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Reading’s Twilight Trail: Let the magic begin

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In a year that has been quite out-of-the-ordinary, Reading is set to see something pretty extra-ordinary this Christmas season. For the first time ever, Reading will have its very own Twilight Trail, a magical festive trail full of sparkles and illuminations, leading you through Reading’s iconic Forbury Gardens and Abbey Ruins.

Wander through a magical backdrop of illuminated trees, create your own light shows with interactive displays and watch the Abbey Ruins come alive with sound and light. Discover dazzling light orbs, floating mirror balls and enchanting shows of kaleidoscope patterns and colours as you experience Reading’s first Twilight Trail this Christmas.

The brand-new light trail, brought to you by Reading UK, Reading BID and Reading Borough Council, will launch in Forbury Gardens on Monday 8th December and will run throughout the festive season.

To keep everyone as safe as possible and comply with current Government Coronavirus Guidelines around social distancing, there will be a limited number of tickets available for the Twilight Trail, with allocated timeslots every 20 minutes.


All tickets must be pre-booked in advance via Reading Arts.
Please be aware that we don’t authorise or have any control over the sale of tickets via third-party websites.

So, book your ticket now and let the magic begin.

8th December 2020 – 3th January 2021
4pm – 10pm, with bookable timeslots every 20mins from 4pm to 8.40pm
Forbury Gardens, via Abbey Gate entrance

Twilight Trail accessible evening: 21 December
On Monday 21 December, we will be dimming the lighting, reducing the sound and limiting tickets per session to make the Twilight Trail as sensory friendly as possible.

To support the neurodiverse audiences, they are working with their lighting installation partner Yes Events to make the Twilight Trail as accessible as possible on 21 December. This includes lowering the brightness of the lights throughout the Trail, reducing the volume of the sound installations and including hearing loops for any installations that are accompanied with voiceovers. They will also reduce the number of bookable tickets for each time slot, so that families are given more space to enjoy the lighting installations comfortably.

These sessions are marked as “Relaxed Performance” in the list of available dates.

We are also working to make sure all sessions throughout the run of the Twilight Trail (8 December – 3 January) are as accessible as possible, providing wheelchair-accessible alternative routes wherever needed and bowls of water and treats for assistance dogs.

For general queries or for more information about this event, please see the Twilight Trail FAQ page.

If you have any queries about your booking, contact the Box Office – forburytwilighttrail@gmail.com

Events

The Countdown to GuilFest Is On – Don’t Miss Out!

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Guilfest 2025

Summer is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing – GuilFest is nearly here! With early bird tickets flying off the shelves and last year’s event completely sold out, now is the time to secure your spot for a weekend bursting with music, fun, and feel-good summer energy.

A Line-up to Remember

This year’s musical line-up promises to be nothing short of spectacular. From legendary chart-toppers to crowd-pleasing favourites, GuilFest 2025 brings a dazzling variety of acts to the stage. Get ready to dance your socks off to music from The Jacksons, Razorlight, and Soul II Soul! Join in on the infectious vibe of the Stereo MC’s and take in the legends that brought us all the hits we love – like Leo Sayer and The Bay City Rollers, and more under wraps!

So, whether your thing is soulful grooves, catchy indie anthems, or noises from your youth, there’s something for everyone on the line up!

More Than Just Music

But GuilFest is not only about the music – it is a full weekend experience whatever your age. Families will love the variety of entertainment provided for the little ones. There are two very special guests this year – Bluey on Saturday 5th July and Peppa Pig on Sunday 6th July – meet and greets that your children will remember and you will want to get some snaps of those special moments.

Whether you’re on the stage or in the family zones, GuilFest has a delightful offering of food and drink stalls, comedy performances, wellness zones, craft market, and much, much more – ensuring that the stage is set for a sunny, fun-filled weekend of music and community.

Don’t Miss Out

If you’ve been thinking about making your summer plans, now is your chance. With tickets going fast, don’t miss out on what is expected to be the best GuilFest yet.

So, grab some mates, rally the family, do what you need to do, and get ready for a weekend to remember! Get your tickets, let the countdown to GuilFest 2025 begin!

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Sensations of the Solstice at Wasing (Review – 2025)

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Solstice At Wasing - Artist - Âpe Chimba 7 - Photo Credit @Wasing1759

We’d heard Solstice at Wasing, near Reading, was a festival of interest. Seeing it celebrates the rites of summer and vaguely interested we went along on Fri.  

Wow. 

What a beautiful festival.  From entering through a leafy canopy of trees and jungle-covered ‘corridor through to the main ‘stage’ – a creation of the tallest of trees surrounding the band and their entranced audience.  Honestly, of all the festivals we have been to over the years, this is one of the prettiest.  

Things we particularly loved.  

• The wild swimming and sauna – we loved the idea of it,but book early or you’ll be disappointed. And the idea of welcoming the sunrise in at 3, – Oh well, next year….

• The Sweet and stylish independent sellers – We particularly loved the clothes by Challo

• Salif Keita – hearing that richest of voices ring out amongst the shades of green was particularly amazing

Solstice At Wasing - Artist - Salif Keita 3 - Photo Credit @Wasing1759
Solstice At Wasing – Artist – Salif Keita 3 – Photo Credit @Wasing1759

• Anoushka Shankar’s spellbinding set – a mesmerising journey through her trilogy of mini-albums, blending classical sitar with bold, contemporary sounds. Her performance beneath the trees created a moment of pure magic.

Solstice At Wasing - Artist - Anoushka Shankar 2 - Photo Credit @Wasing1759
Solstice At Wasing – Artist – Anoushka Shankar 2 – Photo Credit @Wasing1759


• Moonji’s ice-cream – it’s the smallest touches that this festival has an abundance of, and the taste of Moonjiicecreams has my mouth watering at the memory of them…

• The ambiance – characterised by respect, softness in the best of ways, friendly, clean, Solstice largely seems toattract a different kind of crowd, not looking for the usual excess. (No judgement there on our part, – ever). 

The candles and coves, the perfectly choreographed havens and hammocks. This intimately special festival really is a stunner.

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Events

Celebrate the Magic of the Solstice at Wasing’s Woodland Haven this Weekend

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Solstice At Wasing

On Friday, June 20th, people around the world will be celebrating the summer solstice under the same sky — truly an event that connects us all, regardless of borders or time zones. Wasing’s secluded forests offer the opportunity for a weekend filled with live music, shared experiences, and pure elemental magic.

From lush grooves to soulful melodies, the team has curated a rich and vibrant programme made up of artists from all over the world. Some of the key acts include James Blake, Anoushka Shankar, Salif Keita, Alex Serra, Âpe Chimba, The Egg, Sam Lee, Nubiyan Twist, K.O.G., The Turbans, Afrosideral, Tritha, Skyrager (Psychemagik), Omer Gonen-Haela, ÆVERY, Di-Pod, Mira Khanya, Rebecca Dennis, Chris Park, Jill Purce, Rupert Sheldrake, Soul Revolution, Wonderment and Wider Horizons. For the full line up head to www.wasing.co.uk/solstice,

A highlight of the weekend will be the Sunrise Ceremony; a ceremony of people together to receive the first rays of the sun – to celebrate renewal, oneness and nature’s power to inspire awe. As day yields to night, the Sacred Glade awakens a midnight fire, with intimate performances under a sky filled with stars bringing together wilderness, art and community.

We’re proud to be supporting Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) — an extraordinary humanitarian organisation delivering life-saving care all over the world, wherever it’s needed most. With every ticket you buy, we’ll donate £2 directly to Médecins Sans Frontières (UK) (registered charity number 1026588), helping them continue their vital work across more than 70 countries.

Tickets
Grab your spot for the weekend — whether you want to come just for a day or stay for it all.

Vehicle Pass
If you’re driving to the festival, please make sure you book a vehicle pass in advance.

Tipi Accommodation
Tipis can be reserved here and are completely set up with beds, linen, lighting and a supply of local water, toilet and shower facilities. Take your own towels and provisions, and reserve your festival and vehicle passes separately.

Camping
Access to our campsite is included with all Solstice festival tickets on a bring your own tent or campervan basis. The campsite opens at 12pm on Friday 20th June and closes at 4pm on Saturday 21st June.

If you are bringing a vehicle, please purchase a campsite vehicle pass here
The campsite facilities include toilets & access to drinking water.

Accessibility
For all access information, please see the [accessibility guide]. Tickets for accessible events must be accompanied by appropriate documentation and submitted to events@wasing.co.uk 3 weeks from the booking date. All ages are welcome; children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

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