Second wave lineup announced for Wilderness 2015

First up, the roster of chefs is now even more superlative with the addition of Raymond Blanc OBE and Sweden’s Niklas Ekstedt alongside Angela Hartnett. Raymond Blanc, he needs little introduction. As one of the world’s finest chefs, his banquet will be highly anticipated indeed! From his role as Chef Patron of Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, to presenting TV series such as Kew On a Plate and The Restaurant, Blanc’s influence on the culinary landscape is wide and far-ranging, and It is an honour indeed to welcome him to the Wilderness family in 2015. Hailing from Stockholm, Ekstedt has perfected his own culinary style, cooking totally without electricity or gas over open flames, with perfect smoke skills and hot coals as his tools of the trade. His Stockholm restaurant EKSTEDT was voted an impressive second in Zagat’s list of the best restaurants in the world in 2013 too, so this is a rare opportunity to taste Ekstedt’s food in the UK. As for

Music-wise, 2015 is proving to be damn near unbeatable, with some of the hottest up and coming artists all coming on board. 21 year old Icelandic sensation Asgeir will enchant crowds with his beautifully melancholic songs and unusual poetry, while, on the other end of the geographic spectrum, Sahara Desert native Bombino will dazzle with his particular brand of world music meets rock and roll soul. XL Recordings will also deliver an exhilarating one-two punch, with two of their hottest new artists in the form of Southport electronic virtuoso Lapsley and disco funk princeling Shamir, hailing from Las Vegas. Legendary dance pioneer Damien Lazarus & The Ancient Moons will be also be appearing at Cornbury Park this year. Rounding up the main stage are CC Smugglers, self-made showmen who worked their way up from young street performers to playing some of the biggest venues and festivals in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the Hidden Valley, a roll call of the finest DJ talent are bursting forth, with Hercules and Love Affair vocalist cum underground house producer Kim Ann Foxman leading the charge with her raw electronic music, along with a very rare set from the elusive and mythical DJ Harvey and the world renowned Tom Middleton, who has been redefining the musical landscape for about 25 years now. Also along for the ride are Amsterdam’s Rush Hour founder Antal, weaving house and techno spells with Afro and disco magic, Felix Dickinson, one of the champions of the burgeoning dance underground and partystarting Leeds duo PBR Streetgang, Also appearing are Mojo Filter, the production and remix incarnation of Ben Zaven Crane, championed by the likes of Todd Terje and Chemical Brothers for his relentless quest for new and unheard cosmic frequencies, funk/ soul/ disco enthusiast and LWR programme controller YOMS, and Ollie Keens, who has shared stages with everyone from Grandmaster Flash to Jackmaster.

For those who want a more relaxed vibe, there is an absolutely staggering and deliciously varied buffet of gorgeous folk bands on offer at the Travelling Folk Barn, from the Eastern European vibes of The Turbans, to the beat pop melodies of The Buffalo Skinners; the West Coast Americana of Goodnight Lenin to Canadian wunderkind Zachary Lucky. Every stripe and flavour of folk is catered for here, so dive in and enjoy the smorgasbord.

Elsewhere, on the Carousel Stage, Shangri-La’s Chris Tofu has curated a weird and wonderful roster of diverse musical marvels, including The Brass Funkeys, who draw from New Orleans’ rich musical history to create a hypnotic blend of gypsy, swing and Latin funk, Bristol’s six piece theatrical showband Carny Villains, Duffy Moonshine Big Band, who meld big band with modern basslines and chunky beats to stunning effect, astonishing 13 piece Balkan brass monolith Trans Siberian March Band, and the 60s indebted, pan-Atlantic musical stylings of Voodoo Love Orchestra, among others. 

The Juke Joint, presented by Petersham Road, is set to transform Cornbury Park to a blues shaking paradise with a line-up stuffed to the gills with marquee acts from the UK blues scene. Big Joe Louis, whose collaborative history spans from Muddy Waters to Van Morrison, are sure to enthrall with their take on down-home Chicago blues. From Chicago to New Orleans, Piano auteur Diz and The Doormen evoke a potent gumbo of Barrel House, Rhythm and Blues and boogie-woogie, whilst Errol Linton’s raw Brixton inspired blues offers an invigorated guise on a defining genre.

Always bringing new venues, performances and formats to reinvent and reimagine the festival, Wilderness 2015 also sees an array of festival firsts, including the Saturday Night Spectacular still to come, a new collaboration with Village Productions The Clubhouse, the brand new fine arts venue – The Wilderness Art Studio, A new musical project to join the festival’s own orchestra – the Wilderness Choir and a fire walking ceremony.

Music and food aside, another thing Wilderness has always done well is tapping into a more intellectual vein as well, with the Talks and Debates on offer always a standout. To that end, apart from previously announced participants such as Sunday Papers Live, The Sunday Assembly, Guerrilla Archaeology, The V&A Talks and more, this year will also see participants such as GQ’s award winning editor Dylan Jones, Matthew Taylor, the Chief Executive of the RSA, historian and television presenter Dan Snow, comedian Dom Joly speaking on the ups and downs of celebrity life and Marigold Hotel author Deborah Moggach and famed philosopher John Lanchester. This is just a taster of the myriad speakers and thinkers to be announced in the coming weeks…

Equally essential at this multi-arts festival is the Theatre and Arts program, with one of the centerpieces being the V&A: From Woodstock to Wilderness. Curated by V&A Theatre and Performance curators Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, who put together the singular David Bowie smash hit exhibition, this explores the cultural and political upheavals of the late 60s and the explosive sense of freedom of the era expressed in festivals, music, art, fashion, design, TV, film, photography, performance and literature. Then there’s also the Wilderness Orchestra, who, on their return engagement will be playing live orchestra of film scores, and Shlomo’s Vocal Orchestra will also be present and correct to blow festivalgoers’ minds. Additionally, The Artful Badger will be back with more animal antics in the forest, and concert guitarist Richard Durrant will also be on hand with his richly romantic, truly virtuosic guitar playing which breaks all musical boundaries.

Throw in a whole host of family activities including Rhubarb Theatre and Cardboard Kingdom, and workshops focusing on costumes and wild creatures, as well as Wellbeing goings-on like Meditation with Headspace, Massage and Facials with Neal’s Yard Remedies products, Paddle Board Yoga, Hot Pod Yoga, workshops and more, and you have a glorious festival getaway from it all that will truly feel like an entirely unique experience like no other.

— LIVE MUSIC & DANCING  —
Bjork
George Clinton, Parliament & Funkadelic
Perform Return to the Mothership
Ben Howard
Roisin Murphy, Hercules & Love Affair, Nick Mulvey,
Nils Frahm, Brandt Bauer Frick Ensemble, Caravan Palace
Ibibio Sound Machine, Will & The People, Benjamin Clementine

JUST ANNOUNCED
Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons
Asgeir
Shamir
Bombino
Lapsley
CC Smugglers

More music announced…

— GASTRONOMY —
Long-Table Banquets from Michelin-starred Chefs
JUST ANNOUNCED
Raymond Blanc
Joining Wilderness for the first time

Alongside Wilderness’ first international chef
Niklas Ekstedt

Of Stockholm’s EKSTEDT

&
Angela Hartnett
Chef Patron of Murano

Feasting in Field Restaurants
Hix
Moro
Petersham Nurseries

The Chef’s Table
Nuno Mendes
Scott Hallsworth
James Knappett
Neil Borthwick

The Wilderness Cookery School with Daylesford

The Valley DJs Announced
DJ Harvey
Kim Ann Foxman
Tom Middleton
Francesca Lombardo
Andy Butler
Antal
Felix Dickinson
PBR Streetgang
Flying Sorcerer
Ollie Keens

Across the festival as nighttime descends
An evening with…
Ronnie Scott’s (In The Grand Spiegel)
The Juke Joint by Petersham Road
The Carousel Stage from Shangri La’s Chris Tofu
The Travelling Folk Camp with Front Room Songs, Woodburner Music, Two For Joy Music, The Local & EFDSS
The Candlelight Club in The Orangery
Aerial Spectaculars From Gorilla Circus

The Revellers Village
Side shows, performers, circus, theatre, camps and trickery
The Artful Badger
Rumpus
Shotgun Carousel Processions & Performance
Tarot Readers
Bonfire Stages
Late Night Bars
A Curious Invitation – Natural History Tent
Masque The Rage
Divine Company
Travelling Gazebo Rave

Theatre, Arts & Performance
Old Vic New Voices, Oxford Shakespeare Company, Acrojou, The River People & The Waggon Band, Son & Sons, The RSPLB (Royal Society of Pursuits of Love Birds), Friends of the Earth Camp, Prince Charles Cinema, The Wilderness Orchestra, Diana Yukawa, Avi Avital, The Return of Champagne Laurent Perrier Orangery

Original new works
Foolish People – “The Woods Trapped at the Edge of Midnight”
Battersea Arts Centre – “The Archivists”
Opera Holland Park – “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
Opera North – “The Devil’s Jukebox”

— FESTIVAL FIRSTS FOR WILDERNESS —
Wilderness introduces
The Saturday Night Spectacle
The Wilderness Art Studio
The Wilderness Choir
The Fire Walking Ceremony

The Grand Spiegel
Camille O’Sullivan
The Tiger Lillies
BitterSuite – “A Sensory Concert”
40 Winks Bedtime Stories for Grown Ups
Perfume Making Workshop
Robin Collective Tastings
Cocktail Making Masterclasses
Tango and Flamenco Classes

THE BANDSTAND SUPPORTED BY TIME OUT
Aurora / Jally Kebba Susso + Manding Sabu / Jeremy Loops
Lone Wolf / Lloyd Yates / Frances / They Say Jump
The Joe Strummer Foundation
Bare Hunter / Swing Patrol / Hip Hop Karaoke
Karaorkestra / Josh Flowers and the Wild / Oliver Daldry / Marawas Majorettes
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama / Lady Austin Immersive Cabaret
Gem and The Mil Men
The Spiritual Playground / Jess Goyder
Sweaty Betty Mass Yoga / Mr Robbie / Evenlode Jazz
Shout Rhythm & Blues Choir / Morris Dancing

— TALKS & DEBATES —
curated by Secret Forum
ANNOUNCING
Dylan Jones – GQ Editor
John Lanchester – Author
Dan Snow – Historian
Dom Joly – Comedian
Deborah Moggach – Author
The RSA
Salon London
The School of Life
Headspace

Joining
Intelligence Squared, V & A, Sunday Papers Live, The Sunday Assembly, Secret Forum Fiction, Frontline Club, Explorer Camp, Spark Storytelling, The Wilderness School of Thought, New Economic Foundation, Guerrilla Archaeology, Embercombe, NOW Live Events, The Odditorium

— OUTDOOR PURSUITS & WELLBEING —
The Lakeside Spa, The Sanctuary, Wild Wellbeing, Boys of Yoga,
Horse Riding, Wild Swimming, Fly Fishing, Low Bow Archery, Secret Adventures, Philosophy Walks, Croquet East, SwimTrek, Hunter Gather Cook Foraging and Butchery, Boating, Wild Medicine Walks, Eden Project Den Building, Greencrafts Arts & Crafts

— FAMILY MAGIC & GAMES —
Bearded Kitten’s Cricket Match, The Clubhouse, Spinney Hollow’s Faraway Tree Stage, Storystock, Flying Seagulls, Pachamamma Crafts, Hunter Gather Cook Overnight Camps, Badaboom Dress Up, Mortimer Nannies

Björk, Ben Howard & George Clinton announced for Wilderness 2015

Wilderness festival's fifth season awaits us this year, proving their ambition to reignite the arts with the lineup announcement. Rare and innovative musician Björk will attend as one of 2015s headliners with Wilderness expressing how blessed they are to host such an inspiring atrist:

"A true original, the breadth and richness of her art is breath-taking. She opens her heart in the name of art."

With the release of Vulnicura in January and her international portfolio of breathtaking performances, crowds at the main stage will be sure not the forget Wilderness 2015.

 

Joining Björk this year will be the wonderful folk singer-songwriter Ben Howard and R&B revolutionary George Clinton, Parliament & Funkadelic performing Return to the Mothership.

Other acts appearing are: Roisin Murphy, Nick Mulvey, Nils Frahm, Caravan Palace, Hercules & Love Affair, Brandt Bauer Frick Ensemble, Benjamin Clementine, Ibibio Sound Machine, Will & The People, The Travelling Folk Barn with Front Room Songs, Woodburner Music, Two for Joy, The Local & The English Folk Dance & Song Society, The Wilderness Orchestra, Karaorchestra, The Wilderness Choir, plus many more.

Late Night Revelry details announced for Wilderness Festival

This year, Wilderness will keep the celebration going all hours with an exciting schedule of late night programming that will thrill and electrify even the most hardy of partygoers and keep you dancing till dawn.

By now, you would probably be aware of the amazing calibre of acts already confirmed to play for the fourth installment, the extraordinary range of chefs on hand to whip up lavish feasts for festivalgoers, the dazzling variety of outdoor pursuits to appease active types, and even the wonderfully engaging family activities for those travelling with their little ones. What you might not be aware of, however, is that Wilderness has assembled a stellar roster of DJs, performers, entertainers and events to take the party deep into the night as well. 

First up, the Pandaemonium DJ Stage, which will be “a secret hidden valley of revelers and dancing feet”, with a different theme for each night. For ‘Altered States’, festivalgoers are invited to brush off their everyday woes by transforming themselves to join the hypnotic rhythms of the Secret Valley. With incendiary sets from Eats Everything, Psychemagik, Lukas & Jim Morrison, and For Better and Worse lined up, attendees can weave between the shifting shapes on the dance floor and lose themselves to transformative beats, surrealistic spectacles and metamorphic performance. The following night disco kings Horse Meat Disco will lead the charge for a ‘Disco Renaissance’, enlisting Greg Wilson and Futureboogie in their mission to set dancefloors alight in the wee hours. On Sunday, the valley will embody “The Cosmos”, with the UK’s only Astronomers Ball to take place in a secret woodland valley. Expect an evening of celestial wonder, astrological music and aerial splendor with DJs like Zero 7 and Mojo Filter set to provide a sparkling, spinning universe of cosmic beats and stunning performance. And finally, the immersive dance experience turned morning rave, Morning Glory, will be onsite to get the festivalgoers’ day started right, with DJs like Carlo Rossi and the Organic Jam (Live), Tythe, Mark E and Zero 7 present and correct to get people raving their way into the day.

In addition, the acclaimed theatre company Petersham Playhouse will be bringing The Juke Joint to Wilderness, a specially constructed Rhythm and Blues barrel house run by the infamous witch doctor Mama Gris Gris. During the day guests are invited to unwind in the sunshine listening to tales of the southern wild, but as the sun goes down there will be a Mardi Gras inciting you to release your inner demons and inhibitions, with the help of Mama Gris Gris’ herbs, potions, spell and midnight moonshine, soundtracked by DJ sets from Gaz Mayall & Baby Soul of Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues fame and Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir, and live sets from the likes of HatFitz & Cara, Dollar Bill, Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir, The Black Kat Boppers and The Sunshine Kings.

Finally, for those with a world music bent, there’s The Styx Stage, hosted by those late-night experts in mayhem Rumpus, Artful Badger and the Shangri La Superstar himself, Chris Tofu, all bringing their idiosyncratic party-starting nous into the equation. Rumpus will be bringing together the gloriously varied sounds of The Turbans, Barking Bateria Samba Band, and the Brass Volcanoes New Orleans Brass Band in what promises to be a hugely energizing mix, while Chris Tofu has got the Renegade Brass Band, Le Klischee and Woohoo Revue lined up alongside Swing Patrol for his night. Last, but certainly not least Artful Badger will unveil the deeply eclectic sounds of Gentle Mystics, They Say Jump, Tythe and Tako Lako to excellent effect.

As this is Wilderness however, the music is hardly the end of it. The Footsbarn Big Top will also be present, a decadent establishment for louche elegance, avant-garde entertainment and hedonistic parties, a place to awaken all the senses. These Epicurean nights will be hosted by The Candlelight Club, London’s most notorious nightclub The Box, and White Mink, while the Wilderness Stage will dazzle with gin-induced opulent overtures, sumptuous symphonies and cinematic classics, with Borderless Beats, Cabinet of Living Cinema, Silent Opera and The Wilderness Orchestra all introducing special presentations of films. And Now: will lead revelers into the woods to witness this season’s Giant Ceremonial Burn, while Macnas processions will gather together as we light up the skies above Wychwood Forest.

Throw in the finest storytellers, firewalkers, luxury hot tubs, moonlight walks and live art painting, among many other frivolities and you have an experience that is completely and uniquely Wilderness.

Joan as Policewoman and more join Wilderness Festival lineup

Having already announced the legendary Burt Bacharach, London Grammar and Metronomy, the Summer Festival Guide brings you the latest artists added to this years wonderful Wilderness Festival lineup.

Now, even more stellar names join the spectacular rollcall of talent, with the inimitable Joan as Policewoman leading the charge. With the release of her latest album “The Classic”, her position as one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of recent times is confirmed, and her set is sure to be a dazzling highlight. The folk pop duo of Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor, otherwise known as Slow Club will also be road testing material from their forthcoming record “Complete Surrender”, while Chet Faker will be essaying his gorgeous, mesmerising blend of jazz and electronica. White hot emergent poet turned acoustic artist Jack Savoretti will be casting his compelling spell over audiences, while beguiling art rock threesome Teleman, seraph-voiced new musician Josh Record and Irish artist Hozier, known for his breakthrough hit “Take Me to Church”, will all be present and correct as well.

Besides this, there will also be talks, debates and literary forums, activities for families and children including the Roald Dahl Museum and Storystock, and outdoor pursuits such as fly fishing, wild medicine walks, boating and much, much more – you can even treat yourself to a visit to The Sanctuary for some much needed pampering!

Wilderness Festival 2014 lineup announced!

We are pretty excited to let you know that the lineup for this years Wilderness Festival has been announced.  This idyllic, eclectic and gloriously paradisiacal music and arts festival returns for its forth installment to the lovely surroundings of Cornbuy Park in Oxfordshire from 7th – 10th August 2014. 

Live Music & Dancing

Metronomy, Burt Bacharach, London Grammar, Jessie Ware with the Wilderness Orchestra, Sam Smith, Connan Mockasin, Gregory Porter, Submotion Orchestra, Mount Kimbie, Soak, Friends of the Earth Busking Stage

“BitterSuite” – A Sensory Concert

Travelling Folk Barn with Two for Joy , The Local and The English Folk Dance & Song Society

Feasts & Gastronomy

Long Table Banquets with Simon Rogan, Angela Hartnett, Russell Norman

The return of Sam & Sam Clark’s Moro Souk Tent, St. John Dining Room & Bakery, Wilderness Cookery School

Late Night Revelry from

Greg Wilson, Futureboogie, Horse Meat Disco, Zero 7 (DJ), The Quarry hosted by Rumpus, Artful Badger, Shangri La Superstar & Continental Drifts, The Astronomers Ball, Aircraft Circus’s Midnight Circus.

Spectacular Processions and Fire Shows inspired by the infamous Wychwood Forest Fayres created by Macnas And Now:

Tented Theatre, Art & Promenade Performances

Victoria and Albert Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, Slung Low, Oxford Shakespeare Company presents “As You Like It”,

Bohemian Artists Studio, Son and Sons Productions, Petersham Playhouse

Talks, Debates and Literary Arts curated by Secret Forum, with support from The Huffington Post UK

Intelligence Squared, School of Life, the British Humanist Association, How To Academy, Project Wild Thing, Letters of Note, Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Odditorium, George Monbiot, HuffPost UK’s Mehdi Hasan, Tongue Fu, Guerilla Science, Book Slam, Guerilla Archaeology, Spark London, Chill Pill, Ugly Animal Preservation Society, Liars League,

Letters of Note, Sunday Papers Live

Outdoor Pursuits & Wellbeing

Lakeside Spa, The Sanctuary, Sunset Yoga Classes, Pilates, Massages and Facials, Hunter Gather Cook, Fly Fishing, Horse Riding, Long Bow Archery, Wild Swimming, Woodland Foraging Walks, Boating, Greencrafts, Forest Runs, Philosophy Walks, Tai Chi, Morning Meditation, Capoeira

Family Magic & Games

Storystock, Charles Dickens Museum, Roald Dahl Museum, Angel Gardens, Discover Children’s Story Centre, Hullabaloo Arts, Mortimer Nannies, Croquet, Bearded Kitten’s Cricket Match, Chap Olympics, Village Hall

 

Empire of the Sun, Noah & The Whale & Rodriguez to headline Wilderness Festival

Following last year's sun-drenched success, award-winning festival,Wilderness, today proudly announces its third season of arts and escapades knitted amidst the landscapes of Cornbury Park. The festival will take place between Thursday 8th and Sunday 11th August.

Continuing with its unique program of time-honored arts this year's line-up includes some of the most respected visionaries in music, food, theatre and the literary arts. The festival has also been extended to four days and will now open on the Thursday.

As ever, the music line-up makes up just one part of the festival offering. The flagship long-table banquets return with three talismanic chefs at the helm.  One of the most influential names on the London food circuit, Russell Norman, will be the grand host of an exquisite banquet with his team from Polpo. Get ready for mouth watering food in an awe inspiring setting, with some surprises thrown in for good measure, as Russell and the Polpo team treat you to a foodie experience like no other.

Following the sell-out success of last year's banquets, Yotam Ottolenghi, is returning to Wilderness for another headline sitting and last but by no means least; the third chef to join this mouthwatering line-up is legendary restaurateur Mark Hix. Celebrated for his British style and seasonal dishes, Cornbury park will be the perfect backdrop for Hix's sumptuous courses.

Back by popular demand, Exmouth Market's famous Moro will once again be cooking up a delicious storm in their Souk dining tent.  Thyme Cookery School also return to the festival, giving budding chefs the chance to whip up some delights in theiron-site kitchen, plus they'll be hosting a series of talks and tastings across the weekend.

The festival arts offering will be expanding to include breathtaking performances from some of France's most prolific circus and theatre collectives, Transe Express and LesPepones will all be venturing into the wild. Expect stunning, high energy animatronics and death defying trapeze and circus performances, in what promises to be an unforgettable, immersive theatre experience.

Shakespeare's Globe, Petersham Playhouse and opera from Vingette Productions, will also be treating festival-goers to some very unique performances against the beautiful back drop of Cornbury Park.

The Lakeside Spa was 2012's most sought after ticket and will be bigger and brighter than ever this year, with stunning wood fired saunas and hot tubs along with the Sanctuary well-being area.

You can also expand your mind at the Wilderness Forum supported by The Huffington Post UK, which this year includes a programme of cerebral discussions with The School of Life, The Royal Observatory, Intelligence Squared and The Idler. 
The much lauded late-night parties are also returning and will see festival heavyweights Secret Garden Party and party purveyors Rumpus, taking over the Secret Valley when the sun goes down.

The family offering will be expanding to include a whole host of workshops and performances, including The House of Fairy Tales, Unicorn Theatre, Charles Dickens Museum, Witchwood School of Rock and Hullabalo Arts.

Wilderness is the proud winner of: Best New Festival 2011 – UK Festival Awards and Best Small Festival 2012 – Live Music Awards

Weekend Tickets: £139 
Family Weekend Tickets: £335 
Children aged 10 and under go free

Live Music & Dancing
Empire of The Sun (UK festival exclusive), Noah and the Whale, Rodriguez, Michael Kiwanuka, Tom Odell, Ghostpoet, Tribes, Matt Corby, Lucy Rose, King Krule, Melody's Echo Chamber, Eliza and the Bear, 
plus The London Folk Guild and Yellow Lounge

Empire of the Sun

Banquets, Feasts and Gastronomy 
Long Table Banquets from Yotam Ottolenghi, 
Russell Norman & Polpo and Mark Hix 
The return of Sam & Sam Clarke's Moro Souk Tent 
Thyme Cookery School

Theatre de Rue & Cirque Traditionnel presented by Time Out Live 
Transe Express present the aerial spectacular 'Maudit Sonnants' 
Les Pepones perform their after dark flying trapeze show

Late Night Revelry from the producers of Secret Garden Party 
The Secret Valley hosted by Rumpus 
The Bacchanalian Masked Ball with performances from 
The Artful Badger, Feast Of Fools and Miss Behave

Tented Theatre & Promenade Performances 
Shakespeare's Globe present Red Not Dead, 
Petersham Playhouse perform Lewis Carrol's 'Jabberwocky', 
Vignette Opera and Tax Deductible's Sh*tfaced Shakespeare

Debating Halls, Literary Arts & Encampments 
The School of Life, Intelligence Squared, Tom Hodgkinson's The Idler, Literary Salon hosted by Damian Barr, Secret Forum Fiction  (including Granta, Tibor Jones, Canongate, Bloomsbury, Penguin), Chris Lintott and Oxford University Astrophysics Dept, The Royal Observatory, Singalong-A-Wickerman, Shamanic Street Preachers, Dark Mountain, NOW Fest, Jim Al-Khalili with TheBritish Humanist Association, The Catalyst Club & The Odditorium, The Napoleonic Association, new ways of thinking with Natures, Charles Dickens Museum, Oxford Museum of Natural History, Oxford Museum of the History of Science, Pitt Rivers Museum,

Well Being and Outdoor Pursuits 
Lakeside Spa, The Sanctuary, meditation with Headspace, Lost In Beauty 
Horse Riding, Green Crafts, Eden Project Den Building, Oxford Cycles, Wild Swims,Forest Medicine Walks, The Bushcraft Company, Wild Runs

Magic, Games and Japery 
The House of Fairy Tales, Unicorn Theatre, Boutique Babysitting with Mortimer Nannies, The Village Hall, Royal Society of the Protection of Lovebirds, Witchwood School of Rock, Hullabalo Arts, Bearded Kittens Cricket Match

Wilderness Festival lineup

Curated by the producers of Lovebox and Secret Garden Party, Wilderness is a celebration of the arts and outdoors and will return to the breathtaking Cornbury Estate on 10-12th August 2012.

Set in the wilds of England against an exquisite backdrop of lakes, forests and parklands, Wilderness 2012 will offer a gastronomic banquet for all the senses.

Some of the finest names in musicianship are already confirmed for the 2012 spectacular and Wilderness is proud to announce that Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and pulse pounding orchestra C.U.B.A will be a performing together in a UK festival exclusive.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Rodrigo y Gabriella says:

When we were asked to perform at Wilderness we were instantly inspired by the name of the festival. For us, being surrounded by nature and performing in the woodlands is a perfect combination. Being included in a line-up with so many cultural and arts elements is something we're really looking forward to.

Also venturing into the wild this year will be Chicago stalwarts Wilco, who wil bring their own brand of bold and breathtaking alternative rock to proceedings. Joining them are space-rock icons Spiritualized, Oxford boys Stornoway, British soul sensation Lianne La Havas and Sydney based psych-folk four-piece Cloud Control.

London Folk Guild are also returning for a second year bringing a variety of folk performers to the festival.

Other feasts for the ears will include; US rockers Giant Giant Sand and Grant Lee Buffalo, the honey voiced Jenny O, Sunderland’s finest Field Music, Malian songstress Fatoumata Diawara, New York hipsters Milagres and folk-pop outfit To Kill a King.

Tim Harvey, festival organiser says:

“Last year was the first ever Wilderness festival and we were thrilled to see that 10,000 others shared our passion for a new festivalconcept. This year, the festival is back and we’re planning even more adventure as we celebrate the arts and outdoors in the beautiful Cornbury Park.

“For us, it’s important for friends and family to come along and use the weekend as a place to indulge the senses, relax, eat well, escape, learn and enjoy activities that aren’t so easily accessible in our day to day lives. We’ll be adding foraging in the woods, horse riding, food workshops, a bandstand, a new twist on wine tasting and plenty other new entertainment.”

The much lauded banquets will be making a welcome return for 2012 and will see another three days of communal feasting in the beautifulWilderness banqueting tent.  Wilderness is delighted to welcome the incomparable Yotam Ottolenghi who will headline and curate one of the weekend’s three sumptuous feasts. He will be joined by the founder of the award winning St John restaurant, Michelin Star chef Fergus Henderson. Completing the set is nature lover Valentine Warner who will be sourcing the ingredients for his veritable feast from a three-mile radius of the Wilderness festival site. Expect lavish three course banquets served on long communal tables in stunning surroundings.

Exmouth market’s famous Moro will be making a welcome return to the wild for 2012 to host their very own Souk Tent. The beautifully dressed Bedouin tent will be open for the duration of the festival and will serve a fusion of Spanish and Middle Eastern dishes with an accompaniment of cocktails, wines and aperitifs.

The 2012 food offering will also include an immersive mix of talks, tastings and workshops curated by local Cotswolds food school Thyme at Southrope Manor. The Thyme area will offer three days of total immersion in everything from market gardening to gourmet gastronomy.

The fo:rem will also return to feed and enrich the mind with its nourishing line up of talks and debates. The likes of Aleks Krotoski, Tim Gill, Intelligence Squared and Robin Ince will be amongst the speakers lined up for a weekend of talks, debates and related workshops.

A new addition to the talks and debates lineup is The School of Life whose London-based workshops have consistently sold out and offer a place for people to step back and think wisely.

Tom Hodkinson’s Idler Academy will return to Wilderness inviting festival goers to view life differently and The Royal Observatory will also be on hand offering star gazing sessions.

One of last year’s biggest highlights, The Old Vic will be back to host a wild masked ball bringing together incredible performance and an outlandish party deep in the woods.

And after you have fed your stomach and mind, why not relax the body with The Wilderness Spa? Set alongside the beautiful lakes, it will offer festival-goers hot tubs, a champagne bar, saunas and massages.

A new addition for 2012 is The Healing Herb Garden, which can be found nestled in the woods amongst saves of lavender and geranium galore offering a safe haven of restorative treatments and workshops.

There will also be bigger and more improved kids and family area which will include ‘laughter therapy’ with the Flying Seagulls, Fairyland Trust workshops and even Guerilla Geography. Bearded Kitten will be returning to host the famous ‘Not Your Average’ Cricket match on the lawn complete with lashing of Pimms and piles of cucumber sandwiches will also be on offer and will all take place against the stunning backdrop of Cornbury estate.

Weekend Tickets Available from £119
Weekend Young Person (11-17 years) Tickets available for £54
Family Ticket available from £287
Deposit Ticket Scheme available
Children under 10 go free

All tickets available via www.wildernessfestival.com