Music : All Music
This is a daytime event (e.g. starts late morning or early afternoon - see below for times).
BigChill.Net
It's very difficult to sum up The Big Chill Festival in a few hundred words.
Part of the reason for this is that there's so much going on. The other reason is that the festival is different things to different people.
Some use it to see as many great live bands and DJs as they can. Some concentrate on the visual art. Some like to dance the weekend away in the Club Tent. Some people hang around their tents enjoying sunshine, barbeques and the company of friends old and new.
Most people will do a bit everything, but the joy of it is that you can do whatever you like, and take in as much or as little as you want.
These are just some of the options...
Music
More than ever, the line up at The Big Chill represents quality music across many genres - from familiar favourites and seminal acts, to brand new, up & coming performers on their way to great things.
Jose Gonzalez, Martin Carthy, The Memory Band and Tunng are among the standard bearers for new and traditional folk music. Francois K, X-press 2 (live) and Mr Scruff bring the all-night dancing vibes. Nathan Fake, Jon Hopkins, Echaskech, Dollboy, Laroca are among the up&coming acts destined for great things. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, The Bikini Beach Band and Burt Latino all return after riotous sets at previous Big Chill festivals. Last, but not least, Norman Jay takes up his traditional Sunday afternoon Open Air stage slot.
This only a small slice of the current line up, for the latest names check the current line-up.
The Site
The layout of the site at Eastnor Castle Deer Park evolving with some changes to stages.
The Open Air Stage:
Continuing to showcase a variety of top quality bands and DJs throughout the weekend.
The Castle Stage (Replacing the Chill stage):
Same location, same alternative approach to the line-up throughout the weekend, new name. This year the Castle Stage will be hosted by Amnesty International.
The Village Green Stage:
This year, will be dedicated to folk music in all its forms throughout the festival's daylight hours
The Sanctuary Stage:
Due to popular demand, is moving outdoors. Moving out of the big blue tent that has been it's home in previous years, the outdoor Sanctuary stage will be a space to listen to electronic and experimental music under the sun and the stars. A return to The Big Chill's roots.
The 6000 capacity Club Tent:
Continuing to host some of the biggest and best names in electronic dance music under its huge canopy until 2am.
The Media Mix Tent:
Big Chill is known as a leader in multi-media entertainment and the Media Mix tent at the Big Chill festival has a reputation for hosting one of the strongest mix media programmes in the country - comedy, cabaret, dance, live and electronic music, film, video and digital art come together under one canvas roof. This year the Blue Man Group hot from the new london theatre will be trail blazing the way for the most superbly diverse line-ups yet.
Words In Motion at the Big Chill Festival:
Building on its reputation for exciting presentation of literature and debate the Big Chill has set out to become a fresh landmark on the literary circuit. The Words In Motion space in the Media Mix arena opens up new ground for wordsmiths by bringing literature, writing and spoken word to new places, inviting new and established talent to come and read from their works during prime times over the festival's three days.
24 Hour Café:
Situated next to the Club tent, will provides a social space for 1800 chillers to chat, relax, grab a hot or cold drink and a bite to eat, and enjoy Big Chill Radio - throughout the weekend.
Art
The Big Chill has always been much more than a music festival. Our dedication to other art forms manifests itself in several ways.
The Mediamix tent features a range of AV performances, combining audio and visuals performances. Acts in the past have ranged from the sublime ambience of a Mixmaster Morris DJ set accompanied by cutting edge video artists, to the hilarity of Puppetmasterz hiphop puppetry.
A full programme of VJ sets to compliment the bands and DJs on the stages with cutting edge, live video performances.
The Art Trail showcases site-specific installations. This year electro luminescent projections, spectacular light works, visual music, audio pieces, installations and sculptural interventions, by the artists Brian Eno, Tod Hanson, Rachel Lowe, Martin Richman, Thor McIntyre-Burnie and Toby Jarvis, Dré Wapenaar lend their magic to The Enchanted Garden's Art Trail.
Fun & Games
In addition to the fantastic music and art, there will be all sorts of opportunities for fun and games at this year's festival.
In 2005, The Big Romance hosted speed-dating sessions and a tea dance, while the Snail Races found the fastest human snail at the festival.
Lots of plans afoot for this year. Fancy dress silliness courtesy of The Dressing Up Tent means that whatever you do at the festival, you’ll be able to do it looking your best...
Food & Drink
Bars dotted around the site will not only host world-class DJs, they'll also be serving a wide range of world class drinks - quality cocktails, ales, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks.
Food stalls will have delicious food from around the world. Whether your preference is for creamy french potatoes, sushi, roast free-range chicken, pizza, burgers or pie - you're bound to find plenty that's to your taste.
Camping
For many, the opportunity to spend a weekend living outdoors in a beautiful rural location is a big part of the attraction of the festival.
There are various camping areas around the festival site. Whether you'd prefer to be as close as possible to the action, rather be somewhere beautiful and peaceful, if you have children and want to camp close to other families, if you want to camp in your own live in vehicle, or if you want to hire a tipi - there'll be an appropriate camping area for you.
Wherever you camp - meeting your neighbours and convening by the tents to prepare for the day ahead, or swap stories about the day just passed - is all part of the fun.
Chilling
The name sort of gives it away, doesn’t it? It’s quite possible to spend the weekend lying down in long grass, watching the world go by. Whether it’s the sun setting over the Malvern Hills, a picnic with friends away from the stages and bars, or watching the ducks swimming on the misty lakes at night, nature’s beauty is never far away at The Big Chill.
For blissful, relaxing or invigorating holistic treatments, the Body and Soul area offers a wide range of massage and therapies.
BigChill.Net
The Big Chill Festival will take place at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire, on August 4th-6th 2006.