Festival fun by the Bunk load! (From Herald Series)

Festival fun by the Bunk load!

6:48pm Sunday 6th September 2009

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MORRIS dancers, folk fans and families soaked up the sunshine at Wallingford's biggest and best BunkFest to date.

For the past eight years, the festival has been staged on the town's Kinecroft, a large area of green space near the town centre.

Two years ago, serious flooding meant the festival had to be scaled down, but it was back with a bang last year when 15,000 people attended.

With the sun coming out for the second year running — apart from a few showers — the attendance was expected to hit 20,000 over the three days ending last night.

Musical acts from across the country took part, including Elephant Talk, Rory McLeod, and Afro-Celtic crossover act Baka Beyond, and there were about 25 dance teams.

Event organiser Dave Newson said: “It's been a fantastic weekend and I'm pretty sure that we will be up to 20,000 people this year.

“The festival has been growing steadily year by year and it now has a great reputation.

“We have performers from Wales, Cornwall and Lincolnshire, and some of the visitors come from as far afield as Sweden and Canada.

“The flavour of the musical programme is very international and the Kinecroft is a great venue to stage the main acts.

“This open space is surrounded by Saxon embankments and has a unique atmosphere for a town centre space.”

Mr Newson added that there were more venues across Wallingford this year, including the old post office in the Market Place.

He added: “There is also more going on in the market place itself — it definitely could be the biggest and best BunkFest so far.

“We don't get council funding, but we do quite well with sponsorship from local businesses and we hope to make sufficient money to build up a reserve fund to ensure that the festival does well over the coming years.”

Matt Tarling, 37, a member of the urban folk group Elephant Talk, said: “It's the first time we have been to BunkFest and we have had a great time — it's lovely here, a good crack.”

Nikki Livermore, the leader of Carterton-based belly-dancing troupe Isisters, added: “We have been dancing together for 10 years and BunkFest gives us the perfect platform to show off what we do.

“We try and have fun while keeping fit and I think we are guaranteed to add that special something to any event."

David Hassell, 36, a meteorologist from Reading, was at the festival with wife Rachel, 40, and son Owen, five.

He said: “I have been showing my son some traction engines — this is a really nice place to come for the day.”

Filiz Altinouk, 22, was at Bunkfest with the London-based New Esperance Morris.

She said: "I have only been with the side for eight months and this is my first big event so I'm a bit nervous, but I have really enjoyed it."

Penny Woods, 50, who is head of sixth form at The Marlborough School in Woodstock, danced in the market place with Ducklington Morris.

She said: “Morris dancing is thriving at the moment — it's quite remarkable when you look at how many young people are joining the sides — two of our members are 17-year-old girls.

“It's good fun, good exercise and good teamwork and I think the tradition is important to people.”

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk

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