Bestival Toronto 2016: The Summer of Love – Review
Bestival Toronto: The Summer of Love - Logo/Poster: Image 1
In search of music, magic, fun, and sun, upwards of 15, 000 people took part in a weekend full of celebration, freedom, pleasures, and euphoria.
In its second annual year... The two-day (June 11 – 12) music festival known as Bestival took Toronto's east side Woodbine Park by surprise, and by storm. The bright and colourful Summer of Love theme about positivity, peace, and love was a huge and raging success. Bestival Toronto's 2016 extraordinary affair was definitely one of the best music festivals this city, and country has ever seen.
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
"Bestival has been running in the U.K. for 13 years. We've won multiple awards for being one of the biggest and the best and the best curated festivals. We came to Toronto two years ago, and chose Toronto over any other city in the world..." Said Bestival director, manager, and co-founder Ben Turner. "...The festival industry has exploded all over the world, it's exploded over North America, it's exploded particularly here in Canada, and there's a tendency for promoters to just put them in a field, get the band, sell them beer, and send them home... We put a lot more love, and care, and attention into the actual experience."
Turner is a long time Bestival director, manager, and considered a co-founder. Among other things, he is also the CEO of Graphite Music, an international music management, events and brand services company.
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(Credit: Bestival Logo – Wikipedia / Graphite Music Logo – Official Twitter Account)
This summer's 2016 Bestival Summer of Love theme attracted people of all sexes, all ages, and all cultures to come together and share a good time. The joy and excitement of old and new friends blended together with strangers gave the feeling of unity among all who attended. Peace and happiness was spread across the entire park, throughout the entire weekend, and without incident.
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
Neighbourhood local, Bestival attendee, and longtime festival enthousiast Kelly McElwain said, "I wanted to see what they would do with Woodbine Park this year (instead of the island) and they really transformed the space! It was lovely... They put a lot of effort into making it a real experience!"
International artists, DJs, and popular bands filled the festival line-up all weekend. Saturday's talent included Tame Impala, Odesza, Jamie xx, Porter Robinson, and Madeon... Even Bestival founder Rob da Bank had taken to the stage, spinning club music. Sunday's talent including The Cure, Daughter, Tchami, Dubfire, and Canada's home grown talent, Grimes. Acts were spread across various stages, each of which were uniquely designed.
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(Credit: Official Bestival Website)
Another Toronto local Luca Borrelli had attended and said, "Bestival Festival showed Toronto how music festivals can be about more than just the music... In comparison to the first one, it was more accessible to get to and from, and while inside from stage to stage."
Bestival's main stage was definitely a sight to see. The massive structure stood in the centre of the grounds and attracted people from every angle of the festival. The stage's motto was 'Increase the peace with eclectic headliners, and live acts on our main stage!' Live headliners included Tame Impala, and Odesza playing on Saturday, and The Cure, and Grimes on Sunday. It was definitely built, and best suited to host live bands, and/or the larger type performances.
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
Another huge stage was that of the Big Top. The motto inside this impressive tent was 'You'll find a gargantuan line-up of musical treats and an extraordinary sound system under the canvas of our Big Top.' DJs on this line-up included Porter Robinson, and Madeon on Saturday, and Tchami, and Thomas Jack on Sunday. It was definitely a wild circus in there.
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
Bollywood by far the talk of the town... The mechanical stage which shot fire into the sky featured elephants, a raised DJ booth, and was surrounded by an attractive Indian-like environment. The motto while in Bollywood was 'Made in appreciation of the art and culture of India, our Bollywood stage is an epic temple shaped DJ stage, bedecked with dressed animals, leis, lights, lasers, flames, and dancers.' Talent playing in Bollywood included Maya Jane Cole, Art Department on Saturday, and Dubfire, and Lee Fos on Sunday. The Bollywood stage is Bestival's most popular, and most memorable of all the stages.
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
Attractions other than musical acts scattered the grounds throughout the weekend... Flash mob conga lines, drag queen croquet, and really cool dress-up tent were just some of the things to find... Bestival Production Assistant Trenae Brown had said, "There are so many cool costumes… You gotta do it!” Other cool things to search for included a popular inflatable church, extraterrestrial puppet shows, interactive live murals, and other buskers galore!
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(Credit: Stevie Gedge – Official Bestival Photo Gallery)
People and party-goers seemed to have flocked to Bestival from every country in the world. There was a strong presence of local Canadians, a fair amount of Americans came up, and a lot of British had crossed over too. Sean Keld, an attendee at the festival had said, "I love festivals and go to all of them. This is my second music festival in Canada. I love them because I love seeing people happy!” There were a lot of British fans attending the event, and many of them found attending for the second time. Callum Norris, another attendee at the festival had said, "I am from the U.K., know all the festival owners, and love Bestival Festival!”
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(Credit: Christopher J. O'Brien - Photo of Sean Keld)
After the success of two annual events, Bestival has proven to Toronto and the world that they know how to throw a proper music festival. Bestival Founder Rob da Bank had this to say... "Wowzers! Hey Toronto! You guys were incredible this weekend… Eternal sunshine, beautiful people, sublime music from Tame Impala, The Cure and an unforgettable Jamie xx sunny sing-along, all conspired to make this a fantastic second edition… Our new site seemed to be a hit with Torontonians rediscovering this great park and we thank you from the bottom of our dusty, tired hearts for welcoming us back again. See you in 2017..."
Rob da Bank is a popular British DJ who with his wife Josie da Bank founded Bestival music festival on the Isle of Wright and Camp Bestival in Lulworth, Dorset. They live together in London, and on the Isle of Wright where they have three sons.
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(Credit: Rob da Bank - Official Twitter Account)
This year's U.K. Bestival takes place at Robin Hill Country Park (near Newport on the Isle of Wright) from Thursday to Sunday, September 8 – 12. It's much larger than Toronto's addition, a camping festival, and music stays on from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 a.m. daily.
For more information on 2016 Bestival events please visit: http://www.bestival.ca/ for Toronto, Canada and http://www.bestival.net/ for the U.K.
Until next year... Cheers!
Photo gallery below...
