Every festival has that special something, that if you can bite into will leave even the hungriest visitor feeling well fed. We were lucky enough to attend Badbury Rings Rewind and watch what is sure to be a yearly feast as it was laid out on the table for the first time. We’re already ravenously hungry for a second helping.

Put together by Mr Danny Nash of Arkadia Events, BRR nestles beautifully into the beginning of the festival season. A wonderful celebration of nature, local artists and artisans and basically everything that makes Dorset just a little bit special. Taking place on the incredibly powerful Badbury Rings Estate, it’s the kind of festival that leaves you feeling recharged rather than drained and we’ve been humming with good vibrations ever since.

Still in its infancy, the site was fairly compact, the vendors and stalls in attendance however were of the highest calibre, certainly a case of quality over quantity. Whether you were dining on delicious grub, enjoying a classy gin or sampling some of the finest home grown ales and ciders you were never left disappointed. The main stage was overflowing with rivers of talent, whether profound poetry from the Word Makers and Silence Breakers collective, The Fox & The Owl spinning an ode to Jack Daniels or any of the myriad local performers.

The stage was closed by the roar of the magnificent Lionstar who put together a set that had the entire camp site grooving along with their infectious jams.

BRR provided something for everyone of every age range and with poetry workshops, palm reading, arts and crafts, lawnmower racing and an inflatable fortress it was a joyous ride keeping adult and child alike merry and moving.

The sun shone the entire weekend. By night, we were blessed with clear skies perfect for laying back in the grass stargazing or taking a giggling and frenzied midnight run through the cornfields. Whilst the camp site remained respectfully hushed during the twilight hours, there were plenty of groups chasing the sunrise and many open invitations to join in.

Over the weekend soulful sounds were served up by DJ Cliffy of the Dandy Disco, who provided a constant stream of funky grooves. On the Saturday night after the planned entertainment had retired, the festival took it upon itself to keep the party going. Beats and words were spun by the enigmatic Mr O’s of Routes2roots weaving everyone together in a rhapsody of trance like revelry. The Hoola Cru girls, the fire spitters and spinners and the poets in attendance all taking turns in a spontaneous performance that was the perfect place to carry on “festivalling”.

The festival had such a level of connection and friendliness; the weekend flew by in blurs of laughter and sun-kissed smiles. This is what sets Badbury Rings Rewind apart for us, that overwhelming sense of family and community. The heart that was poured into putting this all together was still alive and beating and we all giddily danced along to that pulsing rhythm.

Lionstar captured the mood of the weekend and said more than I can in fewer words with the following little ditty.

Like the Arkadia Events page and be sure to stay tuned for future events put on by this crazy bunch of bewitching vagrants.

Catch Mr O’s and the rest of the Routes2roots collective at their headline gig at Cargo on the 17th June.

You can catch some of the elusive Word Makers & Silence Breakers at The Field Of Dreams festival on the 11th of June.

If you were at the festival yourself and want to share your own memories or experiences feel free to in the comments below, we had an amazing time and hope to see you all again next year.

Words by Matt Miles