The Boileroom, Guildford’s longstanding independent vibrant community hub celebrates its 10 th birthday this year, and what better way to mark their achievement than with a family festival.
Always The Sun Festival is all about celebrating our amazing local community, and if you fancy something other than the amazing musical acts we have on at The Park Stage and The Andertons Stage, you can delve into the different areasof the festival which have everything from yoga to craft workshops, theatre to baking, and much more!
What makes Always The Sun Festival so great is that all ages are welcome to this vibrant festival (under 11s go free!), and our wide range of workshops (which are all also free!) mean that there will definitely be something for all creative tastes here.
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AREAS:
THE EXCHANGE
Exchange schools of thought, zines, and chat records at our market of independent record labels, zines and artist stalls within the second stage.
Discussion group What Is Your Activism will also be setting up shop here talking social, local, and global issues with stands from guest speakers.
HOUSE OF HATHA
Centre yourself in our wellness area. Regroup and re-energise with yoga and tai chi workshops; guided meditation, holistic therapies, and more. Feed your mind, body and soul in our wellness area with practitioners specializing in Dru, Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga to cater for wisened yogis and newcomers alike. Lose yourself in our music meditation workshops with practitioner Inner Pieces, using the calming sounds of the hang, Native American style flutes and Tibetan bells to restore calm and oneness. There will be a meeting of eco-conscious minds as we invite inspirational talkers to speak about alternative lifestyle choices, nutrition and green living.
THE CRAFTY PEACOCK
Learn your warp from your weft at our workshops of creative wonder – join us for some yarnbombing with Lady Wulbits; to ceramics, jewelry, and painting – our practitioners will be on-hand to show you the way at our Craft Club tent. For appreciators of all things handmade and vintage, there’ll also be various stalls sprouting between the Wellness and Craft Club areas to peruse; selling women and men’s clothing, accessories, homewares, pre-loved, up cycled and inspired by yesteryear.
IMAGINARIUM
Imaginarian noun
“A person concerned with imaginary things; a fantasist.”
Everything and anything is possible within the canvas walls of the Imaginarium: let your inner child roam free to wander. This area is all about play for young and old alike – with feats of physical prowess, madcap scientific experiments; and sensory workshops – exploring what it is to play and let your mind run fantastically.
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE
A space to explore the corners of the imagination through theatre, dance, and storytelling. Be inspired by talks from bright thinkers; be a part of the story at our workshops, or sit back and watch the story unfold. Our drama workshops with Marvellous Productions for young minds forge a link between creativity, play and social skills; an interactive and engaging learning experience. Get swept up in the magic of drama and dance from local and travelling companies as we create an emporium to the weird, wonderful and fantastical world of words.
THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN
All five of the senses will come into play at the outdoor kitchen. A sumptuous banquet of tastes, smells and sights whipped up by a vanguard of local chefs. Come and enjoy the spectacle at our outdoor kitchen area; which will be demoing some curious and downright delicious cuisine to titillate the taste buds. There will also be a menagerie of street food stands nestled amongst the stages creating high quality, affordable dishes using sustainable produce. Omnivores, carnivores, and pescetarians alike can have their pick in a variety of plates for all palates.
Also taking place in The Outdoor Kitchen is The Great Guildford Bake Off, which is open to all baking enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. All bakes will be judged by our all-star panel: former GBBO contestant and founder of The Alternative Kitchen Stu Henshall, Muriel Quilter of the Guildford Spike WI, and chef and Squires Kitchen tutor Fran Willoughby.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Available from:
www.alwaysthesunfestival.co.uk
www.wegottickets.com
www.seetickets.com
BIG BUG:
“There’s some real swell bands playing this festival; some of the coolest new acts in the UK! Plus they’ve got compost toilets and an Imaginarium, which has us both intrigued and terrified. It’s going to be a great weekend!”
SPORTS TEAM:
“It’ll be nice to finish our festival season a bit closer to home. It can be pretty grinding having to play the hits every night so we’re looking forward to trying out some new material at Always the Sun.”
ANNABEL ALLUM:
“I’m so excited to play Always The Sun festival, I’ve been following The Boileroom journey for as long as I can remember, so to watch the team really push boundaries and put on a festival is really thrilling for me. This is groundbreaking for the local scene, and groundbreaking for The Boileroom and I am so honoured to be a part of it.”
TUSKS:
“I played some of my first proper gigs at The Boileroom in Guildford so I’m so excited to return to play Always The Sun festival in September!”
THE AMAZONS:
“It’s going to be great to be back in Guildford for Always The Sun festival. We’ve played many times at venues like The Boileroom and have always loved it. We’re excited to be joining a lineup featuring some of our favourite bands, especially the Mystery Jets whose latest album we’ve been playing pretty incessantly.”
OCTOBER DRIFT:
“We’re really excited to have been invited to play at Always The Sun festival this summer. The guys who curate and promote this one really know their music and bands, so to be asked to share the stage with some of the country’s most exciting new bands is a bit of an honour for us. Especially looking forward to seeing Kagoule and The Amazons. Come and check us out and say hello. We’ll see you at the Park Stage!!”
VINYL STAIRCASE:
“It’s so good to have a festival back in Guildford, and if the people at The Boileroom are organising it, you know it’s going to be great. Really looking forward to getting to see so many great new bands in one place like The Amazons, The Big Moon, Palm Honey, Kagoule, the list goes on and on.”
FLASHFIRES:
“We’re super excited to broaden our fan base in Guildford and play The Andertons Stage at Always The Sun Festival, and hope the city will embrace our tunes with joyous dancing and celebration!”
ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU:
“We’re super excited to be part of Always The Sun. The festival that used to be held in Stoke Park, Guilfest, pretty much defined by adolescence. I remember seeing Sharks (RIP) and being totally blown away. It’s great to be playing a festival in Guildford as a (sort of) grown up with our own stuff to play.
On top of that there are a bunch of artists we're mad excited to see some of our mates play. The most exciting act for us to see is Annabel Allum – she’s been a mateof ours from the start and it’;s great to see her getting the attention she deserves. Our first release was a split with her on Rose Coloured Records (who are co-curating the Andertons Stage) and we’ve known she had big things coming since then. She’s gonna be massive, watch out yo.”