campsites for cups of tea, recycling and waste management, commissioning Environmental Impact Assessments, monitoring power usage and limiting water usage with push button taps.
...
Wikipedia