Woodford Folk Festival (sigh*)

For the past few years, the space between Christmas and New Years has been taken up with the Woodford Folk Festival at our house. And over the years its also become a great place to catch up with friends, it's beginning to feel like a home away from home.

This year I was booked to present on the first day in the GREENhouse, so yesterday we headed out to the site and I was on at 11am.

I spoke about Transition Towns and the work they are doing on establishing local food links within communities all round the world.

Then we were free to wander the streets of Woodford, relax and just enjoy ourselves.

Woodford Folk Festival is such a lovely place. Every year the organisers and the visitors create a unique community that exists for only a few days - the Peoples' Republic of Woodford - as its known.

Yesterday I noticed that the Festival actually has a pulse. Everywhere you walk you can hear it - beating away - its more than the beat of a drum or a base, the space has become a living breathing entity and that's its pulse you can feel.

Its such a great place. Everyone is smiling and everyone is happy.

The site is packed with people, tents, marquees and market stalls. Its surrounded with camping spaces and an intricate roads system. You can buy all your fire twirling, puppetry and hula hooping needs there.

There is a mini Woodford (little) Folk Festival especially for children and a Land of Nod space where tired children can take a nap too.

There are street acts and big names - we had a 'Woodford moment' walking back to the car yesterday - stopping to hear Colin Hays (from Men at Work) sing Overkill.

So now I'm no longer a presenter there, we're just a couple of people in the masses watching the acts they've come to see, enjoying the food (huge range available) and the atmosphere.

I particularly love the outfits people wear to Woodford. People really dress up in their finest outfits and costumes for the Festival. Sometimes you think they are performers, but no, just visitors dressed up for the occasion.

No break for me on the soapmaking front though - I'm busy making batches to re-stock after Christmas in between visits to Woodford and catching up with family, friends and visitors.

Hope you're enjoying your break (if you have one!),
Sonya