Festival is held in beautiful farm meadows, and offers educational nature activities for children, live music, camping, food and drink and much more
A three-day family festival celebrating nature and the environment - billed as 'Wildlife, WildFood, WildMusic' - takes place near Honiton at the end of June.
The Goren Festival is held at Goren Farm, Stockland, on a site with wildflower meadows, fields, woodland and a stream. As well as plenty of live music, there will be stalls selling street food and drink, and a host of educational nature activities for children, including forest school, hay jumping, moth trapping, bat walks and stargazing. They can also learn archery, pottery and circus skills. Adults can take part in workshops and yoga sessions, and enjoy late-night jamming sessions with the musicians.
Goren Farm is a haven for native wildlife and plants. It has long been managed in a traditional way, with no chemicals or machinery. It has a herd of Ruby Red Devon cattle and a flock of Polled Dorset sheep, and also grows vegetables and produces apple juice and cider. Because of the huge variety of wild flowers in its ancient meadows, Goren Farm also has a business selling the seeds.
The festival is only in its third year. The first event, in 2016, was organised by Stockland Primary School after the farm's owner Julian Pady, the father of a pupil, offered up the farm as a venue for music, entertainment and camping. Around 1,200 people attended.
Word got around, and several bands expressed interest in playing at the 2017 festival, so a barn stage was set up. Several nature charities became involved and the event became bigger. Last year Laura Bateman came on board as organiser, with the aim of making the festival more cohesive and professional, without making it too large-scale or compromising its integrity. She and her committee increased the range of activities for adults and children, and arranged an even more extensive line-up of music and entertainment.
This year's Goren Festival runs from Friday, June 28 - Sunday 30. For information, and to book tickets, clickhere
For those who cannot attend the festival, the farm holds open evenings throughout June and July, when visitors are welcome to bring food and drink and use the picnic furniture around the site. For details click here
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