EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTING 25 YEARS OF ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL COMING TO NEWPORT THIS SUMMER

Did you know that this year is the 25th Isle of Wight Festival? To celebrate this milestone, the ‘Experience the Isle of Wight Festival’ exhibition – which highlights the event throughout the years – will be on display in Newport this summer. Dimbola will be bringing the colourful exhibition that ran at Freshwater last summer, featuring the amazing artwork and artists from the past 22 years such as Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, along with new pieces that haven’t yet been seen. The exhibition is to be renamed ‘Experience 25’, and will encompass the 3 original festivals (1968, 69 & 70), and will be held at the Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council exhibition space at 64 High Street, Newport from June 3rd to July 29th. Ray Foulk, who organised the 1968, 1969 and 1970 festivals with his brothers, will be bringing some of his iconic archive to be part of the ‘Experience 25’ exhibition, featuring artists such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. This is the first time that an exhibition paying homage to all of the Isle of Wight Festivals will be seen in one place: Ray Foulk said:

“My family is delighted to contribute to this commemorative show with historic items and archives. It is with great pride that our embryonic rock festivals of more than half a century ago have been so successfully and splendidly revived. 22 years of visionary enterprise has guaranteed the Island’s formidable prowess in the wider world of contemporary music.”

John Giddings said:

“The iconic Isle of Wight festival 1970 was the Woodstock of Europe, but the IOW Council in their wisdom decided to ban it for 32 years in the form of an act of parliament – allowing others to pick up the baton… “They allowed us to restart it for the Queen’s jubilee, and it has gone from strength to strength – re-establishing this small island off the south coast of England as a worldwide brand. “Here is a celebration of the last 21 years, with the original 3 years added by kind courtesy of Ray Foulk, without whom it, it would not exist… “And this year makes it the 25th – enjoy !!”

There is no entrance fee to the exhibition, but there will be a shop to raise money for Dimbola, which will be selling Isle of Wight Festival T Shirts and posters – including a new vintage line in clothing. ‘Experience 25’ is being staged at the exhibition venue of the Community Council for Newport and Carisbrooke at 64 High Street, Newport. It will be open 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday but also over the Isle of Wight Festival weekend (Saturday June 22nd and Sunday June 23rd) and some Saturdays. Dimbola is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, and we invite a few more volunteers to help out in the Experience 25 exhibition. If you are interested in volunteering in the exhibition, please contact Jo at [email protected] or on 07971107030.