memorial hall 1967 audience

Head back to 1970 with Isle of Wight Festival organiser, Ray Foulk

Join us at this photographic exhibition in celebration of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival at Afton and the famous public meetings that took place at Freshwater Memorial Hall on 17th and 21st July 1970, when the festival was saved by the local community from the Island ‘big-wigs’ intent upon stopping the event.

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The famous public meetings at Freshwater Memorial Hall decided the fate of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. Were you or your relatives there?

Photos and exhibits from the meetings
In this exhibition, festival organiser Ray Foulk exhibits some of the fantastic photographs from the meetings.

Ray says,

“I took my place on the front row where Rikki had saved me a seat.

“Facing me was a platform of establishment big-wigs and the organisers of the Wootton Ratepayers’ fraternity […] A sea of familiar – and mostly friendly – faces greeted my gaze, punctuated by a heavy smattering of older locals.”

With around a third of the audience undecided, the animated debate swayed the fate of the Festival and saved the Festival from the Island establishment intent upon stopping the event.

See friends and family members who attended in this free exhibition commemorating the Island’s decision to support the Festival.

Takes place at Freshwater Memorial Hall on Saturday 4th June between 11am – 6pm.

An Evening with Ray Foulk
Join us in the evening for a talk by Ray Foulk who will reminisce on the events of the meeting and will be signing copies of his new book, Ray Foulk The Last Great Event with Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison.

This memoir of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival delves into the politics of Island life and explores the early careers of musical legends such as the Who and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

The event, in association with the Isle of Wight Literary Festival, takes place on Saturday 4th June from 7:30pm.

Advance tickets are £6/£4 concessions or tickets on the door are £8/£5 concessions.

Tickets available from the Cabin Newsagents, Dimbola Lodge, County Press, Busstop Gallery, Totland Parish Council, Freshwater Memorial Hall.


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