Northern Green Gathering Wakefield reviews by real event-goers
Reviews of Northern Green Gathering in Wakefield
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Showing the latest reviews from all events held at Northern Green Gathering.
Review of Northern Green Gathering
I've been attending both this and Green Gatherings in the south for a long time. Though the Green Gathering in Chepstow is no longer labelled as "Big", it's still a lot larger than its northern namesake. That isn't a criticism of NGG: its size lends itself to a more intimate atmosphere.
I've been to the various sites where NGG been held, and have to say that this one, near Normanton, is ideal. It has the advantage that most of the camping area is relatively flat. Tap water is easy to access. The compost toilets take a bit of getting used to, but they are clean and well-stocked with loo rolls and sawdust.
There were talks by assorted campaign groups, but I found the Permaculture Area especially interesting and welcoming. Having had my memory refreshed by an introductory talk, I went on to learn about using batteries with solar panels, eco-friendly building materials, and went on a bee recognition walk.
There was some very enjoyable music, of varied types. I'm not a ska fan, but I was very impressed by the energy and musical ability of Rookie Numbers. Their lead singer must have run a marathon equivalent on the spot. The main alternative was the DJs' tent, and the two venues were far enough apart not to interfere with each other's sounds. It's an off-grid festival, and, in the DJ tent, you could listen to the music inside, dance, and pedal away on the fixed array of cycles to power the music.
The food was varied - Veggies - as you'd expect, with their tasty burgers, but also stalls selling baked potatoes, pizzas, dal, vegan fish and chips. and porridge! There was also a pergola with tables and seats , where you could eat or relax.. The beer tent sold a delicious range of real ale brews ,at a reasonable price, with very efficient bar staff.
There were the usual stalls selling clothes and ornaments, but you could also try your hand hand at bodging, weaving, and face-painting. Phone charging was, of course, solar-powered. There seemed to be a lot on for children.
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Review of Northern Green Gathering 2024
The NGG is smaller than the Green Gathering but no less vital and buzzing, and with a quite distinct energy. The event ran like clockwork in its new location at Normanton, near Wakefield. For music, there was the excellent cycle-powered disco with its many competent DJs, plus a silent disco with a very danceable hip-hop channel keeping to noise-abatement rules into the wee small hours. The main stage featured two stunning bands headlining on Friday, then Saturday. The ska and Madness-insipred wall of energy Rookie Numbers had a happy crowd bouncing along to their tireless, ultra-animated show on Friday. On Saturday, tight-as-a-drum Kontiki dazzled with twinned guitar and bass, precision-timed against flawless drumming. The bar had better beer and cider at a cheaper price than the GG and all the food stalls produced tasty, healthy fair, especially my favourite Dal-Licious. The event felt connected to its venue with the young farmer beating its bounds with a few of us on Sunday, filling us in on the History of the place (a skirmish near the Battle of Wakefield on site, amongst other tidbits) and he was a welcome presence throughout. Being a recycling-mad Green Gathering, the place was kept impeccably tidy by everyone, and the atmosphere all weekend was happy, relaxed and friendly. We've been told Wakefield Council has given the results a big thumbs-up, so hopefully the NGG has found a permanent site - it would be great to see it grow there.
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