Greenbelt Festival

There is one day to go to start of the Greenbelt Festival - which takes place in the grounds of Boughton House, near Kettering in Northamptonshire. This all-age inclusive friendly arts festival with its roots in the Christian faith offers a host of world music, international and home-grown acts from big names to new artists. The dates for the 43rd edition will be the Bank Holiday weekend from Friday 26th to Monday 29th August 2016.

Greenbelt is a place to learn, to experience, to be. As well as music the festival hosts a selection of varied talks, workshop and debates; exploring contemporary issues, faith, social justice, politics ­and more.

Line-up

Headliners Kitty, Daisy & Lewis on Friday, The Hot 8 Brass Band on Saturday, on Sunday it will be Nahko & Medicine for the People, and closing the festival on Monday will beHope & Social's 'A Band Anyone Can Join'.

Plus Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band, Akala, Mike Peters, Beth Rowley, Tankus the Henge, She Makes War, Regime, Ngawang Lodup, Lewis and Leigh, Echo Town, Seth Bye and Katie Griffin, Easy Stride Band, and Tongues, Richard Navarro, Sea + Air, Ella and the Blisters, and Listener, expect also a wide range of worship, visual arts, family and children and youth programming.

Programmes

Greenbelt also has a visual and performing arts programme, as well as exploring a variety of alternative worship styles, and runs a daily Children's Festival, plus literature, classical, film, and youth programmes.

The performing arts and comedy bill this year features Al Seed, Oog, Pif Paf, Planetary, Sam Halmarack & the Miserablites, Craft Theatre, Dante's Inferno, Vamos Theatre Walkabout, Jack Dean, Grandad & the Machine, Actors for Human Rights, Asylum Monologues, Half Moon Theatre, FairyTales Gone Ba, Third Angel, 600 People, Street Theatre, and Stand-up with Josie Long

Ideas strand includes Nadia Bolz-Weber on everyday saints, Bill McKibben on climate change, Elaine Storkey on gender justice, Satish Kumar on being at peace, Elizabeth Oldfield on Europe, Mark Oakley on theology and poetry, Catriona Robertson on Muslim-Christian relations, Broderick Greer on black lives matter, Margaret Hebblethwaite on simplicity, Mark Yaconelli on disappointment, Jude Wanga on racism, John Swinton on dementia, Eve Poole on capitalism, Mark Russell on politics, Meg Warner on Abraham, and Justin Welby on being Archbishop of Canterbury

Authors on the literature line-up are Lemn Sissay, Harry Baker, Khulud Khamis, Anthony Wilson, Jan Carson, Breis, Val Bloom, Francis Spufford, Fr. Begnino Beltran, Rebecca de Saintonge, Paul Cookson, and Michael Ramsey Prize.

Youth activities on offer feature The Den youth venue, Youth club night, Cake and Debate, large inflatables, climbing wall, great bands and music, Herstory workshops, poetry and writing workshops, campaigning 'how to' sessions, drop-ins from special guest artists on the main bill, the YMCA team

Children and Family activities include Fairytales Gone Bad, Half Moon Theatre, Professor Pumpernickle, the Crazy Comic Club, Electric Cabaret mime, circus skills, Moo Music, Bhangra & Bollywood dance, Uke-Can, the Family Twist, family worship and Godly Play, Parents' Support Venue, Play Tent, Make & Create

Worship and spirituality includes Festival Communion, The Grove outdoor gathering space, The Shelter venue, Mindfulness and Soulfulness, The Iona Community, and The Greenbelt Listening Team (offering accompanied walk-and-talks)

Workshops include Lemn Sissay Master Class for aspiring poets, Bhangra & Bollywood dance, the Crazy Comic Club, Electric Cabaret mime, Hope and Social's A Band Anyone Can Join, children's communion scratch choir, Stonk Kotts, Uke-Can, 'Village Hall' conversations.

Plus visual arts, mobile planetarium, giant inflatables, climbing wall, campfire, and camping in grade 1 listed parkland.

For more information see: www.greenbelt.org.uk/