In Review: Common People Oxford 2018
There was a great community feel to Common People Oxford 2018. The Bestival team, who organise Common People, invest time in supporting local acts, businesses and charities to make sure the festival gives back to the city as well as bringing a lot of fun along with them!
Set in the natural amphitheatre of South Park in East Oxford, Common People brought together 1000s of festival goers over the May bank holiday weekend. Amid colourful flags, circus rides and green avenues of festivities, an eclectic mix of musical acts performed across 3 stages, including the Uncommon Stage curated by the Nightshift Magazine to bring together an exciting line up of local talent. We loved sets by Death Of The Maiden, Candy Says, Young Women’s Music Project, Low Island and The Great Western Tears. On the Carnival Stage local legend Count Skylarkin got the crowd going with an awesomely summery set full of juicy reggae, ska and dancehall sounds. Oxford club night Simple curated the Sunday night on the Carnival Stage featuring local DJs James Weston and Em Williams who brought the party vibes ahead of headliner Ross From Friends, who entranced fervent fans.
Across the park, through ribbon towers and pompom lanterns, the kids area fizzed with activities created by Pegasus Theatre, The Story Museum and Oxford Playhouse, and Cowley Carnival roving dance troupe caught festival goers imaginations with their joyful and energetic routines, creating flash mobs across the site.
Down the hill towards the Uncommon Stage, the Great Oxfordshire Gin Festival took pride of place beneath the Oxford spires showcasing gins from The Oxford Artisan Distillery and the Cotswold Distillery.
It was great to see local businesses represented at the festival, and delicious food from Taste of Tibet and Happy Cakes saw us through the weekend.
We’ve captured some of our favourite moments from the weekend in pictures >>
It’s so awesome that we have a wonderfully family friendly festival in the heart of the city, bringing together a line up with something for everyone, and that celebrates the local community too. Here’s to Common People 2019!
If you’re eager to find some more local festival fun in the coming summer months, we are blessed with a whole array of festivals in our county. In June we have Flofest and Tandem Festival, for July check out Cowley Carnival, Irregular Folk, Cornbury and Truck Festival, and August sees the return of the magical Wilderness.
Did you get to Common People this year? Are you heading to an Oxfordshire festival over the summer? If so, we’d love to see your pictures! Tag us with #indieOxford on Instagram or Twitter to share your local experiences!
Love, Rosie xxx
