THE Isle of Wight is building on its reputation as one of the country’s – and the world’s, top music festival destinations after being short-listed for a host of awards.
All the votes have been counted and the finalists in his year’s UK Festival Awards, as decided by the British festival-going public, have been revealed.
In this, the 11th edition of the award- with over 700,000 votes cast by fans for their favourite festivals and artists, a 25 per cent increase on last year, both The Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival did exceptionally well, being short-listed in three categories each.
Some of the more specialist categories are decided by panels of industry professionals, including Best Use of New Technology, Promoter of The Year, and Line-Up Of The Year.
The Isle of Wight Festival is proving a real trail blazer as it was short-listed for: Best Major Festival; Best Headline Performance (The Red Hot Chili Peppers), and is also up for the Promoter of the Year Award.
The nomination for Promoter of the Year – who was John Giddings and Solo, recognises “the festival organiser who has produced an outstanding event, overcome adversity, or truly gone above and beyond the call of duty and pulled something phenomenal out of the bag. There’s always at least one each year, often several so this one is often a very tough call for judges.”
In addition, it has just been revealed that the Isle of Wight Festival is nominated for International Music Festival of the Year in the Pollstar Awards – the only UK Festival aside from Glastonbury to be shortlisted.
It has been nominated for International Music Festival of the Year. John Giddings and Solo has also been nominated for International Promoter of the Year.
The Island’s Bestival meanwhile has been nominated in this year’s UK Festival Awards for: Best Major Festival, Best Dance Event and Best Use of Technology.
The winners will be announced on-stage at the UK Festival Awards gala ceremony which returns to The Roundhouse in London on Monday, December 1, preceded by The UK Festival Conference during the daytime at the same event.
Steve Jenner, founder and director said: “The response to this year’s awards, not only from fans, but also from more festivals applying to take part than ever before, has been exceptional this year – a positive sign that industry confidence, backed by public passion is surging in 2014.
It sets the tone for an extra special celebration at The Roundhouse in a few weeks’ time.”
A limited number of tickets to the event are still available at festivalawards.com/tickets.
Being singled out for the 26th annual Pollstar Awards alongside Glastonbury is a major feather in the cap for the Isle of Wight Festival proving it is tough competition for the best festivals in the world.
International publication, Pollstar unveiled the nominees for their annual Concert Industry Awards this week with finalists selected by an anonymous collection of 216 promoters, agents, managers and other touring professionals, with the only requirement being that they could not nominate themselves or their clients.
The awards honour artists, management, talent buyers, venues, support services and more for their professionalism, achievements and abilities within the international concert industry.
The Isle of Wight Festival is up for International Music Festival of The Year against Australia’s Bluesfest, the UK’s massive Glastonbury, Spain’s Primavera Sound, Belgium’s Rock Werchter and Tomorrowland as well as Brazil’s Lollapalooza and Switzerland’s Paléo Festival Nyon.
The awards are held on February 21 in Nashville.
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