In the Woods Festival


In The Woods Festival is an annual independent music festival in England which focuses on promoting up and coming talent in the music industry and the arts. The festival is set in private woodland in Kent and usually takes place on the first full weekend of September, commencing on the Friday afternoon for two days and nights. It is hosted and curated by the band Laurel Collective and organised with friends Tim Adam-Smith and Will Brown.
The first event was held in 2006 as a party for friends with 80 people attending and has subsequently grown to a capacity of 1000, a size which the organisers wish to keep the same. The location of the festival is undisclosed to the public and is only revealed to guests attending shortly before the festival starts. Since 2009, In The Woods has been compered by Xfm's John Kennedy.

History

The inspiration behind the festival came when Laurel Collective drummer Charlie Andrew and guitarist Olly Puglisi were walking Mulberry through the woods and had the idea of putting on a DIY festival with their band and their friends. In August 2006 the first event took place with 4 acts and one stage.
In 2016, celebrating the festival's tenth anniversary, a special performance was put together by Dave Okumu's art-rock crew The Invisible and featured a range of guest singers performing tributes to the late Prince and David Bowie.

Stages

The music is performed over two stages, with an additional stage for spoken word and a silent disco.

The Quarry

The Quarry is the main stage and is located in a disused clay quarry which
forms a natural amphitheatre amongst the trees and serves as the main performance area.

Laurel Lounge

The Laurel Lounge is the second stage which is set amongst laurel trees and plays to host to the more acoustic acts of the festival.

Spoken Word Stage

The Spoken Word Stage, located in a woodland grove and amplified through individual wireless headphones, is the venue for a programme of poetry, storytelling and comedy curated by the singer and songwriter Richard Navarro.

Past Line Ups

2016

The Quarry

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

The Invisible ft. Sivu, ESKA, Rosie Lowe, Georgia, Ade Omotayo & LCV choir

The Cribs

Weaves

Sevdaliza

Bad Sounds

Will Joseph Cook

Elderbrook

Shame

Roseau

Wovoka Gentle

Willie J Healey

Bruce O Yates

Laurel Lounge

Laurel Collective

Jorja Smith

Francobollo

Trim

Let’s Eat Grandma



Strong Asian Mothers

Adam Betts

Dreller

ILK

Matt Woods

2014

The Quarry

Laura Marling

Toddla T

Glass Animals

Kate Tempest

Years & Years

Francobollo

Pomrad

Nao

Kyan

Shopping

Febueder

Laurel Lounge

Marika Hackman

Slaves

Soak

Jack Garratt

Gengahr

Trudie Dawn Smith

Ichi

Laura J Martin

Juffage

Rachael Lander

2013

The Quarry

Lianne La Havas

Ghostpoet

Drenge

Findlay

Young Fathers

Sivu

Superfood

Landshapes

Khushi

Benin City

Phox

Emperor Yes

Laurel Lounge

Kwabs

Fimber Bravo

Marika Hackman

Maxixe

Soccer 96

Nick Mulvey

Hello Skinny

Rosie Lowe

Fun Adults

Barnacles

2012

The Quarry

Alt-J

Laurel Collective

Dog Is Dead

AlunaGeorge

Kwes

Peter and Kerry

Raisa K

Fiction

Laurel Lounge

Stealing Sheep

Nordic Giants

Eska

Tanya Auclair

Beaty Heart

SiVU

Maia

Nathan Holme

Spoken Word
'
Charlie Dupre, The Freewheelin' Troubadour, Juha Virtanen, Richard Dadd, Indigo Williams, Dorothy Lehane/Richard Navarro

2011

The Quarry
Micachu and the Shapes

Laurel Collective

Post War Years

Man Like Me

Pete and the Pirates

DELS

Three Trapped Tigers

Clout!

Laurel Lounge

Anaïs Mitchell

Lucy Rose

Lianne La Havas

Alt-J

Peter and Kerry

Oliver Coates + Moates and Thrones

Elan Tamara

L.A. Salami

Dogtanion

2010

The Quarry

Anna Calvi

Laurel Collective

Connan Mockasin

Poino

Vadoinmessico

John & Jehn

Lail Arad

David's Lyre

Laurel Lounge

The Invisible

Lime Headed Dog

Lulu & The Lampshades

Honeytrap

Mariners Children

Tristram

Raven

2009

The Quarry

The Invisible

Anna Calvi

Laurel Collective

Micachu and the Shapes

Pete and the Pirates

Connan Mockasin

Screaming Tea Party

Alessi's Ark

Laurel Lounge
Olivia Chaney

Honeytrap

Josie Lloyd

Lail Arad

Russel Joslin

Oli Wennink

Inner City Pirates