The hidden gem of Sussex summers has just gone large. This year the Firegathering, Brighton’s fiercely independent three-day festival of local music, arts and performance, increases its capacity, with more revellers, more music, more performance and more community spirit.
From humble beginnings as a party for a group of friends in 2004, The Firegathering Festival has grown into a respected stalwart on the UK indie festival scene, kicking off the season in style with its unique mix of local talent, sponsorship-free entertainment and determinedly sustainable ethos. The festival is situated on an idyllic farm midway between Brighton and London, studded with site-wide art installations and nature trails. Organisers ensure there’s minimum impact on the stunning surrounding countryside – other than the footprints of nature-loving festival-goers.
The Firegathering is a completely not-for-profit event. Organisers, performers and the design and creative teams all donate their services for free in the name of keeping ticket prices affordable and furthering the festival’s role as a cultural hub for the hotbed of creativity that is the South East’s music and arts scene. Upcoming local talent is hand-picked for this uniquely inclusive event, a showcase of top quality live music that’s both edgy and entertaining.
Acts already confirmed include Jim Noir, The Loungs, Saravah Soul, cult ska collective Los Albertos, regular performers Turning Green, Digitonal, 12 Stone Toddler, Duologue, Octavcat, John Callaghan, Timothy Victor’s Folk Orchestra, John Crampton, Opaque, Jude Cowan and Mr Finn. They’re appearing alongside an eclectic mix of workshops, circus performers, DJs and the Firegathering’s now-legendary Saturday night cabaret, featuring the finest comedy and burlesque that Sussex has to offer.
The Firegathering also hosts locally sourced, organic and honestly priced food stalls and a bar stocking real ale from Sussex’s award-winning brewery Dark Star, with not a whiff of corporate sponsorship to be found, making this an ideal weekend for festival-goers who’re sick of vodka adverts, mobile phone stores and £6 hotdogs cluttering up their summers. It’s a festival in the real spirit of festivals – independent, communal and a whole lot of fun. The Firegathering’s unique and creative spirit makes this new Sussex institution the best way to kick off an authentic British summer.
For more information, see http://www.firegathering.co.uk. For press requests, contact us.