Brisfest: we're back to stay, say organisers
BRISFEST organisers say the popular music festival is back at Ashton Court to stay.
Set up in 2007, the Brisfest story started when the Ashton Court Festival went bankrupt and volunteers, feeling the loss of the music extravaganza, decided to re-establish the event.
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Brisfest 2012
The festivals have previously taken place on the Harbourside but this year for the first time moved back to its spiritual home, increasing the audience capacity to 20,000.
And the weekend's sold-out event has gone so well organisers of the not-for-profit music festival say they intend to be back year after year.
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Kevin Fearon, trustee director and organiser, said: "We are so pleased with how the festival went.
"We all looked at each other in the eye and some of us were crying because we were so full of joy at how well it had gone.
"The festival really had a great feeling to it. It was the first time back at Ashton Court and the atmosphere around the site was completely overwhelming.
"Seeing people leaving with smiles on their faces was so great. We even had to turn people away on the gate because they hoped they could get in but we are an all-ticket event.
"The headline acts told us what a great crowd Bristol was and said they would like to come back and play again. Standing out on the stage and looking out at the crowd was more like Glastonbury – it was great.
"Even when the wet weather came people just came with their wellies ready to enjoy their day.
"This experience means we definitely want to come back here next year and the year after that and so on. We definitely want this to be an annual event."
Stall holders at the festival also praised the festival.
Will Clarke, owner of Biblos, which has cafes serving a variety of wraps in Stokes Croft and St Werburghs, said: "This was our first festival and our wraps – particularly the falafel and jerk chicken – have proved very popular. The reception was amazing and we were so busy.
"It has always been my dream to do festivals and this has given me a taste for it. It is so great that the event is back at Ashton Court and fingers crossed I will be back again next year."
Louise Lynas, festival and events manager for Thali Cafe, which has Indian restaurants in Clifton, Easton and Montpelier, said: "It's a great festival and we would absolutely come back again. There is a really lovely atmosphere – it is very Bristol – and the organisers have been fabulous."
Brisfest 2012 sold out with a record 20,000 people attending on Saturday while numbers dipped slightly on Sunday due to the poor weather.
Comments
by Lone_Ranger
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 5:15PM
“No, SamSasmson - you misunderstand.
Many people were charged for a full weekend and only attended a single day and many others didn't purchase tickets at all because of that reason.
If single day tickets were sold, the actual attendance per day (not the number of tickets sold) on each day would increase, as would the proceeds.”
by SamSamson
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 3:24PM
“Gosh, you really dont understand do you Lone Ranger...!
It sold out, how can there be day tickets available for you?”
by Lone_Ranger
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 1:25PM
“It may well have sold out (of weekend tickets) but there would have been more people attending each day if a sing;le day ticket would have been available at, say £20, alongside the weekend ticket. It's called customer choice.”
by DockLobster
Monday, September 24 2012, 6:12PM
“It sold out, what reason should there be to supply day tickets just because you want one?
How about doing the same you did this year. i.e. Not go then moan about it afterwards
It was fine as it is, thirty quid even for a day festival is a fantastic price.
Bristol has never got the bar/toilet equation right at anything they ever do, anyone remember the Massive Attack bar fiasco in Queen Square?
Can of warm cider from Asda at £4 each! Took the entire Streets set for me to get served...”
by Lone_Ranger
Monday, September 24 2012, 5:04PM
“I didn't go this year because the only day I could attend was the Saturday and I wasn't going to fork out for a weekend ticket I could only use on one day. Next year, single day tickets must be made available.”
by JimBob
Monday, September 24 2012, 4:20PM
“Amazing festival, amazing people and amazing music. If you think £30 is a rip-off, especially when you consider how good the festival is on both days, why not put aside £2.50 a month for 12 months?! There, it's not that hard is it.
I'm looking forward to next year already.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, September 24 2012, 3:22PM
“I can imagine that bar issues and toilet issues were just teething problems, very easy to fix and usually the same story at every festival just starting up. Next year they can get it sorted... Day tickets, also, I agree.
However, for what you get for £30 you are completely wrong. For a two day festival that is a bargain beyond belief. Nearly all the acts/djs played for free as well as the organisers who were all volunteers. The marshalls donated all their services as did the helpers before the event. I think £30 is incredible value. Granted there were teething issues, and lack of day tickets was highly irritating, but still good value!”
by Nokcid
Monday, September 24 2012, 2:13PM
“Sorry BristolDJ and Lone_Ranger but I thought Brisfest was awful and feel that the £30 I paid was a total rip-off. Amongst a number of issues I had with the whole thing there were three that stood out clearly from the rest....
Firstly, if you are not going to allow people to bring their own beers into the event then you simply have to offer a decent bar set up. The bars on site were too small, understaffed and massively overcrowded. Consequently we spent almost an hour queuing each time to get a couple of beers each in such a crush that people were spilling half their newly purchased drinks in their effort to find a way back out of the tent through the thronging mass of people waiting for drinks.
Secondly, the toilets, or rather the lack of enough of them! Huge queues to use the small number of loos available inevitably led to both boys and girls having to resort to taking a pee around the perimeter fencing once it was dark. Totally understandable when the alternative was to stand in a loo queue for absolutely ages. Given the inadequacy of provision I thought it ridiculous when I heard security guards telling guys and girls to stop peeing around the perimeter fencing! If you dont want them to do that then provide enough loos in the first place! My third point does agree with Lone_Ranger and BristolDJ....Having to buy £30 ticket which covered both days was a rip-off. Single day tickets should have been available without a doubt.
I'd like the event to succeed but there is no way I or any of my group will return until we're sure that these basic but completely crucial elements have been addressed properly.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, September 24 2012, 1:27PM
“I agree... I was all for the pre sales, but couldn't go for that long so wasn't going to spend £30 for 3/4 hours on a sunday! All in all though, good effort and see where it goes from here!”
by Lone_Ranger
Monday, September 24 2012, 12:28PM
“Hopefully the organisers will see sense and seel day tickets next year and not just weekend tickets like this year.”