More Than Just Music
It’s a well-known fact that Nozstock is about more than just the late-night boogying…
During those glorious (hopefully!) sun-soaked festival mornings and afternoons, all farm-dwellers are invited to take a stroll around our very own ramshackle Nozstock Village. Indulge in a spot of pampering, treat yourself to an al-fresco lunch or even unleash some crafting abilities within yourself that you never knew you had…
If you’re after a quiet, reflective space amidst the festival hubbub, want to re-centre yourself after the late-night festivities, or are simply hankering for a relaxing massage to soothe some sleeping-bag induced aches, the Yeleni Healing Area is the place for you. Every year the lovely folk from the Yeleni Therapy & Support Centre in Hereford come to the farm with a varied programme of workshops and therapies including massage, meditation and yoga. The money they raise each year at Nozstock – which, in 2016 was over £2,500 – supports them in their work with those living with chronic illnesses. You can unwind in the hands of Yeleni’s trained specialists, safe in the knowledge that your pennies are going towards helping others feel better too – what more could you ask for?
After Yeleni have picked you up, untied all your knots and got you back on your feet, why not have a look-see what’s happening in the Craft area, tucked cosily behind all the action of the Orchard Stage.
Bryce’s Greenwood Workers will be on hand producing marvellous creations out of locally sourced wood, while local woodworker Mark Evans will be once again gracing the farm with his presence to assemble the most remarkable sculptures and objects before your very eyes – and keep an eye out for Brendan Rock’s wood-carvings, hidden in nooks and crannies around the farm. If you’re looking for something a bit edgier, our resident Chainsaw Carvers will be back, creating intricate sculptures with just a block of wood, a chainsaw and (hopefully) a steady hand! Mushroom Paul will be back, providing chainsaw-carved mushrooms and toadstools for you to take a pew, and even craft your very own little fungi from wood and copper.
If just the thought of this has your hands itching to get creatin’, make sure to get yourself down to the sustainable textiles costume-making workshop hosted by the lovely ladies at My Ella, who make it their mission to help people express their creativity while doing their bit for the planet. They will be providing all the recycled materials you could need to create some surreal-iously weird costumes to help you stand out around the farm. Finally, there’s nothing quite as surreal as the ancient and inexplicable folk-customs of England, as you can learn for yourself in the Morris Dancing Workshop brought to you by the weird and wonderful Morris Team. You’ll be be-ribboned and bell-shaking before you know it…
If you’re wanting to treat yourself to a spot of breakfast, lunch or dinner – that you didn’t have to cook for yourself, crouched over a camping stove – there’ll be a wide array of food vendors on hand to cater to (just about) every wish.
To get those engines running of a morning, check out Get Your Oats Here for authentic traditional oatcakes amongst other tasty breakfast goods. For a real kickstart, take a leaf out of Agent Cooper’s book and pick up a cup of joe from Callum’s Real Coffee, or, if you’re feeling wholesome, an organic smoothie or fruit juice from A Glass of Joy. Whether your vibe is more Parisian chic or homemade-Shrove-Tuesday-memories, Happy Crepes will be here to fulfill your pancake needs, or channel a backyard British summer BBQ with a quality, locally-reared burger or banger from Happy Herefords.
Just because you’re in a field doesn’t mean you have to abandon all the comforts of home: Spuds u Love will be paying homage to the wonder that is the humble baked potato in all its forms, while The Fish and Chip Shed will be setting up shop to ply you all with Britain’s favourite cod-n-carb combo. If a good cuppa is all you need to perk you up, the Tea & Toast van will be serving what it says on the tin round the clock. But remember, you’re on holiday, after all, and you won’t have to travel far across the farm to sample a range of exotic culinary delights, like warming curries from Authentic India, a mouthwatering selection of Thai and pan-Asian street food favourites from Somtam Street, or deliciously fresh kebabs and mezze from The Middle Feast. Don’t forget to get friendly with Los Amigos and their delicious burritos, but make sure to save room for pudding – come rain or shine, what could be better than a scoop (or three) of ice-cream served from a vintage VW van, courtesy of The Splitscreen Icecream Company? If all else fails, Gallop Toasties will be here serving up the ultimate comfort snack – peace and a general sense of wellbeing between two slices of bread.
All that plus a host of stalls offering official Nozstock merchandise, vintage clothes and jewellery, glitter, face-paint, fancy-dress and just about every kind of shiny bauble you could ask for – as well as plenty of homegrown and reasonably-priced bars to keep you hydrated with local ciders and specially themed cocktails (keep an eye out for this year’s crop of surrealistic puns). Let’s hope you manage to find the time to actually see some music amongst it all…
