Wilderness Festival, Oxfordshire

@WildernessHQ

Affair: Wilderness Festival

When: Thursday, August 6 - Sunday, August 9, 2015 @9AM

Hot Spot: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, UK

Deets: Before Wilderness, festivals’ didn’t offer forests or feasts. No one knew of a festival where you woke early to swim, or stayed late to learn. The story of Wilderness is one of gently rolling back the steel fences and quietly asking people of all ages to live together for one weekend; a story of exploring the widest lens of cultural ambition and inviting the outdoors back into the heart of the artistic experience. It’s a story of nudging the festival experience both into the past and towards the future…

The following two years saw sunshine, expansion and creative exploration. French street theatre companies dazzled with their spectaculars, Secret Cinema and Wayne Hemmingway’s Vintage Festival opened the doors to night time revelry, Michelin star chefs reset the bar and renowned thinkers made attendees drink in thoughtful talks as much as frothy festival beers.

Word was spreading. The following year saw Wilderness begin to settle into maturity, striking a balance between relaxation and revelry, artistic refinement and simple pleasures. The foundation stone was set for a four day celebration like no other.

The fifth season awaits. We’ve opened up more acres to camp on, invited more artists to the stages than ever before and intend, dear reader, to quietly blow you away. Many festivals may now have spas, some may have feasts and one or two may even have a place for a dip: but none will have a private nature reserve in which to roam free, none will have spring-fed lakes that are balm for the soul, and none will have an ancient landscape in which to reinvent, re-imagine and reignite the arts.

The real jewel in Wilderness’ crown is Cornbury Park itself: the estate has an enduring beauty and a sense of untouched grandeur. World-class, 800-year old deer park encircled by a ribbon of ornamental lakes. The immediate festival site is surrounded by 1,700 acres of the most ancient forest in Britain today and is a protected environment for native wildlife, creating a unique habitat in one of the few private forests in England.

And whilst the lakes and forests provide the perfect backdrop to while away the daytime, so open fires and candle light provide a perfect accompaniment to an evening of outdoor dining and live music. This summer, come explore a different Wilderness with them…

Who You May Spot: Björk, Ben Howard, George Clinton, Roisin Murphy, Nick Mulvey, Nils Frahm, Raymond Blanc, Dutty Moonshine Big Band and more! Check out the full program.

Hint For The Average Socialite: Hurry up and get tickets for the Wilderness Festival!

What’s Trending: @WildernessHQ #wilderness15 #festival #WildernesFestival @Björk