Boomtown back with a bang as thousands flock to opening ceremonies

Chapter One: The Gathering, which is being held on the Matterley Estate, opened its doors to more than 60,000 revellers on Wednesday.

It then saw two full days of dancing, activities, yoga classes, family-friendly fun and live music at some of the woodland and smaller stages.

On Friday, crowds armed with water pistols and plenty of fluids turned out in the midday sun to witness the traditional curtain raisers at both the new look stages - Grand Central and Origin.

British DJ and legendary Reggae selector David Rodigan then officially kicked off the party at Origin, while former children's TV stars Dick and Dom provided the soundtrack to a sun-soaked Grand Central.

READ MORE: Boomtown under way and dividing opinion

An eclectic mix of tunes from a whole host of acts will play out into the early hours of the morning, with Boomtown's licence lasting until 4am.

Saturday will see the festivities continue with the likes of Gentlemans Dub Club, Mella Dee and My Nu Leng due to take the stage.

Sunday will wrap up the event, with Four Tet and Dub Pistols on the bill.

Tens of thousands of people from across the country have pitched up at the festival, which has several large campsites for both traditional tents and campervans, plus a glamping section.

The good weather is a welcome addition to this year’s event, after 2019 saw blistering winds which swept away scores of tents. However, with highs of 33C on both Friday and Saturday, attendees may be at serious risk of overheating.

Aaron Evans, 29, from Portsmouth, is staying the extended weekend in a tent. It's his first time visiting Boomtown, and he says it has been a different experience to any of the other festivals he has attended.

He said: "It's all about the vibe here, other festivals you go to have a massive headliner which you'd book to see, but here it's more about the experience. I don't know anyone playing here, but I'm having a great time."

Aaron Evans enjoying a cold beer in the sun

Tom Mitchell and Sam Bennett, both 28 and from Locks Heath, returned to Boomtown this year having previously been multiple times between them before the pandemic hit.

Reflecting on what keeps bringing them back to the Winchester event, Tom said: "It's just such a good atmosphere. They don't necessarily bring massive headliners, but you can just walk around and have fun - there's something for everyone. You aren't  always chasing acts that you want to see, it's much more relaxed."

Tom (left) and Sam

Boomtown recently announced its commitment to become net zero by 2025, and has introduced several initiatives to try and cut its carbon footprint.

However, Tom was sceptical about the festival's goal.

"I don't think any festival is environmentally friendly," he said. "If you're having a load of people turning up on coaches and getting transport here when they don't really need to then I can't see how it can be good for the environment. If they are trying to do things to make it a little friendlier then that's great."

SEE ALSO: Campaigners against permanent permission for Winchester music festival Boomtown

But Sam had slightly different views on the subject. He said: "I think it's a good thing. Boomtown was one of the first festivals with compost toilets which are now huge. I think if they can do things to offset the event's environmental impact then it can only be positive."

Much was made ahead of the festival about the mystery surrounding the line-up. Organisers kept their cards close to their chests before revealing the acts just days before festivities began. Some were left slightly underwhelmed by the billing when it finally arrived.

But long-term festival fan Hannah Crossley, 42, from Chichester, insisted too much emphasis had been placed on the performers in recent years.

She said: "Boomtown is unlike any other festival, it's the best in the country for me. Lots of people were moaning about the line-up, but it's not about that. Once you're in Boomtown, you're in, there's no more security checks whenever you want to go to a stage, and it feels so much more inclusive because of that. Everyone is really friendly, I've never had an issue whenever I've been here. It's just hilarious, you can walk through Old Town and get dragged in by the actors. There's loads to do and it's so immersive - the last year I came I completed the whole quest, but I've not yet tried it this year."

Hannah Crossley

Like many others, Hannah had to lug all her belongings up a series of hills to reach her campsite, which proved extremely tasking in the beating sun. She praised stewards for their response, but said the festival could have been slightly better equipped to deal with the ongoing heatwave.

"Dragging the tent and the cool box in this heat was gnarly," she added. "All the stewards were checking on everyone and offering them cans of water, I really noticed that. The one thing I would say though is that there probably isn't enough water points throughout the festival, and the drinks haven't been that cold either."

A message from the editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support.

Subscribing means you have unrestricted access to the latest news and reader rewards - all with an advertising-light website.

Don't take my word for it – subscribe here to see for yourself.

Looking to advertise an event? Then check out our free events guide.

Want to keep up with the latest news and join in the debate? You can find and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.