FollyFest fever is building here in Faringdon, and honestly, it’s one of our favourite times of year. This year the festival runs from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July, filling the town with three stages of live music, fringe events across the pubs and venues, and that brilliant, buzzy atmosphere that only a hometown festival can bring.
As many of you know, our shop sits almost directly opposite the main stage in the Marketplace, so we always end up right in the thick of it. This year we’re doing things a little differently, and we wanted to share our plans.
We’re staying open as usual…
First things first: the shop itself will be open as normal across the weekend, so if you need your regular refills, you can still pop in for your shampoo, laundry liquid or a top-up of pasta and rice, festival or no festival.
…plus our Tuck Shop out front
Back by popular demand, we’ll once again be running our Tuck Shop stall right outside the shop, so festival-goers can grab a treat without having to step away from the music and the atmosphere. Think ice cream, cold drinks, sweets and snacks, easy treats to keep you going between sets.
We’ll also have FollyFest reusable cups in stock in the run-up to the festival, so if you’d like to grab yours early and skip the queue at the bar, pop in and see us beforehand.
Free water refills, all weekend
With three days of dancing, sunshine (fingers crossed) and standing about in the Marketplace, staying hydrated matters. So we’ll be offering free water refills all weekend, no need to buy a new bottle, just bring your own and top up with us.
FollyFest and sustainability
It’s not just us thinking about waste this year. FollyFest itself has some great sustainability measures built in, including a reusable cup scheme at the bars, a request for traders to avoid single-use plastic, and cans rather than plastic bottles for water and soft drinks. Small changes like these add up across a weekend with thousands of visitors, and it’s lovely to see the festival taking that seriously.
If you’re planning your own FollyFest weekend, a few small swaps can help too:
Bring a reusable water bottle to make the most of our free refill station.
Bring your own cup or container if you’re grabbing food or drink from stalls around town.
Walk or cycle in if you can. With road closures around the Marketplace, it’s easier than driving, and Farcycles on Marlborough Street is a great spot if your bike needs a once-over first.
Come and say hello
Whether you’re after a shampoo refill, an ice cream between bands, or just a place to fill up your water bottle, we’d love to see you over FollyFest weekend. It’s such a joy to watch the town come alive with music each July, and we can’t wait to be part of it again this year.
You can visit the Tribe Zero-Waste Refill Shop at 7a Marketplace, Faringdon, Monday–Saturday, 9:30am–4pm, and Sunday, 10am–3pm, or order online for home delivery.