Harvest Voices Festival
Saturday, September 20th 1.00 - 6.00 PM £65 including food and welcome drinks Promo code for students and unwaged
Harvest Voices Festival
Saturday, September 20th 1.00 - 6.00 PM £65 including food and welcome drinks Promo code for students and unwaged
" Yeki bood, yeki nabood "
" There was and there wasn’t "
as stories begin in Persia …
Come and join us in the woodlands and fields of the Cotswolds on Saturday September 20th for a festival of tales and music from across the globe. We will mark the gathering of the summer harvest, celebrated by communities since time immemorial, and reconnect with the shared cultural heritage of humanity. Throughout the day and into the evening we will share in the richness of Middle Eastern music, food, storytelling, poetry and dance. This is a space to pause, to watch the shimmering falling leaves, notice the change of light and seasons and rediscover the ties linking our cultures and traditions. A weekend for communication, connection and the quiet radical act of bringing humanity together.
Location
Find us at Ewen Mill, Washpool Lane, The Cotswolds GL7 6FY.
If you use What3words, we’re at https://what3words.com/perfumes.copy.crusted.
For Google Maps it’s https://goo.gl/maps/JTyM5kqBZyaw3cet7.
Or follow the signs along Washpool Lane.
– London Paddington to Kemble only 70 minutes by train
– Free Parking and Camping
– Kemble Station less than a mile away
– M4 (J15) and M5 (J11A) both 15 miles away
What to Expect
Experience obsidance with Rana and her team in nature.
Storytelling about hidden treasures, haunting beasts and humming birds.
Areas for young people to explore and perform.
Exquisite Persian homemade food and drink.
Fireside storytelling into the night.
Fields and woodlands to explore.
An ‘open mic’ if you are feeling brave!
Timetable
We begin at 1.00 pm but please arrive earlier to land, ground and pitch your tent. The formalities will end before sunset. However each event is unique and we might continue jamming into the night.
12.00 – EVENT OPENS
Gather and be greeted! There will be an offer of welcome drinks and a selection of light refreshments.
1.00 – INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION Welcome Remarks with Music. All the essential information will be shared to keep everyone warm and safe.
1.15 – 2.30 – STORY WALK wander into the woods and discover our story-tellers recounting their ancient tales.
2.30 – 3.30 FOOD IS SERVED
3.30 – 5.00 ECSTATIC DANCE with Obsidance
5.00 – 6.00 MUSIC AND POETRY
6.00 – CLOSING CEREMONY
Healing drinks and fruits and hot nourishment. We conclude the event with a short sharing and gratitude circle and listen to the sounds of silence.
6.30 onwards – FIRE RITUAL AND OPEN MIC.
Dance
Rooted in ancient traditions and infused with contemporary ceremony, Obsidance blends the mysticism of Persian poetry with the earth wisdom of South American plant medicine.
Through cacao and saffron ritual, live medicine music, ecstatic dance, and guided breathwork, each Obsidance gathering becomes a curated journey — a space to release, reconnect, and return to the intelligence of the body. weareobsidiana.com/obsidance
Food
Enjoy our carefully crafted food and blissful drinks by a very special Persian cook around the warmth of the fire.
Workshops
Workshops will be child-friendly and tailored to families while other activities are taking place.
- Tree of Life
We make a big tree together devoted to gratefulness to the sound of music, meditation and poetry. - Seeds of Gratitude
We create a memory garden together – plant a flower bulb (included in ticket price) in memory of someone living or dead – as a promise of hope and spring.
story walk
As the sun crosses the sky, follow the story-tellers into fields and forests carpeted in the golden leaves of autumn. We will explore and learn about the annual harvest festival celebrated by different communities and unravel stories of hidden treasures, haunting beasts and humming birds. The language of nature fuses with ancient wisdom.
Music & Poetry
The stage is set for live music, spoken word and poetry from the Middle East and beyond. Stories and poems are mainly told in English and partially in other languages.
Camping
Our Ewen site offers overnight free camping on the land by the woods. It’s the perfect way to experience the power of the night before returning to the urban indoors. Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag and camping mat, and wrap up warmly. Then this is the best option if you arrive in time to pitch your tent and wish to spend the evening under the moon.
around the fire
Our event officially ends before sunset. However, be aware that each night is unique and there might be no end time! We will grow the fire and all are welcome to stay mesmerised by the dancing flames deep into the night. The circle is open to everyone willing to share song, games, rhymes and memories.
Practical Information
Harvest Voices Festival, although seemingly a gentle experience, is outdoors and at the mercy of the British weather. It is only an evening long (longer if you are camping) but it requires preparation and arriving ready for what the elements deal us. Remember every night can be different – dry, muddy or windy. We recommend that you come with warm clothes, comfortable shoes and your camping equipment if staying overnight. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
For barn accommodation please contact admin@cotswoldsmill.co.uk
“ Our story has come to an end “
“ But the crow did not reach her nest “
as stories end in Persia.