Year 10 Medina College student, Ellie Chambers, shares some thoughts on the latest Rhythmtree Festival, which took place over 8th-10th July. In her own words. Ed
Earlier this month Rhythmtree Festival returned to the Isle of Wight, this time at Sticelett Farm, a new, but secluded location.
A relaxing, family festival with such a unique feel, it’s unsurprising that this year was the festival’s tenth year running.
Initial thoughts: ‘Idyllic’
As I entered the festival, I was greeted with a natural atmosphere – there were a few rides and stalls, but it was relatively green and spacious, it felt calm.
The site is perched on a hill overlooking the Solent. It was a very hot and clear day so it looked as if the mainland was within walking distance – an idyllic venue, even more so, due to the weather we had.
Unexpected finds
Next I headed over to ‘This is Nowhere’ a small area, the stage being a metallic caravan, there we watched an Island band called Catkin Falls.
They were an incredible band – their songs were melodic and beautiful, embracing the essence of the festival.
That’s another reason why Rhythmtree is great, you don’t know what you’ll discover.
An eco-friendly festival in a unique, memorable way
All of the festival is eco-friendly, re-useable cups are given instead of plastic ones to reduce plastic waste, a great alternative that is both good for the environment and a way for festival-goers to remember their time, using the cup as memorabilia.
Fun for all the family
As Rhythmtree is a family festival, there were lots of things for kids to do. For example, there was almost constant entertainment in Rhythmtree’s kids’ field from around 11am-6pm, including performances from Huxley Magic and an acrobatics group.
There were workshops that kids could get involved with, such as build your own willow fish; this ensured kids were entertained in a fun and creative way.
Rhythmtree headliners: ‘Timeless songs that bring people together’
The penultimate act on the Sunday was IBIBO Sound Machine, who offered an original fusion of African and dance music.
They helped the audience become more energetic and upbeat as we danced along to their music, some people doing some pretty complex moves!
I asked fellow festival-goer, and my dad, Matthew Chambers, who his favourite act were, he said,
“My favourite were The Wailers, great tunes and the crowd were together as one, timeless songs that bring people together”
Find more out about Rhythmtree on their Website.
