How to Plan a Weekend at Hertfordshire’s Festival of Song, Drum and Dance

As the name might suggest, Hertfordshire’s Festival of Song, Drum and Dance is a celebration of the natural world through music and dancing. It’s a fantastic weekend of family-oriented workshops and performances that’s held twice a year in the Harmergreen Wood near Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire. The first Festival of the year is usually held in May and the second in July.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Tickets
• Musical instruments
• Tent
• Torch
• Sleeping bag
• Camping mat or airbed
• Toilet paper and toileteries
• Waterproof clothing
• Sunglasses, suncream and hat

1. Book your tickets for the festival by downloading a booking form from the FSDD website and posting it, along with your payment, to the festival organisers. Prices are about £50 for the weekend for the spring festival (although slightly more for the summer festival) and include all activities and workshops. You can also buy a one day ticket if you don’t plan to stay the whole weekend.
2. Drive or take the train to Harmergreen Wood, where the festivals are held. If you’re driving, the wood is accessible via a footpath that leads from Robbery Bottom Lane in Welwyn Garden City, and there’s a car park directly next to the campsite. If you are travelling by train, you can get a direct service from London to Welwyn North Station, which is a couple of miles away from the site.
3. Set up camp in the festival’s campsite set in over 44 acres of beautiful woodland. The cost of camping is included in a weekend ticket, and the organisers will provide campfires and firewood for you.
4. Check the line-up when you arrive so you don’t miss any of the workshops and performances. They kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday from 7pm, and include drum groups, pottery workshops and African Dance lessons. There are a number of sessions which are specifically suitable for children, however kids over eight are allowed into most workshops if they are accompanied by an adult.
5. Check out the exhibitor stalls selling New Age, organic and Fair Trade goods on the festival site, including a number of stalls selling handmade musical instruments.
6. Take advantage of the relaxing Reiki and reflexology therapies that are on offer for a small charge throughout the course of the festival.
7. Buy an inclusive food ticket for the whole weekend if you don’t want to take your own supplies. For less than £20 you will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner (including tea and coffee) for every day of the festival. Alternatively the festival will also be selling raw barbecue food if you want to cook your own.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don’t own a tent (or don’t want to take yours to the festival) you can hire one from the organisers for a small fee per night; you can even book a place in a communal tent for an even smaller charge. The organisers can also lend out cooking pots for use with camping stoves if you don’t have your own.
• If you’ve forgotten anything, or want to take a break from the festival, there is a small village at the edge of the woods where you can pick up supplies. You’ll find a butcher’s, fish and chip shop, grocer’s, newsagent and post office there.
• The festival offers free entry to anyone who is prepared to give up a few hours of their time to help out with certain duties as part of the site crew during the weekend.
• Don’t forget to bring your own musical instruments to take part in the workshops, as there will only be a limited number available to hire from the festival organisers.
• Electric generators are not allowed at the campsite in case they interfere with the recording of the performances, nor are alcohol or drugs.