The award-winning festival of music and nature held in the beautiful Chiltern hills at Braziers Park.
What's on at Wood
Alongside a full programme of musical artists on two stages, Wood hosts two days of talks and interviews, and runs over 50 workshops and activities across the Workshop Village, the Teen Tent, and the Kids Tent.
First artists announced...
A long-standing pillar of the UK’s independent pop landscape, Jane Weaver continues to enrapture and expand her legacy in 2024 with a freshly announced tour and an album, ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’, her first since her unanimously lauded top 40 album ‘Flock’. Recalibrating her singular journey in the British musical landscape with her most open-hearted, direct and intimate collection of material yet, 'Love In Constant Spectacle' evokes spectacular imagery and distills the artists’ vision in its purest form, elevating her inimitable sound and poetic vision to new heights. “It’s about searching for joy, wanting to love and feel loved, then uncovering it in unusual places and in the smallest, hidden things in life. Magnified under rocks and stones, it explores connecting with nature and your surroundings as opposed to other people - focusing on autonomy, new beginnings and feeling bewitched” adds Jane. Jane Weaver’s experience as a truly independent and resilient songwriter and sound-carrier commands respect and inspiration in equal measures.
One might be tempted to think of the Deep Dark Woods as a band steeped in capital-T tradition, and that may be true, but now nearly two decades into their life as one of Canada's finest folk-roots ensembles, that tradition is one of their own invention. The voice of founding member Ryan Boldt sits at the forefront of the band, and it doesn't take long to reveal that he is a master of subtlety and shading, working in the lineage of iconic singers like Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch, Rick Danko, and Jason Molina. Boldt, a relentless lifelong listener of music, says “It's all I do. When I'm not playing music, I'm listening to it, trying to find songs that make me feel an aching pain in my chest.” Accordingly, his singing is full of highly emotive nuance and an elegant, relaxed precision that makes it seem downright effortless, a perfect vehicle for the band's particular brand of updated folk music. A brand new album of original music recorded by David Parry (Loving, Alice Phoebe Lou) will be released on Victory Pool throughout 2025 complimented by tours of the UK, Canada, and Europe.
Sophie Jamieson doesn’t shy away from discomfort, or life’s ugly truths. The subjects of her songwriting are put to unflinching examination, often revealing aspects of the human character that most would rather turn away from. Need, desperation and anger simmer through her songs, but are balanced by an unsentimental acceptance of life’s painful contradictions. All of this is carried by a deep, raw voice which pivots from wobbling vulnerability to soaring, pent-up longing unleashed. On stage, Sophie digs deep into the darkest corners of the human spirit. Her performances are inescapably intimate and intense, earning her supports for the likes of Father John Misty, Ezra Furman and Marika Hackman to name a few. Her debut album, “Choosing” received widespread critical acclaim for its candid examination of the self-destructive urge, with high praise from the likes of Uncut, Mojo and The Financial Times. Her second LP, “I still want to share” will be released on Bella Union in January 2025. A warm, yearning record of flourished ambition, expanded heart and emboldened voice, Sophie is not slowing down in her commitment to hold nothing back, to face the ugly longings of the human race with love, curiosity and acceptance.
We are thrilled that we are once again able to welcome the one and only NICK COPE, who has been writing and recording his beautiful and unique songs for children and adults for well over a decade now. Nick has an incredible fan base from all over the UK, which has grown even more over the last few years due to the phenomenal success of his CBeebies show, Nick Cope's Popcast, featuring Wood’s very own Joe Bennett in the Popcast band! Nick is a Wood festival institution; there’s no better sight than the main arena standing room only with ‘kids’ aged 0-75 years on a Sunday morning (even the teenagers!). Nick has a way of reaching into people's hearts with his songs of the everyday, igniting children's imagination in an organic, unpatronizing, educational and fun way.
Kindling
This is our space for kindling ideas and revolution, hosted by hedgehog-loving ecologist and author Hugh Warwick.Hugh's amazing list of guests over the years has included the legendary Peggy Seeger, environmental and political activist and author, George Monbiot, Guardian columnist Nell Frizzell and “Infinite Monkey Cage” comic Robin Ince.
More information about what's happening in Kindling in 2025 will be available soon...
Peggy Seeger, 2023
George Monbiot, 2022
Filmmaker Lucy Michaels, 2023
Try something new!
Wood Festival offers workshops and activities for all ages. Past workshops have included Harmony Singing, Poetry Writing, Natural Dyeing, Spinning, and Weaving, Macrame, Woodworking, Pilates, Shamanic Journeying, T'ai Chi, Shasiko, Meditation, Yoga, Poi, An Intro to Solar Power, Reflexology, Upcycling, Tie Dye T-shirts, Acrobatic Yoga, Wildflower Seed Bombs, An Intro to Reiki, Nature Walks, Beekeeping and many more!
More information about workshops in 2025 coming soon...
There's lots to do in the Kids Tent- from making a flute from a carrot to amazing puppet shows, the Kids Tent has crafts and activities for everyone. Past activities in the Kids Tent include: mini-mosaics, Boogie Mites dance, yoga, singing and drama, family life drawing, jewellery making and more.
The Teen Tent at Wood has had flying yoga, creative writing, clay sculpting, drama and improvisation workshops, a table tennis tournament AND cycle powered karaoke.., Don't worry teens, parents can help pedal!
Make sure to check back soon to find what activities we have planned for kids and teens planned in 2025.
event photos by Fyrefly Studios
Location
Braziers Park Camp Field, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 6AN
Opening Times
Doors open 3pm Friday 16th May.
Campers must depart by 11am Monday 19th May.
Music starts 5 pm Friday.
Workshops and activities, including the Kids Tent, start 8 am Saturday.
Braziers Park Camp Field, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 6AN
What3words for campsite: bought.cubed.movie
BUS: Braziers Park is served by the X40 Thames Travel service connecting to Oxford, Wallingford and Reading. The Braziers Lane stop is a request stop so ask the driver, and it’s a 5 minute walk to the festival site from the stop. Take care if crossing the busy A4074. You should be able to see the yellow AA signs and other event signage.
TRAIN: It’s best to go to Reading station and then catch theX40 bus to Braziers Park, as these buses run from just outside the station. Goring & Streatley Station is around 40-60 minutes walk with steep hills and no buses- occasionally taxis.
To catch a bus from Reading railway station, leave the station at the main entrance, cross the road opposite and make your way to bus stop EB. The bus takes approximately 30-35 minutes.
There is a £20 (weekend) parking charge.
Please note: cars with 3 or more occupants receive a £5 rebate; single-occupancy vehicles will be charged a further £5 on arrival.
We recommend parking is purchased in advance.
Why not try Liftshare?
Liftshare is free to use and helps people who are going to the same place connect to share lifts. There is a dedicated Liftshare Community for people attending festivals.
Camper van passes for 2024 have sold out.
You will require a separate camper van ticket – available from the ticket page.
Camper vans must not exceed 6m in length.
Camper vans will be sited in the main field.
3 nights camping in the beautiful surrounds of Braziers Park, Oxfordshire, is included with your weekend tickets.
We need to keep an emergency access lane through the campsite, and also to make sure there is room for everyone to camp; please pitch your tent sensibly and co-operate with any requests from our friendly campsite stewards.
We regret that no gazebos are allowed in the campsite.
For your safety the campsite is monitored 24 hours.
Luxury bell tents for 2 - 4 people are available to hire from our friends at Beautiful-Bells.co.uk.
Your tent will be ready and waiting for you on your arrival at the festival!
Includes:
5m cream canvas bell tent furnished with flooring, rug, cushions, mirror, bedside tables, LED lanterns, fairy lights and REAL plants.
Beds and mattresses - each single comes with additional memory foam topper, duvet with cover, fitted sheet, 2 pillows with cases and additional blankets.
Bell tents can be booked when purchasing tickets for the event.
A limited number of rooms can be booked in Braziers Park house.
Please contact Braziers Park directly to book – 01491 680 221
Our wood-fired showers will be running throughout the weekend.
This area will be open from 8 am - 6 pm.
Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
The equipment in this area is challenging and potentially dangerous.
Children play at their own risk.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Children under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
Children aged 13-17 need to have a Teen ticket.
Children 2 and under need to have a Child ticket.
Children under the age of 2 go free but we do ask that you include them in your purchase so we know who's coming.
We kindly ask that all children under 13 wear wristbands with the phone number of their parent or guardian. These wristbands will be provided when you arrive at the main entrance to the festival.
We have accessible parking, camping and toilet facilities.
A discounted ticket is available for carers accompanying a child/children with a disability or if you’re a carer accompanying an adult or teen with a disability.
Please contact us for further details.
Please report any issues or concerns to Festival HQ. Someone in our team will be able to direct you to the help you need.
We’re sorry but dogs must stay at home. This field is used for grazing when we are not here.
Open fires are not allowed. You are warmly invited to sit around the main campfire from dusk ‘til late.
You can have a raised BBQ for cooking purposes only. This needs to be raised off the ground and leave no trace when you go home.
All the toilets are composting. Don't knock it until you try it!
Here's what people have to say about them:
"..much more environmentally friendly and much nicer to use." -Laura M.
"It proves that you don't have to go to the loo in a horrible plastic box that smells awful."- Sam I.
"Some of the nicest loos on a festival site that I've ever used!" -George U.
Food Stalls and Trading at Wood
If you sell ethically sourced, fairly traded, traceable goods in environmentally friendly packaging and would like to trade at Wood, please get in touch!
Keep up to date with all the latest news!