| Location(s) | Isle of Wight, England |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2004 - present |
| Date(s) | Late Summer (4 days) |
| Genre | Indie |
| Website | www.bestival.net/ |
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights.[1] The initial Bestival attracted 10,000 people, growing to 55,000 in 2010. In 2006 it was voted the Best (Medium-sized) Festival at the 2006 UK Festival Awards, and it was voted the best major UK festival in the UK festival awards 2010.[2]
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The festival has been held annually in late summer since 2004, in a small country park called 'Robin Hill'. The event is organized by BBC Radio 1 left field DJ Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights.[1] Creative Director and wife Josie da Bank and co founders / partners John and Ziggy from Get Involved are also involved in organising the event.
In 2004, the festival was attended by 10,000 people, a figure which has since increased to 43,000 in 2009[1] and 55,000 in 2010.
The Isle of Wight was chosen for many reasons as the 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.[3]
Besides being generally smaller, there are several qualities that make the Bestival different from the Isle of Wight Festival. It is considered more alternative and diverse, offering a large selection of vegetarian foods; a dressing up tent and a 'secret stage'.
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, political and environmental causes. The 2006 Bestival featured Brian Eno backing a stop the Iraq war campaign. Bestival also aims to be Carbon neutral, not only via Carbon offsetting but also by reducing forms of other waste and emissions; however, as yet this has not been fully implemented and Bestival has yet to be nominated for a Green Festival Award.[4]
Bestival has, however, been nominated for several other awards at the UK Festival Awards, having won the best medium sized festival in 2005, 2006 and 2007.[5]
The Bestival is often described as a "boutique festival" due to its non-corporate feel. It is also known for piloting odd and innovative ideas, including an inflatable church where people can get married. Other features include the "Breastival", a quiet Yurt designated for mothers and their breast-feeding children. The local Women's Institute has also been involved by providing refreshments for a minimal price.
2004 - Basement Jaxx, Fatboy Slim, Zero 7, The Bees, Mylo, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Mista Mushroom and Subgiant.
Attendance - 15,000
2005 - Röyksopp, The Magic Numbers, Super Furry Animals, 2manydjs, The Go! Team, Soulwax and Saint Etienne.
Attendance - 17,000
2006 - Gogol Bordello, Pet Shop Boys, Scissor Sisters, Amadou & Mariam, Man-Machine, Brakes, Devendra Banhart, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Good Shoes, Hot Chip, iLiKETRAiNS, Jim Noir, John Martyn, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Klaxons, Lily Allen, Mystery Jets, Scritti Politti, The Cuban Brothers, The Fall, The Long Blondes, The Pipettes, The Stranglers and The Sunshine Underground.
Attendance - 29,000
2007 - Beastie Boys, The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, Madness, Gregory Isaacs, The Levellers, The Orb, The Gossip, Kate Nash, Jack Peñate, Patrick Wolf, Billy Bragg, Easy Star All Stars, The Maccabees, Dub Pistols, Calvin Harris, Friendly Fires and The Shakes.
Attendance - 30,000
2008 - My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, Underworld, Aphex Twin, CSS, Hot Chip, Will Young, The Coral, Sam Sparro, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Alphabeat, Black Kids, Sugarhill Gang, The Breeders, George Clinton, Gary Numan, The Human League, Grace Jones, The Specials, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip and 808 State.
Attendance - 43,000
2009 - Massive Attack, Kraftwerk, Elbow, MGMT, 65daysofstatic, Fleet Foxes, Little Boots, Mika, Klaxons, Soulwax, 2manydjs, Seasick Steve, Friendly Fires, Bat for Lashes, Florence and the Machine, Zane Lowe, Diplo, Annie Mac, Skream, DJ Yoda, Erol Alkan, The Bloody Beetroots, Lily Allen, Carl Cox, Michael Nyman, Squarepusher, Björn Again, Rob da Bank, Fujiya & Miyagi, La Roux, Krafty Kuts, Jack Penate, Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos.
9–12 September
The Prodigy, The Flaming Lips, Dizzee Rascal, Rolf Harris, Gil Scott-Heron, Roxy Music, Marc Almond, Level 42, Echo & The Bunnymen, The XX, Howard Jones, Heaven 17, Chase & Status, Tinie Tempah, Rox, Simian Mobile Disco, Stornoway, Hot Chip, The Wailers, Lucky Elephant, Ellie Goulding, Barry Peters.
2010 also saw Bestival win 'best major festival' beating Glastonbury and Reading in a public vote; sister festival Camp Bestival picked up 'best family festival' as well.
8–11 September
Pendulum, The Cure, Björk, Primal Scream, Brian Wilson, P J Harvey, The Maccabees, Los Campesinos!, Fatboy Slim, Public Enemy, Big Audio Dynamite, Kelis, Chromeo, The Drums, Village People, Grandmaster Flash. Noah And The Whale, Groove Armada, Annie Mac, Magnetic Man, Robyn, Crystal Castles, DJ Shadow, Katy B, LFO, Cranes, A-Trak.
2011 saw Bestival win "Fans' favourite festival award" in the UK Festival Awards.