UK Independent Festival Awards 2017 Winners

For the fourth time the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) presented the Independent Festival Awards during its annual Festival Congress in Cardiff, Wales, Oct. 30.   

– Independent Festival Awards
during Festival Congress in Wales Oct. 30

There were eight categories this year. Womb With a View at Shambala (Aug. 24-27 in Northampton, England), an oversized replica of the female womb, won the Unique Festival Arena category.

Secret Garden Party, which celebrated its last edition July 20-23 in Abbots Ripton, England, took home the Best Smart Marketing award for its VIP/Celebrity Obsession Theme. The iconic fesitval’s founder Freddie Fellowes was presented with the Pioneer Award.

Idles were crowned Live Act of the Year and Aespia (Aug. 19-20 near Hemel Hempstead, England) was named best New Festival on the Block. Nozstock The Hidden Valley (July 21-23 in Bromyard, England) won the Mind Blowing Spectacle category for its closing fire show.

Happy Maki was named Festival Caterer of the Year. The Act of Independence award went to Greenbelt Festival (Aug. 25-27 on Boughton House estate, England) for their work with the Amal project, which launched a Muslim artistry venue and program, and focuses on Palestinian festival programming to mark the key anniversaries in Israel-Palestine this year.

The award ceremony took place in Cardiff’s Depot.

Paul Reed, GM of the AIF, called it “an outstanding celebration,” and announced that the Festival Congress would move to Sheffield, England, in 2018.