Fairport's Cropredy Convention facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fairport's Cropredy Convention |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre |
|
| Dates | Second weekend in August |
| Location(s) | Cropredy, England |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Founded by | Fairport Convention |
| Capacity | 20,000 |
Fairport's Cropredy Convention is a yearly music festival. It features folk and rock music. The festival is led by the famous British folk-rock band Fairport Convention. It takes place near the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. This event has happened every August since 1976.
Up to 20,000 people come to Fairport's Cropredy Convention each year. The festival has one main stage in a big, sloped field. There are also other fun activities. These include Morris dancing in the streets. You can also find live music at the village's two pubs.
Contents
History of the Festival
The festival started small in July 1976. It was a private show for about 750 people. The band Fairport Convention played in a village garden. The next year, they did it again, but this time it was open to everyone.
In 1978, the event became more organized. It moved to a bigger spot behind the Cropredy village school. On August 4, 1979, the band played their "farewell" show there. About 4,500 people came to see it. The band promised to have yearly reunions. From then on, the festival became a key way for the band to stay connected. It was also a way for fans to show their support.
At the first reunion in 1980, the festival grew. It became a two-day event with more guest performers. In 1981, the festival moved to Broughton Castle. This was because there wasn't a good spot in Cropredy that year. A live album called Moat on the Ledge was recorded there.
The festival returned to Cropredy the next year. It has stayed there ever since. The festival grounds have grown over time. Even when Fairport Convention wasn't actively playing as a band (1980-1985), the festival kept getting bigger. After the band reformed in 1985, the festival became their main place. They would play new songs and old favorites there.
From 1981 to 1999, the festival lasted two days. In 2000, it expanded to three days. It now runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The festival always happens on the second full weekend in August. It was first called "the Cropredy reunion." Then it became "Cropredy Festival." In 2005, it changed its name to Fairport's Cropredy Convention. In 2007, all tickets sold out before the event for the first time. This happened again in 2014.
In 2008, a big video screen was added to the stage. That year was also special because no thefts were reported from the campsites. This shows how friendly and safe the festival is.
From 2010 to 2012, parts of the festival were shown on Sky Arts TV. Radio DJ Bob Harris hosted a documentary about it. Later, highlights were put on YouTube. Since 2015, Fairport Convention's Saturday night show has been uploaded to their official YouTube channel. In 2020, the festival was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, full shows from the 2019 festival were streamed online.
A documentary called Summer by The Cherwell was released in 2020. It celebrated 40 years of the festival.
What Happens at the Festival?
The festival is mostly organized by Gareth Williams, the Festival Director. Simon Nicol and Dave Pegg, who are both in Fairport, also help a lot. Fairport Convention starts the festival on Thursday evening. They play an acoustic set (without electric instruments). They also close the festival on Saturday night.
Most people who come to the festival camp there. There are eight camping fields next to the main stage area. One field is just for families. Fairport's Cropredy Convention is for all ages. It focuses on families and is known for being very friendly and safe.
Besides lots of live music, there are many stalls. You can buy clothes, books, CDs, and food. There's also a very large bar. It sells special beer called cask ale from a brewery called Wadworth. Both festival-goers and musicians use this bar. There is no special bar just for performers. This means you can often meet the musicians at Cropredy.
Recently, live music has played from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, it plays from noon until midnight.
The festival now features a wider range of music styles. It has grown beyond its original folk roots. Bands like Status Quo, the Buzzcocks, Dreadzone, and Supergrass have played there. Many other famous acts have appeared. These include Robert Plant, Alice Cooper, Lonnie Donegan, Procol Harum, Steeleye Span, Eliza Carthy, Yusuf Islam, and Oysterband.
Festival Warm-Up Shows
Before the main festival, fans can get a sneak peek. Fairport Convention plays "warm-up" concerts. These happen on the Monday and Tuesday before the festival. Until 2007, these shows were at the Mill Arts Centre in Banbury. From 2007 to 2010, they were at Woodford Halse Social Club. Woodford Halse is a village about nine miles from Cropredy. The shows returned to The Mill in 2011.
In 2017, the warm-up shows moved again. They now take place at Banbury Trades And Labour Club.
Past Performances
The main band that played is usually listed last for each day.
2023 Performances
On December 12, 2022, it was announced that the festival would happen on August 10, 11, and 12, 2023. The main band on Friday was 10cc. Other performers included Toyah & Robert Fripp, Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri, Gilbert O’Sullivan, and the last UK show for Strawbs.
2022 Performances
- Thursday, August 11, 2022
- The Trevor Horn Band
- Clannad
- Edward II
- Thumping Tommys
- Fairport Convention Acoustic
- Friday, August 12, 2022
- Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited
- Turin Brakes
- Sharon Shannon
- Slambovian Circus of Dreams
- Martyn Joseph
- Home Service
- Emily Barker
- Maddie Morris
- Saturday, August 13, 2022
- Fairport Convention & Friends (including Full House)
- Richard Thompson
- The Matthews Baartmans Experience
- Rosalie Cunningham
- The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
- Holy Moly & The Crackers
- Seth Lakeman
2021 and 2020 Cancellations
The festival did not happen in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival also did not happen in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019 Performances
- Thursday, August 8, 2019
- Fairport Acoustic
- Lil'Jim
- Tors
- The Waterboys
- Friday, August 9, 2019
- The 4 of Us
- Wildwood Kin
- Will Pound & Eddy Jay
- Wilson & Wakeman
- Caravan
- Seth Lakeman
- Richard Thompson & Friends
- Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls
- Saturday, August 10, 2019
- Richard Digance
- Daphne's Flight
- Tide Lines
- Zal Cleminson's /sin'dogs/
- Martin Barre Band plays 50 years of Jethro Tull
- Martin Simpson
- Fairport Convention & Friends
2018 Performances
- Thursday, August 9, 2018
- Fairport Acoustic
- Smith & Brewer
- Police Dog Hogan
- Oysterband
- Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds
- Friday, August 10, 2018
- Mera Royle & friends (Scran) (BBC R2 YFA Winner)
- Midnight Skyracer
- The Travelling Band
- Cregan & Co
- Le Vent Du Nord
- Fish
- Kate Rusby
- Levellers
- Saturday, August 11, 2018
- Richard Digance
- Eric Sedge
- The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
- Will Varley
- Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
- Afro Celt Sound System
- Al Stewart
- Fairport Convention & Friends
2017 Performances
- Thursday, August 10, 2017
- Fairport Acoustic Convention
- Feast of Fiddles
- Show of Hands
- The Trevor Horn Band
- The Divine Comedy
- Friday, August 11, 2017
- Josie Duncan and Pablo Lafuente
- The Gerry Colvin Band
- Quill
- Gigspanner Big Band
- CC Smugglers
- Pierce Brothers
- Petula Clark
- Richard Thompson
- Saturday, August 12, 2017
- Morris On
- Judy Dyble and the Band of Perfect Strangers
- Plainsong
- Cats in Space
- Marillion
- Dougie MacLean
- Fairport Convention & Friends
See also
- List of folk festivals
- List of historic rock festivals
