Choose life, choose a job, choose a career, choose a family, choose quite a big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Or (to paraphrase slightly) choose something else.
Back in 1996 as Renton was extolling the horrors of modern consumerism, a bunch of friends from Charlbury already had chosen something else. They were planning to put on what – unbeknownst to them – would become one of the longest-lived, and unquestionably best loved, free festivals in Britain.
Charlbury Riverside Festival started out small and has grown to become…. slightly larger over the 30 years we’ve been around. It has always eschewed the crowd-chasing antics of comparable local events who had to pursue corporate capitulation to satisfy their ravenous cost base. We are of course Charlbury’s festival, we here to serve the community. But of course, people come, love it and bring their friends next year. Bands play and love it and bring more bands next year, and so Riverside – and Charlbury itself – grows organically. Our dedication to focussing – for one weekend at least – on the fact you can choose something else is one of the things, like Beer Festival and the Cricket Club, Street Fair and Gigs at The Shed that makes Charlbury different. Over it’s 30 years it’s become a cornerstone of Charlbury life bringing joy, excitement and perhaps a tiny touch of minimal mayhem to the Millfield for 2 days in July.
For those that don’t know, or have managed to miss one of us banging on about it in the Rose and Crown, Riverside is a free festival, we don’t charge, no one gets paid and everyone helps. There are crews of organisers, 4 crews looking after each stage, a Greenfield crew, a Kids’ area team, stewards and bar stewards – but very few total and utter bar stewards. Everyone is a volunteer, which is why we can do this for nothing. But of course the first-est among these equals are the bands, entertainers, speakers and crafters who actually make the show. There’s a lot to see; 5 stages, food stalls, craft demos and this year a lecture tent with some amazing people talking about everything form local ecology to managing international rock tours.
Riverside is different, we certainly beg, borrow and appeal – but we don’t (and never will) demand. This is entertainment by Charlbury, for Charlbury – but our hinterland is huge. Our cultural significance stretches far and wide, bands from right here to America and beyond come to play this little corner of the alternative universe. Looking back, it was obviously going to be this way; when Noel Gallagher heard about Riverside, he attempted something similar in someone’s back garden in Luton.
Sadly, it seems for him, he can’t quite muster the crew to do it year in year out and he’ll have to make do with peering over his massive pile of rejection letters to read our glittering reviews. Likewise, back in 96, you will have read (in his memoir “Take That Tax Cheque to the Post Box Immediately”) that when Gary Barlow heard about Riverside, Take That realised they’d had it and split – so some good came of Riverside from day 1. Also, as you will no doubt recall, a gang of 5 girls got together specifically to audition for Riverside but didn’t make it through our rigorous selection process. They even released a single in 1996 to try and appeal to the committee – but “Wannabe (on Stage At Charlbury Riverside Festival)” doesn’t appear to have bothered the scorers at the Top 40, I wonder what happened to them? Bless them for trying.
This year’s lineup and all the information you need on how to volunteer, or when to arrive – and go home – are all here on the website.
Suffice to say 2026 is going to be a massive year. With Unbelievable Truth, Samurai 7, Beaker and DB Band showing up to make clear why we’ve been around so long – plus around 40 other up-and-coming bands delivering indie, folk, electronica, rock and, perhaps, some roll throughout the weekend.
For 30 years Riverside has been – and remains – the antidote to starter homes, leisurewear, matching luggage and 3-piece suites on hire purchase – without being anti the people who have made that choice, because actually most of us have. There really is something for everyone, we are accessible, inclusive, responsible, affordable and mostly, simply enjoyable. Here is entertainment that doesn’t require your password, retinal scan, thumb print, or inside leg measurement. Turn up, sit down, get up again and get down.
There have been some flags about haven’t there? This year’s theme is Flags. At Riverside we want to wave all kinds of flags, so make one, bring one, tell us who you are, where you’re from and what you’re like.
Choose sitting on the grass in the sunshine having a drink listening to excellent music for nothing. And the reason? Who needs reason when you’ve got Riverside?