Judith Schrut continues her festival frolic with a visit to the world’s favourite, WOMAD.
If you’ve never been to WOMAD– short for World of Music, Arts and Dance– you’re in for an unforgettable treat. This year’s WOMAD, taking place at the end of July, promises to be even more extraordinary. The biggest international festival on the planet is celebrating its 36th year in style, bringing hundreds of performing artists from dozens of countries and thousands of world music fans to a beautiful open air site deep in the Wiltshire countryside.
One of my favourite things about WOMAD is how astonishing moments and sublime performances are as likely to come from little known performers from far flung corners of the world as from famous headliners. This year’s adventurous lineup includes the Original Gypsies of Camargue (formerly the Gypsy Kings); North African master gnawa musician Hamid El Kasri; and the uplifting Celtic-meets-world crossover beats of Jiggy. There’s swinging bluesy sounds from Malian duo Amadou and Mariam and an athletic double dose of Latin American dance moves from Danza Región and Cámara de Danza Comunidad.
From the USA come high energy New York brass band buskers Too Many Zooz; Evie Ladin and Keith Terry’s unique take on old time music and dance; and punky Texas bluegrass quintet Whiskey Shivers, intriguingly described as playing “banjos, fiddles and washboards in bare feet at breakneck speeds while singing lonesome harmonies about love and video games.”
Although WOMAD’s music is its main draw, you’ll find loads of other imaginative events to tickle your festival fancy. Taste the World serves up a popular combo of food, music and conversation under one intimate tent as WOMAD artists take time out to cook, chat and share a favourite dish from their homeland. Debate and discuss in the World of Words, check out a book from the Human Library and indulge in spoken word shenanigans in the Hip Yak Poetry Shack.
All that hard work traipsing from stage to stage makes for hearty appetites and WOMAD’s Global Market is more than ready for this. Let your tastebuds do the travelling as you eat and drink your way around the world. Try festival favourites like Goan fish curry, Indian thali and Japanese tempura, whole spit-roasted chickens and sheep’s milk ice cream cones. I strongly recommend at least one visit to the St Valentine’s Licorice cart.
There’s also opportunity for much blissful browsing amongst WOMAD’s huge selection of crafts, clothing, musical paraphernalia and worthy causes on display.
In need of a break from the hullabaloo? Nip into the World of Wellbeing, a cool, calming space among the trees of the Arboretum where you can sample laughter yoga, song baths, didgeridoo healing, sound meditation and some excellent tea and cakes. And if you’re tired of chemical toilets and ground sheet camping, treat yourself to the La Di Da Loos, luxury camping in tipis, podpads and yurts, or splash out on a weekend Womad Spa Ticket. This gives you unlimited access to pamper pavilions of Persian rugs and saffron light, gardens and gazebos, hammocks, hot tubs and barrel sauna, the exclusive Chakra Bar and a range of therapeutic treatments.
WOMAD takes place at Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire from 26-29 July 2018. Tickets range from £75-185; Children under 13 free. More at womad.co.uk.
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