For people who wished Burning Man happened in the greenery of the countryside than on an arid desert, Britain’s Green Man Festival stands a wonderful alternative.
The welsh festival sees an amalgamation of independent music, literature, art and worship in the green countryside of Brecon Beacons, a mountain range in South Wales. Nature and art walks hand-in-hand, as the four day festival watches families descend to have the best kind of British Summer. Like Burning Man, the festival ends with the customary burning of the Green Man sculpture, made with leaves. All of this happens in a lot more intimate a surrounding, thereby making it quite the variant to its more radical American counterpart.
The Sherp looks at all the reasons that makes Green Man an interesting summer festival to be at!
Free-Thinkers, ahoy!
The Green Man festival is a call for free-thinkers. People who’d like to have a taste of the country’s greenery while indulging in free-flowing creative expression and mindful soul-searching, In the midst of ancient welsh oak trees, the festival calls for people to leave hangups at bay and engage in the festival’s community spirit. The festival, without its shackles, asks of people to have the best time possible thereby ridding them of limited activities.
(Credits: Dom Moore)
Demarcated significance
The entire location that Green Man is held on is gently demarcated into various spaces of fulfillment. Eager scientific minds can seek out Einstein’s Garden where they can spend dwelling into the realities of mysteries, while comforted by the accompaniment of futuristic music. Purveyors of the night can seen out the Far Out Field for all night movie screenings and musical performances. Those with a curious impediment for language can seek out the area of Babbling Tongues where they can find comfort in Spoken Word Poetry. And those wishing for some nature’s time can head to Nature Nurture where they can establish oneness with the environment while indulging in mindful exercises. Musical zones, beer spots, kid zones, the festival is truly one for all.
Blessings and prayers
Green Man welcomes people to an intimately fresh experience, to go beyond the order andΒ have a taste of the unique. Part of this emotion is indulging in the blessing that the Druid community engages in to ward of bad weather at the ancient blessing site. Whether spiritual or not, the process carries enough symbolism to even appeal to a cynical mind.
(Credits: Hanna Cowell)
Musical scouts
Green Man festival is often credited to have featured names that went on to become genre-defining artists in the music industry. The festival is known to introduce British artists of acumen and talent, and this year too, like every year, it features artists of reputable quality. Established artists like Hot Chip, St. Vincent, Super Furry Animals, Father John Misty, Slowdive find mention on the lineup, along with independent acts like Temples, Mew, Sun Ra Arkestra, Viet Cong, Songhoy Bloyes, and Villagers to name a few. People who wish to acclimatise to independent music, British and otherwise will find Green Man extremely satisfying!
All kinds of art
Green Man festival places a great amount of emphasis on artistic expression inviting talented champions of various orders to come participate in the festival’s movement. Everyone, from visual artist, to performers find the festival an active space to showcase their art. Along with music, the festival also feature dedicated programmes for circus shows, cinema literature and live art making it the perfect place for artistic immersion.
(Credits: Dom Moore)
(Credits: Hannah Cowell)
Settle’s Pass
Green Man’s Settler’s Pass is the perfect getaway for a person wishing to be one with nature. The pass allows for people to spend a week in Green Man land, which includes camping, engaging in community activities, while letting the inner artist loose. People engages in social bonhomie, while an earthy, rooted spirit floats around. This proves a sound experience especially for children and those on family getaways!
Local artΒ and green vegetation
The festival does its bit for the Welsh community by employing the use of local vendors, and green farmers to maintain the festival’s environmental spirit. While people at the festival can buy their utilities from these local vendors, they’re also encouraged to forage for food. With an expert forager for company and guidance, people can venture in to the nature and look for edible food. Similarly, people can also engage with local artists who have on display their artwork.
(Credit:Β Catherine Farmer)
Cider and ale paradise
Green Man Festival is especially well-known for the beer festival it hosts within, where along with Welsh ciders and ales, brewed drinks from across the continent are brought in to give the beer lover a truly holistic experience of the juice. The festival is an expert with the drink, and does no wrong, as it also dedicates its entire courtyard to the brew and the people it beckons.
(Credit: Dom Moore)
(Credit: Jon Pountney)
The vibe
The overall vibe of Green Man festival remains extremely rooted, while passionately furthering the arts and mindful thinking. The festival, as opposed to several others, is one that is truly one for all, as it brings in people of varied creative interests and age groups, while keeping them all equally engaged in its several activities. With free-thinking occupying its core mantra, it truly is all-inclusive.
(all images sourced from : Green Man Festival Facebook OR www.greenman.net)