Where do the roots of the festival come from?

Over a decade ago now, a really small team of us set out to create a one of a kind festival experience! We wanted to push the boundaries of festivals and bring together everything that we love; underground music, theatre and performance and creativity into something unprecedented. We really wanted to show the world what festivals meant to us. To share our passion with people of all ages and all backgrounds and bring our ever-evolving vision and unique all consuming festival experience to life in a fictitious city.

When did you decide to create the ongoing immersive storyline? Do you feel the immersive elements of the event separate Boomtown in a crowded festival market?

The storyline has always been there, it has just become more elaborate and prominent as the years have progressed. It evolves year on year and the creative, immersive and interactive elements of it that Boomtown is so well known for can’t really be found anywhere else in the festival scene.

How did you settle on Matterley Estate, Winchester as the festival home?

We searched high and low for the perfect place for Boomtown. It was a mission! We wanted a space that allowed us to create and house a sprawling city with the scope to grow. But it also had to be more interesting than just an open greenfield site… We completely fell in love with the rolling hills and valleys of Matterley Estate we’re actually one of the only festival’s in the country to be held in a National Park, and the fact that you get an incredible view over the bowl from the top of Whistlers Green, there are loads of spaces in the woodland to house our wonderful treetop structures as well as little hideaways, that all add to the feeling of exploration that we really want to encourage when at the festival.

Every year there are various rumours that circulate from the cancellation of the festival to relocation. Do you take these rumours in your stride, does it get to you when people start these false rumours? Has there been or is there any plans in the future for the relocation of Boomtown Fair?

We’ve heard all kinds of wild rumours from the very beginning, they normally revolve around us moving or selling the festival. We’ve gotten used to it by now but we still find it funny how far out of hand they get. What goes on behind the city gates in the run-up to the festival is always a closely guarded secret and so people love to pretend they have some inside scoop that nobody else does. We’d almost guarantee that if someone’s told you an inside story about Boomtown, it’s not true…

Will Boomtown be applying for the increased capacity for the coming 2019 event?

In a word no! We’ll be staying as we are for Chapter 11.

(48,400 public ticket holders, 16,599 artists, staff, crew, media, volunteers + traders and 1,000 free day tickets for local residents on Sunday)

What’s the idea behind the latest chapter in Boomtown Fair – A Radical City?

Sustainability is the priority for us. As a festival we have grown from 1,000 to 66,000 and with that growth are consequences for the environment. Above all we want to protect our planet and put measures in place to ensure that sustainability is at the heart of everything we do operationally. If we can lead by example, implement pioneering green initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the festival and inspire everyone who comes to Boomtown to consider their role in reducing the waste at the festival but also at home that we would have achieved something pretty special. We can do great things as individuals but we can make a huge impact collectively.

With the likes of acts such as Gorillaz and Limp Bizkit, as well as the introduction of Diss-order Alley is Boomtown broadening the type of acts it books? Moving forward will Boomtown be booking more mainstream acts?

A lot of our favourite acts that have previously been out of reach, are finally getting on board with what we’re about and so this opens so many more doors for us. So long as they fit the bill we won’t rule out anybody, but we’re not going to start booking people simply to sell tickets. Touch wood we haven’t needed to yet and so hopefully we can keep it that way.

This year saw the successful introduction of Paradise Heights, Diss-order Alley, Boomtown Springs and upgrades for much-loved areas and stages, were you happy with all the new additions? Are there any plans for new areas or stages for Chapter 11?

We never stand still and Chapter 11 will be no different to Chapter 10 in that sense! It will be packed full of new experiences, stages, and themes. There will be a diverse and extraordinary line-up, a new storyline and theatrical shows. So yes there are many plans already in motion! Watch this space!