Festival Fun

I haven't had a wash since Thursday, my hair resembles a rat's nest and I've lost the ability to string a coherent sentence together - it can only mean one thing, its the Great British festival season.

This weekend took us to The Acoustic Festival of Britain, a few miles down the road in Uttoxeter. The Guardian call it a massive strumfest whereas we'd describe it as a small scale event popular with a bizarre mix of folk fond of dressing up and serious music fans.

Druids, folk dancers, Masai tribes people, belly dancers.....

That's the lovely Chico on my right, meeting him was one of my festival highlights.

.....welcomed us with open arms.

The weekend didn't start well with torrential rain, grey skies and plummeting temperatures. The site was flooded, the electrics failed and the local council's health and safety inspectors threatened to shut down the festival before it even started.

Luckily a corporate background has its advantages, my risk assessment, fire procedure, signage, first aid kit and fire extinguisher passed with flying colours and, unlike some unfortunate traders, Kinky was allowed to stay. 

Its a great little festival but you won't make any money said more than one stall holder as we were setting up, which didn't fill us with much confidence, but as we were the only vintage traders out of over 70 trade pitches at least we were offering something a little different to the usual Indian hippy clobber.

Wearing: 1970s Van Allen maxi (eBay, 7 years ago), fake fur coat (£7, retail, 2012)

Day one (Friday) was bastard freezing, but the bags of premixed Mojitos, cans of pear cider and dancing kept off the frostbite until we fell into bed fully clothed at midnight.

Wearing: Kali tee shirt (Goa), Diesel Black Label waistcoat (Charity shop), Tootal scarf (car boot sale), Vintage jumbo cords (jumble sale)

We employed the same strategy on Day Two (Saturday). I was able to get into the mosh pit and freak out to The Counterfeit Stones with some new found friends while Jon held the fort. 

Wearing: Egon Shop metallic maxi (Courtesy of darling Curtise), Neon feather earrings (50p, Superdrug, 2012), Ted Lapidus vintage sunglasses (Charity shop, 2009)

That warmed me up enough to cast off the coat for a few hours.

Our stall was right opposite the Solar Stage so we got a prime view of the acts from the comfort of our deckchairs. Eric Faulkner formerly of The Bay City Rollers (which probably won't mean a thing to you if you're not British, female or under 45) went down a storm.

 After another night of sleeping fully dressed, we woke on Day Three (Sunday) to glorious sunshine. 

Wearing: Raf Simons tee shirt (charity shop), 1950s Levis Panatella shorts (flea market, Goa), 1970s needlecord trilby (present from a friend)

  The woman who can spend months lying on tropical beaches to no ill effect managed to burn herself to a crisp.

Wearing: 1970s Prova maxi (Sarah Misfit), Wood beads (handmade by Tania), Neon peace sign earrings (off the market), Lime juice carton bangle (Senora Allnut)

A 1960s Hawaiian maxi dress found itself a home with the man who ran a techno/rave spoons workshop. 

Despite the mostly denim and fleece-clad crowd Kinky's stock was surprisingly well received with Jon's boom boxes proving hugely popular.

What a weekend!

Just enough time to recover, recharge and restock ready to do it all over again next weekend.

See you soon!

Linking to Patti and the gang over at Visible Monday.