HAWARDEN'S popular music and food festival, Camp Good Life returns this autumn and has confirmed a number of acts heading for its historic site in Flintshire this September. 

Among the artists confirmed today (Tuesday, March 22) are one of the country’s most consistently brilliant songwriters, former Pale Fountains and Shack frontman, Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band; multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Laura Groves, now signed to Bella Union; a very rare live solo performance by Ivor Novello award winning songwriter Simon Aldred, aka Cherry Ghost and multitalented H. Hawkline.

Writers and authors include Saint Etienne’s pop connoisseur Bob Stanley discussing the birth of modern pop music; Ali Millar on The Last Days, her gripping memoir about escaping a religious movement; consistently sparkling writer Jude Rogers on the beautiful hold music has on our lives; and music press mainstay and The New Cue editor, Ted Kessler, on the last days of the music press.

Welsh culture and history are at the heart of the festival; celebrating the publication of new book Welsh (Plural), Welsh writers Darren Chetty, Cerys Hafana, Grug Muse and Andy Welch will take us beyond the clichés that so often shape thinking about Wales and Welshness; triple harpist, pianist and composer from Mid Wales, the completely sensational Cerys Hafana will evoke the sounds of the Welsh language and weather in two separate shows; marking the publication of his essential new book, Brittle With Relics, long-time Caught by the River contributor Richard King will discuss the roots of modern Wales; on Saturday lunchtime, North Wales’s finest brass band ensemble, Band Pres Llarreggub will combine flavours of New Orleans marching bands with Bronx-inspired Hip Hop and Welsh language pop music.

The festival's organisers have also announced the first spread of chefs who will take to the festival’s giant open firepit to prepare and cook beautiful dishes to be shared by the audience. Camp Good Life (and its predecessor The Good Life Experience) was the first festival to challenge chefs to cook only over campfires.

Hawarden Castle’s Walled Garden will host exceptional feasts, too, and every festival ticket includes a voucher for a free meal every day, an unprecedented festival bonus that Camp Good Life is exceptionally proud to instigate.

Camp Good Life Director, Tara Gladstone, said, “We’re relaunching with our best line up yet - by miles - and a renewed vision, to be small but absolutely brilliant. No stone will be left unturned to make this the finest small festival anywhere; incredible music, ideas and food, loads of fire, free meals, the best loos and showers anywhere, a mind boggling and ancient site, fantastic gardens and just the right amount of surprises…”

The festival will also feature a craft tent, featuring makers ranging from print and pottery to clothing and blacksmithing, bar-side marquee featuring DJs in the evening, talks in the tiny Victorian Tea House, paddle boarding and wild swimming – not to mention dog diving – on the lake.

FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Full line-up, weekend, day and family tickets and all vital information at thegoodlifesociety.co.uk

Dates: 16-18 September 2022. Address: Hawarden Estate, Flintshire, Wales, CH5 3FB.