When is it?
Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August.
Where is it?
Temple Island Meadows, Henley-On-Thames Oxfordshire.
How much is it?
Weekend Camping is £140 per adult and £45 per youth. Standard non-camping weekend tickets for adults are £120, and youths £40. (These are tier three tickets. Earlybirds started at £120 for camping and £99 for non-camping.)
Who’s playing?
Saturday includes Level 42, Holly Johnson and Kim Wilde. Sunday highlights include The Human League, The Selecter and Midge Ure. The opening Friday night slot will be headlined by 2-Tone legend Neville Staple From The Specials and his water-tight band.
How many bands are playing altogether? Saturday and Sunday have twenty-two bands performing on the main stage. There is also a Riverside stage which hosts acts all weekend.
Can I go V.I.P?
V.I.P tickets cost £130 per adult and need to be purchased separately. The exclusive area features a bar, seating, tables, posh loos and a side view of the stage.
Is it worth it? Arrrgghh, yes and no. If you’re on a budget, then you won’t miss out on not getting VIP tickets. The main area is well catered for with bars, food and plenty of space. The toilets aren’t as luxurious, but then this is a festival.
Timings.
The campsite opens at 2 pm Friday and closes at 12 noon on Monday.
Getting there.
By car, parking is available in the same field as the festival so you’ll never be more than a five-minute walk away. There are no in and out for day ticket holders.
Henley has a train station and is about a fifteen to twenty-minute walk away. There are also water taxis that will ferry you up and down the river from the site entrance to the town centre.
Buses from Reading and Wycombe are available but check times before travelling, especially weekend timetables.
Can I stay in Henley?
Henley has a few hotels varying from Wetherspoons to Hotel Du Vin. Most hotels are usually fully booked way in advance of Rewind, The Henley Festival or Regatta events. That said, it’s always worth checking Booking.com or Airbnb for any last-minute availability. Camping’s not for everyone at Rewind, but it does offer excellent value for money. Swiss Farm holiday park is also close by.
*Insider tip, It can be cheaper to stay in the surrounding area and taxi or bus to the site.*
Can I take my own food and drink to the festival site?
Nope. Simple as really, and there are checks on the way in. These checks are mainly for alcohol, not food. There is an eclectic mix of food stalls inside with every taste catered for, including vegan and vegetarian. The bar is not cheap. Expect to pay through the nose for alcohol. £6 for a bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a can of spirit/mixer. Campers are able to bring their own food and drink to the campsite area, and security seems to be less stringent in the camping area. Free drinking water is available across the site.
*Insider tip. As long as you’re not greedy, you can smuggle a few discrete treats in as there is no patdown. I have seen people drinking wine out of a catheter, but that’s your choice on how ‘The Great Escape’ you want to go! Children also make great booze mules, so I’ve heard!*
Dress sense.
Ok, there will be fancy dress, lots and lots of fancy dress. You will see Mr T, Heidi Hi, Top Gun, Adam Ant and Superman/Wonder Woman. Also, men and women in wigs, leggings, dayglo and various outfits that you wouldn’t see on the high street. Enjoy the views, especially after about 6 pm when the booze has kicked in. You haven’t lived until you’ve witnessed a p*ssed Mario or Maverick searching for the loo.
What should I take?
Camping chairs are a must and can act as a meeting point where friends and couples can leave jackets, bags etc. The area directly in front of the stage is a standing area only for those who wish to dance and get closer to the action.
Waterproofs, just in case. Cash & card. Sunscreen, a hat and shades.
Onsite extra’s.
Silent disco, inflatable wedding chapel, Riverside stage, fairground rides and kids area. There are some A1 DJs playing all the tunes you want to hear at an Eighties festival in one of the big top tents.
Why should I go?
The sun always shines at Rewind, and it is one huge 80’s themed ego-free party. Henley-On-Thames is a picturesque town with an abundance of bars, restaurants and shops to suit any budget.
Writers choice.
Cheap beer, Wetherspoons on Hart Street.
Nicest Pub, The Bull on Bell Street or The Argyle Falaise Square.
Best breakfast, Bijan’s Kitchen Falaise Square.
Best Indian, Cafe Le Raj, Reading Road.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g186360-Henley_on_Thames_Oxfordshire_England.html
Best food shopping, Waitrose on Bell Street has an amazing deli counter for all your picnicking needs, whereas Sainsbury’s local on the same street has a large chiller section for beers, soft drinks and sandwiches at a more reasonable price.
In central Henley, you will also find a host of independent restaurants and coffee shops that sit alongside Boots, Starbucks, Gails, Cafe Rouge, Zizzi, WHSmith’s and Costa.
For more info, including tickets, head over to, https://south.rewindfestival.com/