Roof on ready for Banburyshire music festival to lift off the roof

The roof is on - and will provide much-needed shade for the performers at this year's Fairports Cropredy Convention. Picture courtesy of Fairport Convention

And for once it seems the roof will provide much-needed shade for the performers as the predicted hot and sunny weather eases the customary anxiety about rain and mud.

The festival goes ahead for the first time since 2019 in its traditional farmland site outside Cropredy from Thursday – Saturday, August 11 – 13.

A spokesman said: “Our crews are busy installing all the services needed by what is effectively a small town - clean water, mains electricity, toilets, showers, street lights, an extensive first aid centre, and facilities for disabled festival-goers (including ten loos and two shower units for people with disabilities).

Fairport Convention, from left to right, Chris Leslie, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders and Gerry Conway. Picture courtesy of Fairport Convention

“Over the weekend, 40,000 gallons of waste are removed from the loos and the 28 waste tanks.

“The site occupies a dozen fields totalling 198 acres. There are eight camping fields, six of which are adjacent to the main music arena.

“The festival uses over 6,300 metres of fencing panels, 2,000 metres of temporary trackway, 30 portable cabins and 18 marquees of various sizes.”

Highlights will include Trevor Horn Band and Clannad (Thursday), Martyn Joseph and Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited (Friday) and Richard Thompson and Fairport Convention with guests on Saturday.

After a two years of postponements because of the Covid pandemic, tickets sold for 2020 and 2021 have been validated for this year’s festival - the highlight of the entertainment year in the Banbury area.

Compered by Anthony John Clarke, Thursday’s programme will be kicked off at 4pm, as always, by Fairport Convention with a short acoustic performance. The band traditionally closes the festival on Saturday with a marathon closing set - with their special guests.

Caravan and camping fields will be available as usual and the customary bar with food outlets will ensure no one goes hungry. The stalls surrounding the performance field will include the Banbury area charity fundraisers as well as some festival clothing sellers for those necessary sun hats and feathers.

Folk rock lovers come from all corners of the globe to enjoy the atmosphere of what is described as the most ‘peaceful music festival in the world’.

While the festival is the biggest event in the Banbury area year it is a massive four days on the Cropredy calendar as village organisations such as the primary school and sports pavilion devote their spaces to fundraising with breakfasts, barbecues and sales.

The village pubs - the Brasenose Inn and the Red Lion – and the canalside shop will be doing a roaring trade amid what has become the ‘Cropredy Fringe’ with bands playing all week long.

This year there will be a special Scarecrow festival with creative characters dotted around the village – all in a Royal theme to celebrate Platinum Jubilee year.

The Met Office weather forecast for Banbury shows full sun and temperatures of 30 degrees on Thursday, and 31 degrees for Friday and Saturday.

For more about the line-up see here.