Anyone going to Greenbelt this year?

[Littlepond]

I’ve checked my tent, packed my reusable water bottle and travel mug, and I’m deciding whether to err or the side of sun or rain!

Anyone else going? I go every year and I love it.

Hello!

I'm going! Not sure what to expect, but I'm excited. Am going with a Swedish friend who also has never been. I need to download the app and figure out who/what to see (and when). Is there anything you're particularly keen to see you?

Btw, I know this sounds like a ridiculous question, but what do you do about food? Do you just bring tons of food with you, or alternatively plenty of cash (on the assumption that nobody will take card) to buy food with?

I want to see John Bell and Harry and Chris. I’m open to anything else! Food, I take a few bits with me - porridge for breakfast, cereal bars, cake, snack stuff. And yes, money! The food is awesome there! Make sure you take a water bottle as it’s plastic free this year. It’s amazing you’ll love it!

Thanks! I'm getting excited about it now. Bought some bits and bobs for breakfast and will make sure to bring plenty of cash with me! Still haven't downloaded the app to see what I want to see and when... I must do that

Hi I'm going too. Excited to be heading back. Last year I missed half of it due to poorly child so fingers crossed I get to go to the whole thing this time.

I've downloaded the app and marked up all the things I want to do. Annoyingly there are loads of times when there's 3 or 4 things I want to do. Happily there's a similar number of times when there's nothing on that I am interested in (tiny tea tent hangout time obviously)

Roll on Friday evening.

Oh yes - am half packed and we take a fair bit of food as we cook for a group , but the catering is amazing for main meals.
It can get cold so take warm stuff for night time!
I'm going to see John Bell at least once and I'm hoping to chill out a bit at the Canopy stage and the quieter worship venues.

I'm not going but I live reasonably nearby. I should be able to hear the music if I have the windows open.

The local weather forecast looks ok with the possibility of a rain shower on Friday early evening and Sunday afternoon.

Have a great time

Cheers everyone! I've looked at the lineup and it's like someone has made a festival just for me (as my husband commented, 'What an unbelievable load of hippy Christian shite' - but he ain't coming ).

HAHA I’m all about the hippy Christian shite (my husband isn’t coming either)

What did you all think - I loved it- and went to the very last thing at the Canopy at Monday night!

Vicky Beeching was brilliant on the Saturday morning

What did you think of the service on Sunday morning?

I was on the outskirts of the service on Sunday as I don’t do Communion, I enjoyed the music and the atmosphere but didn’t participate. Sunday was a bit miserable because of the rain!

Vicky Beeching was brilliant and Pussy Riot amazing, so powerful and brave.

We are Scientists were my favourite, took me back to my youth! Brilliant!

I was under cover in the Glade big tent for the communion and was very uncomfortably squashed. I don't think I got much out of the service as I was dealing with the cramping in my legs from being squeezed into too small a space. But I was just happy that there was no cringeworthy/sexist "Roots Fruits Shoots"-type liturgy. Maybe it strayed into being a little too bland but in my experience when they try to avoid the bland the result can be disastrous so I am OK with bland. I left during the final hymn and thought that the people with golfing-size umbrellas in the rain seemed happier than those packed like sardines into the tent.

I think my highlight was beer & hymns. Most other stuff I went to was either at the Telescope venue or the Red Tent. When there wasn't a specific talk/discussion/panel that I wanted to see there was usually some good music at canopy. A new discovery for me was Grace Petrie who I hadn't previously heard of and was brilliant.

Most memorable talk was about www.missionlifeforce.org which seems to be creating a concrete and effective thing we can all do to help save the planet that will have way more impact than the little things like cutting our plastic usage, increasing recycling etc.

I was in the rain for the communion service, sharing a kind stranger's umbrella. I found the service really quite moving (although some of the historical re-enactment stuff was slightly cringe!) and had a fantastic time singing along with two total strangers who shared my enthusiasm and lack of vocal talent.

I reckon - as with so much else - it's what you make of it, really. I go to a very high church which is all smells and bells, and it would have been easy for me to feel embarrassed by the liturgy. But I'm glad I threw myself into it.

(The Iona community service, on the other hand...)

I was in the rain for communion under a brolly. First very wet communion I've ever been to there - I do love everyone worshipping together but it's nicer when it's dry! I liked the communion being more simple - its easier to follow when you can't see inside the big top. I missed so much but what I got to was great. Had alot of fun at the silent disco on Saturday despite my advanced years and my highlight was the OK Chorale as got to get up on stage as an Angel at the end - and seeing a nun singing along to Pussy Riot and Lee Bains covering Nirvanas Nevermind just summed up Greenbelt to me!

Ooh I loved Beer and Hymns! I also joined in with the silent disco and felt ancient!

I only went for the day on the Saturday, but it was great. Heard the Q&A with Pussy Riot (very interesting) and the chat with Vicky Beeching (excellent).
I went to one of the sessions by 'Space to Breathe' in the afternoon; didn't realise it would be a guided meditation, but it was SO good. I had been planning on going to the Quaker act of worship about half an hour later, but was so peaceful and thoughtful after the meditation I didn't feel the need for more!