This year’s Great Wonderfest festival at Duxmore Farm WILL go ahead, despite almost every other large event cancelling their plans for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Visitors will be able to pre-book a 3m x 3m pitch for 6 people in the main arena, which will allow for social distancing. This will be an exclusive area for you and your family to enjoy – but creates somewhat of a pen-like setting.
There will also be a food court with outside seating that can be pre-booked, alongside takeaway services.
All the to-be-expected hand washing facilities will also be in place, alongside contactless payment.
For camping, pre-erected Bell Tents and Tipis will be available to hire. Caravans will be able to pre-book a specific space.
Many other large scale events such as Cowes Week, Jack Up the Summer, the Scooter Rally and The Chale Show, as well as all of the Island’s carnivals, have cancelled or postponed this year making Great Wonderfest one of the only events still taking place.
Large gatherings are still not permitted, but meeting with 5 other people in an open space is.
The festival has been moved back to the August Bank Holiday Weekend (28th-30th August) from its original dates.
The line-up is to be confirmed shortly.
A Great Wonderfest spokesperson has said:
“We’re excited to announce that the Great Wonderfest is launching a new, safe family festival concept for the August Bank Holiday.
“The Isle of Wight is known as ‘Festival Island’ so it seems fitting that the Great Wonderfest should be leading the way. Safe and spacious are our watchwords and a lot of thought and thorough planning has gone into developing the idea and ensuring that safety guidelines and the latest Government advice are adhered to every step of the way.
“We hope it will go a long way in helping our live event industry get back to its world-beating best.”
That will surely bring the infection rate up on the island bringing thousands here to party. Sounds like a great idea just as the rate is tailing off locally.
Get ready for a spike at the end of August/ start of September. ♂️
Have the organisers escaped from a funny farm what are they thinking blithering idiots
BOGEYS!!!!!!!!
Stupid. “The Isle of Wight will be known as Covid Island” if this is allowed to go ahead.
I wonder who received a brown fat envelope to get this passed
Stop the ferry doesn’t this come under unnecessary travel Muppets money grabbers no consideration for peoples health
You don’t have to go
NO but it is the ‘ongoing’ risk from the thick that DO go we are worried about.
I could not care less if others go and catch such, it is the FACT that they will then spread it to others before they are gasping for their last breath which IS the ‘issue’ here.
No but we must listen to a load of rubbish. That travels when the wind blows.wonder crap.
Even if you don’t go, the people are still here and mixing with locals……
charge anyone who comes over an extra £100 to give to the hospital in advance why should the island have to pay for their ignorance
This cannot possibly work. Loud music equals people shouting in each other’s ear at very close proximity. Alcohol equals loss of inhibition. A perfect recipe for COVID disaster. This is why pubs and theatres are not being allowed any form of entertainment.
Vile chav’s drugged with their numerous clones wearing earphones so their tattooed ‘partner’ can get a photo of “Tyler’s first festy.”
God help this country, it is doomed many innocent will die a slow painful death because of selfish greed for a few hours of pleasure. Great.
Covid 19 is a reasonably fast death compared to other illness. You pass out through lack of oxygen pretty quickly in just days, better then withering away from end of life care, zero food and water in a hospital bed which takes a good 2 weeks which is 90% of end of life patients in the hospital right now. Starving to death (Nil by mouth) is apparently acceptable in hospital if you are terminal. Covid 19 is not that painful, its not like cancer etc.. theres worst ways to go 🙂
Utter selfish, irresponsible madness. Have they no consideration for the lives and potential deaths of others?
Council need to put a STOP too it….
Somebody needs to step in and cancel it….many countries are reporting a 2nd wave of COVID 19 won’t b long before we will get it
What are the organisers thinking of – other than money.
The council need to get real and ban this now.
It is utter madness.
The pr blurb about the safety precautions is just that. It is not doable.
Human nature being what it is it will be impossible for the organisers to carry out a festival safely as they propose to.
It will not be a positive thing for the Isle of Wight as being put forward by the Wonderfest spokesman ,it will make us a laughing stock.
Wonderfest claim their partners include our ferry companies. They may be wise to distance themselves from this advertising.
This will be a very real threat to safety on the Isle if Wight. Get real and ba. it now.
Are the organisers in crowd couckoo land. Reconsider or can Council stop it.
Have they been granted a license? if so who by?
The organisers are putting money before the safety of the Island, the Council needs to step in and get a postponment until next year .
From what I hear you could have social distanced at this event last year it was so quiet! Organisers are just trying to recoup their losses. Selfish and irresponsible. I hope the police and the council step in and do the right thing.
hire your own pig pen lol
why is it we have cancelled every carnival and all other events including cowes week festivals and any gathering that we rely to help charity’s but allow a back handed show
Over 40000 people have died so far and there will more, stop this nonsense.!
I’m guessing, they may have been given their licence last year.
Whether the Council can now ban it, i’m not sure how they would stand legally.
I feel it should be cancelled on various grounds, a lot to do with the virus.
Wonders if Bob can do anything about it or is he fully supporting it?
Depends if anybody is selling sausages or not
Excellent news, I shall be dusting of my dancing jacket. What progressive thinking to steam full ahead and open for business. What a great place the wight is.
Come to the Island and attend “COVID FEST” take away a long lasting memory of this festival, permanent health damage or the loss of a friend or loved one.
This needs banning now typical wealth before health Bob Seeley man up and BAN IT
Why so many of you moaning…wear your masks and rubber gloves and everything will be ok 🙂
Grab the loo roll we’re in for a second wave by september and all this winter!