The WOMAD festival, which will be taking place at Charlton Park, near Malmesbury in Wiltshire this weekend, looks like it will narrowly avoid the recent awful weather that has recently caused severe flooding across the UK.
The festival has been based at Rivermead, Reading since 1990 (also the home of Reading Festival), and is moving to Charlton Park for the first time this year. According to the BBC, flooding is predicted to start in Reading and Caversham (where the festival was previously held) this evening.
The festival will go ahead as the new site has been unaffected by the floods. It has a clay soil on limestone brash and is on high ground, which allows for efficient drainage. So the ground, including the camping and parking areas, is still solid.

Of course, despite the excellent drainage and the like, there is still a possibility of rain, so festival organisers are advising you to come prepared with wellies, waterproof clothing and plenty of changes of clothes. Although access to the site is unaffected by the heavy rain and floods, it’s recommended that you check your route before leaving, to avoid some of the worse affected parts of the country.
Unfortunately, Event Mobility (a company that assists the Disabled, Elderly and Mobility Impaired in getting easier access to countryside events) are unable to attend the festival this weekend due to flooding in the Pershore/Tewkesbury area where they are based. They will be contacting anyone who made a booking through them.
For those going down, you can look forward to watching The Blind Boys Of Alabama playing a special Thursday night concert, plus playing over the three days of the festival: Peter Gabriel, Baaba Maal, Toots and the Maytals, Isaac Hayes, Seckou Keita Quartet, Taj Mahal, Ben Taylor, Candi Staton, Clube Do Balanço, Calexico, Dhol Foundation, DJ Shantel, Steel Pulse, Seth Lakeman, and more!

Possibly related:

1. WOMAD announces more acts

2. Black Kids’ drummer felt the LA earthquake; that’s enough for Gigwise to deem it a “lucky escape”

3. Carling Weekend round-up: Effects of rain linger, aerial map of festival site, BBC coverage

4. Bad weather won’t stop Global Gathering

5. This weekend’s festival news update

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Posted by Stuart Waterman on Thursday July 26th, 2007 at 3:17 pm