Wickham Festival triumphs to take Best Festival at The Guide Awards

In one of the closest public votes, Wickham Festival pipped last year’s winner, Icebreaker to the post.

Festival founder and organiser Peter Chegwyn says: ‘It means an awful lot. We don’t go out chasing awards, but it’s really nice to win them, particularly when it’s a public vote and it’s in your local area organised by your local newspaper.

‘I’m very touched by it, and thank you to everyone who voted for us.’

Last year’s festival featured Steve Harley, Squeeze, Kate Rusby and Richard Thompson among its stars. ‘Last year went very well, it just gets better and better. It’s a lot of work to put on and people only notice when it goes wrong, but this year we’re going for broke – it’s our strongest ever line-up, and we’ve still got a few names to announce. There’s some really strong artists from here and abroad.

‘Thank you to everyone who makes it happen. Wickham is the little village that makes things happen, and we’re absolutely delighted with how it’s going.

‘Wickham has been tremendously supportive. We have no ambition to be as big as Victorious or The Isle of Wight, they are fantastic at what they do, and we like to think what we do is good as well.’