Well in 27 years of Festival going this year’s Sunrise Celebration has to be just about top of the pile. It got my vote for festival of 2006 by a whisker but this year was just so much better. I really was very nervous about it even going ahead what with the scarcity of punters and financial problems of last year and also the fact that this year it was scheduled the same weekend as Wychwood with close proximity to Glastonbury both in location and time. But I needn’t have worried, the word is out. Sunrise Celebration is an absolutely magical event and the punters turned up in their hordes.

The site was completely rearranged this year. There was still the 12 pointed clock concept in evidence but it was far more compact this time and with more going on in the central area. So without being in any way claustrophobic you never felt as though you were going out of your way to reach the more peaceful corners of the site. The main stage was as before albeit repositioned and the second “Fish Seeks Bicycle” undercover stage also combined with the main bar serving a fair variety of ales and ciders at reasonable prices. There were at least 10 programmed entertainment venues in all including the Waveform dance tent which had the most spectacular decorations I have seen for many years. ID Spiral also formed a more central focal point this year and seemed to have a good crowd of people dancing 24 hours a day.

In addition there were individual areas for Healing, Permaculture, The Horsedrawn Camp, Environmental Campaigns, Green Crafts, a Circus, a Kids area and a Tipi Village with its wonderful Bimble Inn. Walkabout performers were plentiful and many people made the effort to dress up, either bringing their own costumes or utilising the onsite fancy dress hire tent. There were saunas, solar powered showers, massages, talks, workshops, fire shows & ceremonies, the Burrowhill Cider Bar, cinemas, plenty of places to sit & chill and a great musical line up to boot. And despite some very pessimistic weather forecasts the sun shone for the majority of the weekend. All in all this was very nearly a perfect festival experience. The only thing they do need to sort out still is the toilets. We’ve moved on from the straw bales of last year but the lack of availability meant long queues for the ladies & overflowing urinals for the gents.

I still have another 9 festivals on the agenda for 2007 but if there is a better one among them than Sunrise Celebration then I just can’t wait for it to happen! Enjoy the photos & if you weren’t there this year then make sure you don’t miss out again in 2008.