Looking Backwards, Moving Onwards
Over Greenbelt 2010, our team of talented, opinionated and observant Guest Bloggers shared a huge range of festival experiences. Now back home, reallyquitetired wraps up his reporting and suggests some ways to prepare for GB 2011 (and no, we didn't have to ask him to!)
i'm sitting at home surrounded by the more awkward camping paraphernalia, still waiting to be stowed away, and the colourful flags filled with hopeful breezes, wafting aroma of chai and the cries of "wristbands in the air please" piercing the omnipresent drone of bongos all already seem like a far-off half dream. another greenbelt_ lies spent as the embodiment of #gb10 gives birth to the hopes of #gb11.
there were, as always, frustrations and inspirations, laughs and tears, nights of sleep and those that refused it, but most of all a lingering sense that i'm glad and proud to be a part of it all.
it was, of course, a huge shame that, for reasons remaining largely unclear, Gil Scott Heron did not perform on Monday night. i was (and remain) reallyquitegutted. huge credit, however, must go to the festival - the organisers, the punters and the other performers - that the announcement of the bad news on Monday afternoon did not spoil the last few hours.
a hero's mention should go in particular to Foy Vance, who generously agreed to play another set on mainstage and to Shlomo & The Vocal Orchestra who also pitched in to help fill the gaps that appeared as the lineup was shunted upwards and whose efforts kept the people moving. i didn't see The King Blues, but i hear that they also did a stellar job of stepping-up to headline the bill.
for me, the main reason that the fog of disappointment never managed to engulf the site was the joy and energy of The Dodge Brothers, who slapped, stamped and swung things around with their brilliant Big Top set. it was the second year of the greenbelt_ ball, and although i am a big fan of The Apples and throughly enjoyed their efforts last time round, it seemed to me that this was the year that the concept really took hold. Dr Kermode and his skiffle siblings really threw everything into it and, when they were done, left the rocked-and-rolled crowd baying for more.
the comedown that sets in after such gatherings are over is often hard to shake, but one of the great things about greenbelt_ is the way that so much of the focus of the weekend is on things that persist throughout the year. yes, we go to dance and sing and share together, but we also go to learn, to be inspired and to receive new direction and energy for the struggles for justice and peace of which we are all a part.
so much of greenbelt_ extends beyond the racecourse and the weekend, and not just on an individual level. the worthy projects that came under the spotlight at the festival continue throughout the year, the organisations that shared their visions and achievements go back to working to overcome the hurdles that hold them back. many will need help of various kinds to be sure of coming back next year.
all of us are part of that on-going work, or at least we should be. i know the things that i've been challenged by, the areas i know i need to make more effort in and the people i know i need to support - hopefully you had a similar experience. the greenbelt_website is full of information about the aspects of the festival that stretch out from August and grasp hands with past and future cousins to make a continuous year-round embrace. if you feel like your GB experience is missing this element of joined-up-ness, then following the site, this blog, the Facebook group and GB on Twitter (@greenbelt) will help.
in many ways, therefore, #gb11 is already underway. now is the time to think about what role you want to play. here are some ideas as to how you might be able to contribute both throughout the next year and when next August rolls around:
Become a Angel: committing to donate some regular cash to the coffers goes a long way to securing the long-term future of GB. details here.
Spread the word: if you have friends that don't come, why not encourage them to try it? why not also tell all those people on the internet who you think of as friends but have actually never met? if you don't have friends that don't come, try to make some.
Think about volunteering: why not see the festival from a different angle by offering your services as a volunteer in one of a million and one different capacities? check here.
Plan differently: if you're already sure you'll be coming to next year's festival, why not start to think about how you might be able to go about things in a more sustainable way? do you usually bring a car? if so, do you need to? i mean massive multi-podded tents are fine, but small, cramped ones are really fun. why not try to change things up a bit? if you do need to come by car, why not start looking to see if you can car-share with other 'belters in your area? start here.
Site Vibing: did you know that people meet up at certain times during the year to make the bunting, banners and the other decorations that help to transform the racecourse in a vibrant festival site? well they do, and you could too. see here.
these are just a few ideas, but there are all kinds of ways to extend your involvement and to help with the year-round work that makes each festival such an amazing event. if you're willing but unsure of how you can help, sign up to the GB dispatches for announcements, search the website, or get in touch with the office.
