Sadly, Sunrise Offgrid 2013 has had to be cancelled. Much loved by many it seems the recession is biting hard.

The following quote from the Sunrise Offgrid Facebook page...

"Hi all, its with great regret that we have decided to cancel Off-Grid 2013. After much deliberation, we have decided that the financial risk is too great to risk going ahead and making a loss this year. This is further backed up by lower than expected ticket sales.
We hope to use the time off constructively to refocus Off-Grid and bring it back in 2014.
Ticket holders will have been contacted already if bought through BTS. Those that bought from us directly will be contacted shortly. As well as refunds, there are swap options for The Green Gathering, Cloud Cuckoo Land (at Fernhill) and there's talk of a Fernhill weekender taking place over the Off-Grid weekend.
Once more, we're really disappointed that this has happened but in the circumstances we felt it would be irresponsible to go ahead this year. Thanks for your support and see you next time!"

 
This free event is on 13 July 2013 12:00noon until 8pm

MUSICIANS and artists in Glastonbury are coming together to take part in this weekends "OUR BIG GIG" celebration all over UK. This is a National Event happening also at The Assembly Rooms on Saturday 13th July 2013'
Just a few of the delights on during the day will be:

Sing along with some of the members of the Avalonian Free State Choir - The winners of last years Orchester in the Field – Members of the choir will be teaching 3 songs for attendees to learn whilst at the workshop.
Aviva – with beautiful and enchanting vocals floating on an acoustic guitar.
Circulus – an amazing psychedelic folk/progressive rock band.
Dave Beech - Acoustic singer/songwriter - Smooth and heartfelt
Daygan (from Dragonsfly and Celtech) with Breton tunes on mandolin to make you dance. Graell will be leading some dancing.
Declan - Singer/songwriter - Contemporary Folk -
Laura Isley - singer/songwriter - acoustic Folk/Jazz
Pok the Bard - lyrics & rhymes upon the Harp
Viviraras - Acapella group
Tanjy – with a powerful singing workshop and set
Katinka - Accordian and walkabout
And more.......

This is an opportunity for you to hear and get involved with music from Local musicians and Artists in Glastonbury in the Main Hall of the Assembly Rooms and also to attend mini workshops for voice or instruments.

The whole Event is Free.
The main funder for the event is the Department of Communities and Local Government; additional funding has been provided by Arts Council England and their National Lottery funded Grants for the Arts programme.

Read more at: http://www.superact.org.uk/ourbiggig/our-big-gig-2013

GLASTONBURY has won a place on the 2013 long list of crap towns, appearing in the top 100 contenders of worst places to live alongside Liverpool, Merthyr Tydfil, and Slough.

50'successful' towns will be picked from the long list to appear in a book entitled Crap Town Returns in October 2013. The reviewer for Glastonbury, Jane Ahserton, wrote:

"If you ask most locals in Glastonbury, they'll tell you that Glastonbury is one of the mellowest, most beautiful, most colourful and most spiritual places in the entire nation.

"But then, if you ask most locals, they will also tell you that water has a memory, and that vibrating it with infinitely minute quantities of various poisons will produce a drink that cures any disease - so long as the patient parts with enough money before swallowing."

The town won its place for the heinous crimes of telling people we're likely to be visited by 'benevolent beings from the world of infinite light,' and 'talking about hedge witchcraft.'

Other faux-pas include ignoring people's comfort zones, claiming to have known Jimi Hendrix and having thinning hair and a pony tail at the same time.

The town's residents are also accused of smelling of "patchouli and weed" and trying to sell crystals which will ward off cancer.


A statement on the Crap Towns website said: "Are you incandescent with rage and dispute your town's inclusion within this list? Good! Or perhaps you want to kick your town when it's down? Even better!

"Either reaction suits us. And now you can maybe influence whether or not the town makes the final cut. And have fun doing it."

Mayor of Glastonbury Sue Thurgood said she "absolutely refuted" the town's place in the long list.

"We have a very vibrant community, and we work well together in our diversity," she said.

"You only have to walk down our High Street to see that the shops are always very busy. We are a bright, colourful town, and a lovely place to visit."


Tell us what you think...

(You might also like to visit the Crap Town's website and give them your opinion too)

The Mighty Oak - a symbol of our land and the wisdom of our elders is bleeding to death.

Britain’s oak trees have been hit by a mystery disease that is causing them to ‘bleed to death' and ministers have set aside more than £1 million to tackle it.

Thousands of the trees have already been felled and their bark stripped and burnt to prevent the disease spreading and killing more of the ancient oaks.

Oak trees more than 50 years old are believed to be most at threat by the mystery disease, which is identified by ‘dark weeping patches’ on the stems of older trees. Once it takes hold of an oak the disease is believed to kill it within four years, and researchers are said to be in a race against time to try and stop the spread.

Read more...

Sadly the Amazonian Tribal Leaders due to arrive in Glastonbury have been refused entry into the UK.

Reasons as to why are not yet forthcoming.

The Earth Spirit Centre, in association with the Amazonian Pachamama Alliance, is bringing three
Amazon Tribal Leaders – from the Achuar, Shuar, and Zapara nations – to Glastonbury on 8th and 9th
July, as part of an international ‘Amazonian Ambassadors’ mission to inform the world of the
environmental disaster occurring in the Amazon, relating to the destruction of the rainforests.
The three Tribal Leaders, as representatives of the people who inhabit the Amazon [the ‘Lungs of
the World’], will meet with the Mayor and Council as the civic representatives of the people of
Glastonbury [the ‘Heart of the World’] at the Town Council meeting of Tuesday 9th July 2013.

Jiyunt Uyunkar Kaniras, 25, is an Achuar Nation Tribal
Leader from the Wachirpas village deep in the rainforest of
Ecuador. She is among the first women from her tribe to
ever travel abroad. Having collaborated with the highly
acclaimed Achuar owned and operated, Kapawi Ecolodge,
including their language program for employees, Jiyunt has
some experience with the English language and visitors
from the outside world. She comes as an ambassador for
her people, forest and all Amazonian women.

Olger Jencham Sandu, 26, is a Shuar Nation Tribal Leader
from the rainforest village of Yuwintsa in Ecuador. His
leadership qualities were recognized at a young age and he
now has significant experience in positions of responsibility.
His main focus is cultural preservation, defending traditional
values and language, and developing viable alternatives to oil
exploitation.

Yanda Montahuano Ushigua, 23, is a young Zapara Nation
Tribal Leader who was born in the village of
Llanchamacocha in Ecuador’s rainforest. The Zapara were
thought to be extinct in recent times and have since gained
U.N. World Heritage Status for their culture and language.
Yanda now lives in the small town of Puyo, working as a
radio reporter. His program is aired on the Waorani
tribe’s radio station. Yanda has also created a web-based
network to share information about what is happening to
the rainforest and its people.