Nestled in the Hampshire countryside, Wickham Festival remains one of the UK's true hidden gems.
Since starting as an independent event in 2006, it has grown into an award-winning four-day celebration of music, comedy and ‘audience with’ talks, while somehow managing to stay true to the values that made people fall in love with it in the first place.
What makes Wickham special is that it has grown without outgrowing itself. In an era when many festivals seem determined to empty your wallet, Wickham feels refreshingly different.
Food and drink prices are sensible, car parking is free, and everything is thoughtfully laid out. With pathways lit by fairy lights connecting campsites, transport links and car parks, everything is within a comfortable ten-minute walk.
Attracting up to 10,000 visitors a day, the festival strikes the perfect balance between atmosphere and accessibility. There are plenty of stewards, many of them volunteers, helping to create a warm, friendly environment.
Add in a great selection of food stalls, craft traders, real ale and cider bars, plus virtually queue-free toilets, and it's easy to see why so many people return year after year.
The crowd itself is wonderfully diverse. Loyal regulars sit alongside young music fans and families, giving the festival a genuine community feel that is increasingly rare.
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Musically, this year's festival delivered yet again.
Saturday night's headliners, Irish folk-rock favourites The Saw Doctors, absolutely tore the roof off the Big Top.
Returning for their fourth Wickham appearance, Davy Carton and Leo Moran rolled out beloved hits including I Useta Love Her, To Win Just Once and N17, with the crowd spilling out onto the grass beyond the tent. Fresh from Dublin and currently enjoying renewed chart success with The Green and Red of Mayo, the band's affection for Wickham was clear to see.
Sunday evening belonged to The Proclaimers, who closed the festival with more than 90 minutes of crowd-pleasing Scottish rock, including their timeless anthem I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles).
Other highlights included the ever-popular Dhol Foundation, a packed Little Top for The Amy Winehouse Band performing Back to Black and Valerie, and an emotional farewell from folk-punk favourites Ferocious Dog on their final Wickham appearance.
Wickham Festival holds a special place in the hearts of those who know it, and newcomers cannot help but be won over.
After another memorable weekend, there's only one thing left to say: roll on 2027!
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