Secret Garden Party

The Secret Garden Party is an independent music festival which takes place every year in an estate near Cambridge, England. Occupying 100 acres in the grounds of a Georgian farm house, the location has its own lake, river and landscaped gardens. The festival was founded in 2004 and has dramatically increased in popularity and size since.

The Secret Garden Party began in 2004 with 1000 people attending. Which then, simply comprised of one hand-built stage, two small bars, a naked stage manager and the organisers could be found swimming in the lake at dawn.

In 2005 the word had spread and 3000 people turned up, the same relaxed atmosphere remained. There was a feeling that people could do anything that they wanted; and people did. Dressed as Dictators people threw themselves over and into 6ft high pianos in the Suicide Olympics, and at 10am Monday the wild times were still rolling.

In 2006 the festival swelled to 6000. In September 2006 the Head Gardener and Team participated at Burning Man in the Nevada Desert. They took off their clothes, painted themselves blue and decided to begin a new phase of the Secret Garden Party.

Brave New Worlds was created. They introduced the Action Camps & Events, The Avant Garden and established the Annual Expression Theme designed to encourage vision and participation.

As 2007 was a revolution for the SGP, they felt it was appropriate to use 2008 to explore the dramatic transformations of Past, Present and Future, the great happenings that have created the world we inhabit today. The Expression Theme became Come The Revolutions. As an individual at the Secret Garden Party you have that rare opportunity to be and do anything you desire. Few people, few places and even fewer countries have this powerful freedom.

In 2007 The Secret Garden Party was named best British music festival by Radio 1.

Unlike many music festivals it has no corporate sponsors and has decided to remain small with a capacity of 6500.

The festival is renowned for its friendly atmosphere and wacky layout. Any type of creativeness is greatly encouraged.

At the 2008 Secret Garden Party, a derelict tent from earlier on in the festival was found, and magically restored into a dance tent by a group of teenagers. It filled within seconds of the music being turned on, and was the last tent left open at the festival, as stated by a festival goer who called the radio channel Q103.

External links

* [http://www.secretgardenparty.com Secret Garden]
* [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/secretgarden eFestivals festival coverage]