Woodford Folk Festival 23/24
2023 was a tough one for a hop and a skip. The difficulties of running a hand made business hit me hard more than once and the prospect of closing shop was real. I was at a crossroads. I don’t know about you but the only way I know to figure out troubles is by putting pen to paper. At the bottom of the page I was reminded that this project, above all else, is about having fun and being creative. Now, festivals have always been a rich source of inspiration for me: the music, the fashion, the sun, the stars. Woodford Folk Festival in particular, is close to my heart and having a stall at Woodford is top 3 on my bucket list. And so I got out of my own way and allowed my heart to take the lead on this one.
The Woodford festival experience is deep, rich and colourful. It runs over 7 days in December and has a program of music, circus, dance, comedy, environmental, workshops and an entire children’s festival. The site was previously a barren dairy farm, but over the years and decades, with a dedicated team of volunteers the 500 acres of land has been replanted and regenerated into a lush forest, awash with a biodiversity of animal and plant species. But it’s more than the sum of its parts, it’s hard to describe in words, but it’s some type of magic. I attended my first Woodford as a fledgling circus performer and later introduced my young family to it. I have seen my child grow up in it, from carefree toddler to adventurous pre-teen. It really is a festival unlike any other.
The streets are lined with restaurants, bars and stalls. In my designated 3x3 space, I created a boutique stall full of colour, pattern, textures and lots of lovely things to touch and try. Warmly lit by dangling festoon lights, with a ‘found parts” chandelier (on brand!) and stocked with my signature collection of handmade and up-cycled clothing and accessories and some select vintage accessories to style a 100% sustainable festival fashion look. The bumbags and hats were most popular and it was a thrill to spot them around the festival in the coming days. But my foray into up-cycled denim also resonated with many.
So how was it? Well, my first year as a stall holder was hot, dusty and fabulous! While in previous years I was the one running from venue to venue in a futile attempt to not miss out on anything, this time was different. I was more than content to sit in my stall and watch the festival go by, from the early morning yoga heads to the late night revelers. And these people in their daily wanderings would wander into my stall, each one of them warm and friendly. We had chats, I’d tell them my story, they’d tell me theirs and they would browse, look, touch, try things on and take their favourite pieces home with them. Connecting with so many like minded people truly made my heart skip a beat.
Woodford Festival without a doubt inspired me over the years to create a hop and a skip. Whatever 2024 and beyond brings, it gives me an amazing satisfaction to know that I am now woven myself into the Woodford tapestry.
