Why I Love the Woodford Folk Festival
Not just the festival week itself, but what it stands for and how it is created. Woodford is built by the people, for the people. Every year, hundreds of volunteers come together and build a small town in just three weeks. Roads, stages, kitchens, markets, infrastructure, gathering spaces. It all appears through collective effort, teamwork, and a shared sense of purpose.
This year, I was lucky enough to be part of that build team, and it was such a privilege.
The build runs for about three and a half weeks, and honestly, it feels like a festival in its own right. Yes, the work can be hard, dirty, repetitive, and physically demanding, but the care wrapped around the experience is incredible. There is space to swim in the beautiful Lake Gkula after work, to get up early and refresh before the day starts, to dance, socialise, or just sit and be yourself. The vibe is relaxed, inclusive, and genuinely supportive.
I have always said in my work with campaigns and community projects that if you want volunteers to do a good job, especially when the work is tough or tedious, you have to feed them well - and Woodford absolutely gets this right!
Three proper meals a day, every day. The base meals are vegan, gluten free, and dairy free, with the option to add meat or extra protein if you want it. The food is thoughtful, nourishing, and consistently delicious. No one is left out, and everyone feels cared for. That kind of attention makes a huge difference, and you feel it across the whole site.
Then there is the festival itself…
For that one week, Woodford feels like a bubble where the world works the way it should. You are surrounded by authentic performers, passionate storeholders, and beautiful people simply wanting to be good humans. There is joy, creativity, and connection everywhere you look.
Every year, the three minutes of silence in the amphitheatre on NYE gets me. Looking around and seeing everyone holding candles lit by each other is incredibly moving. Three minutes of quiet, just nature, presence, and connection. The care and collaboration in that moment is powerful, and it gives me real hope for humanity.
With my background in land conservation and community land ownership, Woodford also means a lot to me on a deeper level. The founder’s original 500 Year Plan is, in my eyes, the OG of community land ownership. Protecting land, living alongside nature, prepping for a sustainable future, keeping it in community hands, and using it to bring people together through culture, joy, and connection.
It only exists like this for one week of the year, (with smaller events throughout the year) which is a shame, but for that week it is something truly special.
I cannot wait to go back again next year. I am so glad I found this festival, and I have been telling everyone I know about it.
If you have never been, put it on your bucket list….
This is the kind of world I want to live in. 💛
The Sentinel - watercolour sketch while on the Build. See more artworks of Woodford as cards and prints here
