Cropedy

OK, so you've not heard of Cropredy?  A sleepy village in Oxfordshire just outside Banbury that hosts the annual Fairport Convention Cropredy Festival.

Billed as the 'Friendliest' festival in Britain (which I would heartily agree with), the fstival started in 1979 as a small farewell concert for Fairport who were breaking up at the time.   It was so successful that a) they didn't and b) they decided to do it again the following year.... and once a year, 2nd weekend in August, ever since.

Each year up to 20,000 people of literally all ages (from newborn to 90's) turn up for 3 days in the field to see, apart from Fairport, bands like Jethro Tull, 10cc, Focus, Richard Thompson, Ric Wakeman, Nile Rogers, Eddie Reader, Big Big Train, The Waterboys, Oysterband, Steeleye Span.... well, you get the picture.

We have been going for many years and for us, the other major advantage is that the field is located alongside the Oxford Canal and we go on our small narrowboat,  a slow, peaceful way of getting to and from the event as well as providing free accommodation.

Visit their site: www.fairportconvention.com

See you there in 2025?  I hope so!