REVELLERS enjoyed live music, dancing and some welcome sunshine at Oxfordshire’s first festival of the summer.

Some 800 people joined the weekend of fun at Wood Festival– an environment and family-friendly gathering held in woodland at Braziers Park, in Ipsden, near Wallingford.

The event was organised by brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, who also run the much bigger Truck Festival in Steventon every summer.

Run on ecologically-sound methods, the festival features solar and pedal-powered stages, composting toilets, organic food and local real ale, cider and lager.

Rather than fairground rides, entertainment consisted of a mix of children’s activities and educational workshops covering everything from thatching to bicycle repair, pottery and foraging for wild food.

For Robin the event proved particularly memorable – his wife Meg gave birth to the couple’s second child on Thursday the day before the festival began – and mother and new daughter Marcie were at the festival to soak up the atmosphere.

“Wood is a very family-friendly event, so they fitted right in,” said Robin, whose Americana-rock band Dreaming Spires closed the festival on Sunday night.

“It was a fantastic weekend. The weather was good and everyone seems to have enjoyed it.

“Wood has become an established event now and people like it is as it is; they don’t want it to change. There’s a lovely relaxed atmosphere and it’s fun for grown-ups and kids – even those only one day old.”

Despite being just four years old, Wood has won a clutch of awards – most for its environmentally-friendly methods.

Robin said the techniques tried out at Wood would be adopted at the Truck Festival - which takes place this year on July 22-24.

Among the artists playing over the weekend were US singer-songwriter Willy Mason, Oxford country-rockers The Epstein, London soul-pop band The Treetop Flyers, Swiss-Cajun act Mama Rosin, and folk singer Eliza Carthy.

Olly Wills, from Binsey, Oxford, is frontman of The Epstein. He said Wood was the perfect start to the summer festival season.

He said: “Wood is the nicest festival it’s possible to imagine. It was full of nice people and held in a lovely spot surrounded by trees.

“It was a real honour for us to be asked to play on Saturday night, and the the best way to start the summer at the first real festival of the year.”

Also playing was Senegalese musician Jali Fily Cissokho, who lives in Witney. A master of the West African kora – a string instrument made of wood, cow hide and gourd – he received a standing ovation.

He said: “I love Wood festival, it’s very special. It’s such a peaceful place and there is a lovely atmosphere.

“The people are lovely too – and really appreciate good music. I hope to be back here next year and the year after.”

  • For details of the Truck Festival see thisistruck.com