The Green Gathering Festival, Chepstow

The Green Gathering festival has been on my bucket list for a long time although with the pandemic cancelling most festivals for 2yrs we haven't been able to attend until now. I had considered staying for the whole weekend as we love to camp and love a long festival weekend, although as we are planning a big trip to Europe soon, I decided as the festival is in Chepstow which is less than an hour away from our house, that the most budget-friendly option was to get a day pass, especially as under 11's go free, which meant I only had to pay for myself and for £40 for a whole day at a festival that felt like a really good deal. 

We made sure to get there early so we could enjoy the whole day and really get a feel for what the festival is all about. Unlike other festivals, the Green Gathering is the original off-grid low impact festival, powered by sun, wind and people and is non-profit without any mainstream commercial sponsorships. This however doesn't impact the amazing performances and facilities they put on over the weekend. 

There is also a real focus on change and activism that goes beyond weekend hedonism to bring about real positive environmentally earth-friendly change. That focus is seen right from the start where instead of bringing loads of cars onto the site, the car-park is set away from the festival and you take a community-style bus shuttle onto the site. I was also very impressed with the accessibility side of things, while the boys and I don't have any mobility issues it was great to see they had put in place accessible toilets, showers, camping area and crew on hand to facilitate everyone's access to entertainment and services.

There was an abundance of activities for all ages including special areas for children and teens. My boys really like the archery and "street" performers as well as the large kid's play area, community library and swap shop. While we didn't do any craft workshops there were things like willow weaving, yoga, circus skills and face painting. We also popped into quite a few different tents to listen to some amazing live music as well as making sure to visit the resistance photography exhibition. 

There was plenty of food and drink available, and I had the chance to try out some locally brewed cider while the kids enjoyed some fresh crepes. Despite it being hot and sunny there was also plenty of shade and it was lovely and cool in the forest area which also had a fairy trail. 

Overall the atmosphere was such a positive one and while the festival is for all ages I found it particularly family-friendly and we have decided that next year we will be returning but for the whole weekend. Did you go to any festivals this year? 

The Green Gathering takes place yearly, usually during August, in a beautiful green space in Chepstow, Wales.