WOMAD 2018

Our mum about town Kelly Jobanputra is back from enjoying the World's Festival right on our doorstep

 

WOMAD 2018 Review

26-29th July

Charlton Park, Malmesbury

 

By our mum about town - Kelly Jobanputra

WOMAD is the sort of festival which is just the right fit for families. There's as much fun for the children as there is for the adults and 2018's event at Charlton Park was on spectacular form as always.

 

Pics: Womad

The weather to start with was glorious, with Thursday and Friday being full of scorching sunshine, but even when the winds really picked up on the Saturday and the rain then started coming down during that evening, people still had an amazing time at this festival of world music and dance.

This big green area in Wiltshire was transformed into its usual annual magical space full of various stages and my personal favourite was the world of wellbeing (which is where you can go and relax by having a cuppa, a massage or just a little lounge between the trees).

 

Pics: Vikesh Jopanputra

Highlights of this year's festival in terms of performers were Leftfield (who performed Leftism Live), Goldie (who did a DJ set at the same time as Leftfield on a nearby stage), the jazz/afrobeat crew called Ezra Collective and reggae legend Macka B (his set made me smile so much that my faced ached by the end of it).

He just has so much wisdom that he imparts on his audience throughout his show and it's honourable that he's really into a nutritional diet and has even written songs about it!

 

My seven year daughter remembered how much she always loves the world of children section of WOMAD so we made sure to spend a few hours there so that she could get her usual annual arts and crafts fix; most of the activities in there are free or ask for donations and the atmosphere is always uplifting as you hear the constant laughter of little people.

 

Pics: Vikesh Jopanputra

 

The thing we love most about this festival as a family of three (nearly four!) is that you are exposed to so many sounds and bands/solo artists that you wouldn't necessarily come across and that expands your mind and experience in what can only be described as a positive thing. Myself and my husband absolutely love watching our child run around to different tunes from around the world with a massive grin on her face. Music unites us all and WOMAD always feels like home to us.

 

With so many stalls to enjoy, all selling an array of wonderful colourful items, you can easily lose several hours becoming engrossed in what is on offer; this is the first year my daughter paid an active interest in the children's clothes she could see (and so it begins!)

 

I felt the whole weekend went off without a hitch and as usual we felt completely safe as a family at this festival (I go to several every year but I won't take my daughter to many of them).

 

We have come away from this annual event with the excitement of knowing that next year we shall be returning with a nine month old little one in tow.

 

What a wonderful thing to look forward to and I fully believe that your children are never too young to enjoy appropriate music!

 

Kelly