Farewell to the Wye Valley River Festival 2018

Boudicca (The Wheelabouts) in Monmouth – image by Camilla Adams

The third Wye Valley River Festival (WVRF) ended on May 20th with fire, music, and the unforgettable sight of Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon shining within the walls of Tintern Abbey.

Our arboreal fairytale Heart to Hart linked the festival events together, with King Sessile following an elusive white deer through the woodland. The story concluded with the spectacular festival finale at Llandogo as the King swam the Wye to reunite with his dearly departed deer, followed by a stunning fire sculpture from pa-BOOM (image below).

Thanks to all the sponsors, to everyone who worked with us on the production or who came to enjoy the events and atmosphere.

The weather was glorious and the festival got coverage in national press including the Guardian, the Times and the Telegraph.

You can see a few photos from the festival below (all copyright Clare Adams, except for the Tintern Moon taken by Emma Drabble) or see more pictures and video on the My Wye Website created by Festival documenter Mr Cherry (William Wilding)

Boudicca (main image above) is being mentored by Richard as part of this year’s Articulture commission and will appear next at the Greenwich and Docklands International festival

Read more about WVRF here.

Early feedback from a festival-goer: ‘The actors were great, I still smile when I think of the festival king washing the pilgrims feet in his marigolds and wielding a washing up brush and then on Saturday he swam the River Wye to be re-united with hie love – how fantastic was that.’