ONE of Oxfordshire’s biggest annual free festivals starts in Wallingford tonight, with more than 20,000 people expected to flock to the 10th BunkFest.
The three-day festival, which focuses on folk, roots and world music, sees the whole town centre turned over to 200 events, ranging from musical steam trains to Zulu dancing in the market square.
The festival started as a party in a marquee in 2002, but now draws thousands of festival-goers from across the country.
Organiser Dave Newson said: “It is a big town party, with a special laid-back atmosphere which makes it unique.
“Wherever you go in Wallingford, you cannot get away from it at all.
“We put on stuff in 20 different places, and close down the town centre to put on street events and community stalls there.”
He said half of the festival- goers came from outside the town, contributing towards the £500,000 boost the event gives to Wallingford businesses.
Mr Newson said: “The main change that has happened over the years is that we no longer put on paid concerts and do not charge lots of money for tickets.
“But we have really upped the stakes with this year’s headline acts, even though it is completely free.”
Tonight, Transglobal Underground take their unique fusion of western, oriental and African music to the main stage on the Kinecroft, while the unique traditional dance act The Demon Barber Roadshow, billed as an “English Riverdance”, headlines tomorrow.
On Sunday, Peatbog Faeries will close the festival with their Celtic fusion, mixing bagpipes, fiddles and whistles with programmed effects.
Other acts that will be appearing include the London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra, Oxford ska band 9 Ton Peanut Smugglers, African dancers Zulu, folk band Isambarde and English Ceilidh band Hekerty.
The festival also includes a beer tent, singer-songwriters, dance acts, story telling, workshops, craft stalls and children’s events.
Mr Newson said: “We have a very broad church of music, everything from close harmony singing, to Transglobal Underground which is about as far out as you can get.
“It goes from music which is bang up to date right back to simple traditional dances.”
The official opening ceremony is taking place at 5.45pm today.
Events follow at the Kinecroft from 11am tomorrow and Sunday.
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