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A Local Festival


ray marshall

would you like one to happen there on a once a year basis?  

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ok, tempting fate here.....

if all licences were in place, and an local event was organised utilising the best local bands/djs/nick nack stores/local foods and the odd guest band dj from uk was organised like ours over here (http://www.valeearthfair.org), would this be something you'd like to see happen once a year?

 

and its a fundraiser for local / non local charities by the way

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ok, tempting fate here.....

if all licences were in place, and an local event was organised utilising the best local bands/djs/nick nack stores/local foods and the odd guest band dj from uk was organised like ours over here (http://www.valeearthfair.org), would this be something you'd like to see happen once a year?

 

and its a fundraiser for local / non local charities by the way

A similar festival would be welcome over here, but we wouldn't get away with it from a health and safety point of view. The proximity of the bouncy castle to the unprotected castle wall was a bit of a joke, but at least the Samaritans had a tent there so intended suicides just bounced back up and had a chance to talk about their experiences! The Vale Earth Fair is a great event, and we really could do with something like it.

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I think its a good idea, but as man in the mask pointed out, the health and safety aspects from Fire extinguishers to St John's ambulance all need to be accounted for.

 

A few friends and myself tried this a few years back, and every day brought a new problem....if it wasn't the neighbours in the surrounding areas objecting to what we were doing, it would be the local police wanting to know what fire extinguishers we had on call if there was an emergency, dont get me wrong these problems brought a great insight into how much organisation goes into these events.

 

2 years ago at the last TT we had the Peel festival, a year later it was non-existent.

 

I will ALWAYS support people who try and make our lives on this rock a pleasent one, so if you do go ahead with it, gimme a shout. I'll be glad to help.

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we have to jump through similar hoops over here for ours, fire extinguishers etc etc.....our fire department very kindly lend us ours for the appropriate areas....water and co2 for electricals (not together obviously)

 

the vale castle is a great spot as it has high walls, obvioulsy any people that get too drunk really shouldnt be on the ramparts, but we do have an army of volunteers (and security obviously) to act as wardens on the day to help out or get help should it be needed in anyway.

 

despite my best efforts at willing getting lost while driving over there on my last visit (thanx for the wheels side), i didnt get a chance to scope out many potential sites, but you do have loads of fields etc....the greenman biker bash over here is at pleinmont (aka middle of nowhere) uses only fields, and marquees, gennys etc etc...

 

naturally i wouldnt want the event to happen somewhere that could disturb people too much, but realistically this potentially can happen, the neighbours around the vale castle are very accomodating towards the event, most even enjoy the free music for the day, they realise that its only a once a year event.

 

as the earth fair is primarily a fundraiser for charities, most of the acts we have gotten have very kindly reduced there fees (some have even waived it completely, good on em), we even got a good deal on alabama 3 and they dont go cheap, i have to be honest pretty much all the djs play for free, we do throw em some food and a few bevvies for their trouble, and some of the local bands either play for free or for a minimal fee as everyone involved is there for that one day and that vibe, even the marquee company reduces there prices for the day, and for that im always going to be greatful.

 

it can only happen ofcourse with the local authorities blessings, all relevant licences (it happens on a sunday from midday to midnight), and is very dependant on the locals and volunteers that help put it up, and take it down and tidy, so i would ofcourse be hoping for the same over therre, im not going to lie it can be hard work......but its all worth it in the end.

 

without sounding to "hippy-like", its really about the day and the vibe it brings, im not a very political person as such but just by doing this and giving my time for example for free, is a way of A) giving something to the general public to enjoy, lets face it times are tough and we need something to release everday tensions, cant see too many people not enjoying a days worth of music and local talent for a bargain price, and B) raising funds for people that need it.....

people who do the food tents or niknak stores make a donation towards there pitch, we have fire jugglers, fancy dressers, and not to miss the important bit, it just brings so many people together, and that cant be a bad thing can it? :)

 

it would be good to know what marquee companies you have there for the stages and electrics etc, would need a pa and to be able to source pas for the relevant areas, lighting etc, scaffolding to build the stages.....its a lot of logistics and takes about 6 months to get it all together, and that includes acts for the day.

 

but please post your comments and suggestions, it's good from the viewpoint of who might be interested in helping put the event on etc etc....and keep voting too :)

 

cheers :D

 

and thanx dr fish ill be sure to give you shout if it comes off !

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I'm trying to think of a good location and being a northerner the only place I can think of up this end would be Smeal Beach. It's a vast plain of sand/grass dunes with loads of space for such a do: Right by the sea, away from any houses, loads of space for the whole setup, loads of parking, loads of space for campers etc.

 

It's far away from most houses although the one's which would hear the noise might complain as they expect complete silence every night as it's out in the country basically but there aren't any houses within half a mile at least.

 

Properly organised it could be a real goer.

 

Edited due to fat fingers.

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IMO, on the island the reality of the event you outline would be to attract possibly a few hundred people. It appears to be trying to be all things to all men with a limited population with many varied tastes. Costs and problems would rise quickly, few people would be attracted from the UK etc. because of travel costs. Tastes vary, and the people that support local food, don't all necessarily want to listen to DJs while eating it.

 

A series of regular, smaller, easily manageable, targetted, and marketable events would be my approach - possibly under a catchy 'festival' banner - possibly organised through various pubs or the odd one held at the Villa. TBH - I'm not interested in DJs, and wouldn't be arsed going if I had to listen to your stuff while waiting to see a couple of the bands and the styles I like.

 

The weather can be a right downer here and write off an event and so much hard work so easily, so holding the events indoors would be a priority for me. Marquees cost a bomb, but outside if it rains you're generally stuffed.

 

I've been to see quite a few local bands recently and have been amazed at the low attendances many of them have had. Beer is so expensive, a possible recession is around the corner, so the last thing people want is more expense. Poor attendance is a lot down to piss poor marketing too though IMO.

 

Someone needs to organise entertainment here, and I would certainly support some such events. The island is crying out for someone to start organising.

 

Unfortunately you have to look at this from a business perspective first, charity aspect second. Get it working first on a small targetted scale and then maybe build it from there, otherwise you'll run a high risk of getting your fingers burned.

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your quite right albert on the scale side of things, that could only b the real way to get it started as money is the main factor, our one started with just 2 stages inside the castle and now its grown to 5 areas of varying sizes over the years.

 

the djs would be in seperate areas, (breaks and beats area for one, house dance techno etc in another), so you would be able to go to which ever one you wanted to at the time, so no one realy gets anything rammed down there necks they dont want, the main stage would be kept strictly for the bands.

 

i have to say im surprised though as we do get a fair few festival goers from the uk that come down to ours, and its the bands names that pull them over, not talking hundreds but still it amazes me how many do make the effort to come down here, and its not cheap to get to guernsey, let alone to be able to get off it either.

 

some good points being raised though, please keep them coming

 

just to point out that we write letters to the nearby tenants stating our intentions and asking them if they would mind or have any objections, we've only had one objection in the vale parish in the last 15 years.

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A series of regular, smaller, easily manageable, targetted, and marketable events would be my approach - possibly under a catchy 'festival' banner - possibly organised through various pubs or the odd one held at the Villa.

 

can you give me some gen on the villa please albert?....i dont think i got to see the place when i was over last...

cheers

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I'd be up for that too, but like kleggerklogs said, its a no win situation, there'd be that much red tape and hoops to jump through, asses to kiss. IMHO i think the only way it'd ever get off the ground and be any kind of success is if it were big enough, with big enough acts, that it attracted big numbers from the mainland, not enough punters over here. The authorities don't want anything like it either, so even that would be very unlikely. We live on a backwards thinking island Ray, full of narrow-minded people like Arthur, who wouldn't buy tickets in advance and would pussy out at the slightest hint of rain. Sorry to sound like i'm poopoo'ing the idea, i just think its a complete waste of time here, i'd love it if i was wrong though.

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