Found Festival, the UK’s newest boutique festival of music and cultural discovery, has revealed the full programme for its debut event at the scenic Claydon Estate in Buckingham from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August. Its inspiring programme blends the raw beauty of Americana, Folk, Country, Roots, Blues and World music genres with an alluring mix of activities spanning dance, arts, crafts, comedy and more, altogether promising a unique space and time for cultural discovery.
From the family behind Towersey, the UK’s oldest independent festival, Found Festival is setting itself apart from the many other festivals in the UK. Festival Co-Director Joe Heap said: “Found Festival is about participation and discovery. Our music programme is about head-turners, not headliners, and supports grassroots music that we know people are going to love but are yet to discover. We’ve kept the site purposely small so it’s the perfect fit for families or those scared of going to bigger festivals, making it comfortable to explore the abundance of cultural activities on offer.”
At the inaugural Found Festival, attendees can expect world-class music from the multi-award winning Americana artist Elles Bailey; the big-hitting folk trio The Longest Johns; the captivating and genre-defying folk outfit Talisk; Folk Band Of The Year winners Breabach (BBC ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards); the eight-strong London Afrobeat Collective who also combine funk, jazz and dub to deliver a party like no other; and many more.
The Comment and Comedy lineup at Found Festival, curated by Gavin Osborn, features some of the best talent from the world of comedy, literature and poetry, including family-friendly gigs as well as late-night laughs. Unmissable performances are in store from TV-comedy favourite Angela Barnes; writer and co-host of the Sony Gold Award-winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince; the “comic tour de force” David Eagle (the Guardian); the “Scandalously talented” comedy-poet, John Hegley (Sunday Times), plus many more.
Family entertainment is at the heart of Found Festival. There’s so much for all ages to discover in a relaxed, stress-free atmosphere. Curated by comedy and skills performer, Dan The Hat, families can expect enthralling shows from street theatre performers, cabaret and circus artists including, Professor Elemental, Nutty Noah, and Dangerous Dave, and tonnes of workshops, games and activities in aerial, rap, crafts, storytelling, plus a nightly live fire show.
Hands-on experiences are in abundance at Found Festival as organisers encourage guests to take some time out and learn something new. The Heritage Craft Village is a special area at Found to engage the creative spirit, where guests can forage, attend the Woodland Classroom, try blacksmithing, stone carving, needlework, axe throwing, and much more.
While everyone attending Found can go at their own pace, those wanting to keep the feet and body moving will be delighted with the amount of Dance and Movement workshops available including the Ceilidh barn dance, ballet, yoga, tai chi, tango, ballroom, through to more contemporary genres, choirs and tap.
Found Festival will welcome just 2,000 people to its countryside setting. Small and safe, where kids can run free, Found Festival boasts room to breathe and as much space as needed to set up a proper family camp. With a staggered approach to programming, so nothing goes unmissed, organisers promise its community will leave feeling refreshed and reconnected with themselves and the world around them.
Alongside the best, hand-picked street food and craft drinks, and a real focus on learning and experiences beyond the stages, Found aims to enrich the festival market with an alternative approach that leaves visitors feeling relaxed, inspired, and found.
Tickets for Found Festival, including camping for three whole days and nights, are priced from £115 (young person) and £215 (adult), with plenty of camping add-ons available. Payment plans are available too to make this affordable for all.
