THOUSANDS of people didn’t let a bit of rain put them off enjoying festivals in Oxfordshire this weekend.

Music could be heard across the county from Cropredy, near Banbury, to the Wilderness Festival at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury and Supernormal, near Wallingford.

Wet weather hit the Wilderness Festival on Saturday night and continued through the morning yesterday before better weather arrived in time for music from soul-pop stars Jessie Ware and London Grammar.

Radio presenter Jamie Searls, from Cork, Ireland, was enjoying his first Wilderness Festival and joined the fun by sporting an oversized native American headdress.

He said: “It’s pure middle-class debauchery. Where else would you find lobster sandwiches?”

Libor ‘Bart’ Juranek ran the waterside spa, which saw more than 1,500 people relaxing in hot tubs beside the lakes.

He said: “We do a lot of festivals but Wilderness has the best setting of them all, with three lakes. It’s great to see people jumping in and swimming in the wild.”

Wilderness founder and creative director Jo Vidler said: “Cornbury Park was transformed for the weekend and looks incredible.”

Cornbury Park is the home of Lord and Lady Rotherwick, who hosted their own picnic on behalf of fashion house Mulberry, for guests including supermodel Cara Delevingne and actors Gemma Chan and Douglas Booth.

Lady Rotherwick said: “Wilderness is such a magical festival and is unlike any other.

“Our whole family love it. It’s the highlight of our year.

“There’s an extraordinarily eclectic mix and a quirkiness and charm.”

Folk music fans at Cropredy had a stroke of luck, as the festival’s schedule, running from Thursday until Saturday, meant it missed out on most of the wet weather.

Sheena McCormack has attended Cropredy – or to give it its proper name, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention – for every one of its 35 years.

The Kings Sutton resident, 63, said: “I’ve been every year since 1979. I’ve never missed one.”

But Mrs McCormack is more than a music fan – she said: “I was in the first band that ever played on the stage.

“We were called Bag o’ Nails. There were four of us, and I sang and played the fiddle. It was just a great thing to be part of.”

 

Oxford Mail:

Angela Fitzpatrick, Milissa Wilson and Colin Wilson, from Essex, under cover at Cropredy on Saturday

She added: “We have seen Cropredy grow from an afternoon and an evening to this huge three-day event.

“It’s very safe and friendly, and it’s just a lovely festival.

“It’s a fabulous chance to see some good bands and hear great music.”

Supernormal, a three day experimental arts event, ran from Friday until Sunday for its fifth year.

The event, held at Brazier’s Park at Ipsden, saw 1,200 people come together to enjoy performers including Charismatic Megafauna, The Gluts, Phantom Chips and Sally Golding.

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