On a drizzly December evening I sat down with the organisers of Corfest, Matt, Steve, Graham, and Andy. After a short catch up and the purchasing of pints we settled in to discuss the past, present, and future of Corsham’s premier festival. It seemed logical to start at the beginning, with the genesis of Corfest. Graham and Steve both made it clear that the idea for a new festival came from the cancellation of the much-loved Pig and Jig. There was both a space, and an appetite for a community focused local event. After continued discussions, it became clear that establishing something new was entirely possible. Steve summed up the essence of Corfest brilliantly, “A lot of people in one place, having a good time”. True to form for a graphic designer, Matt stressed the importance of establishing strong branding before starting the plan anything else. Keeping everything local and family friendly was a sentiment repeated by all four organisers, throughout the evening.

It was made very clear to me that the first year of Corfest was an experiment. When I asked if they expected the festival to be a success in its first year I saw varying levels of confidence. From Steve it was an unwavering yes, “I always knew we were going to smash it”. Matt’s attitude was similar, the only moment of real concern was when the lorry used as the stage got stuck entering the site. A hair raising moment for everyone who witnessed it. Graham’s expectations of year one were slightly more reserved, although he was quite sure that there wasn’t much that could go wrong. Andy’s involvement in the first year was as “just a grafter”, but by year two he had made himself an indispensable member of the organisational team. His company's sponsorship of the festival showed clear belief that it would be a success from the beginning.

Organising a festival takes a hell of a lot of work, but I wanted to find out which moments made all of the effort worth it. The general consensus was that the most gratifying parts of both years were the smiles on peoples faces, and the time after everyone had gone home when the founders could reflect on what they had created. “I had to take it all in, we did this, it came from nothing and became something”, Matt told me. Both years have been rewarding, Graham was “On a high for a week after”. Furthermore, Andy touched on one of the most important parts of the Corfest ethos, giving money to local charities. It was important to everyone that Corfest was making genuine contributions to the Corsham community. Clearly the town itself is important to all four organisers. Matt told me quite plainly “I just love it here”.

The festival is a real grassroots effort, with contributions from police, fire brigade, cadets, and local businesses. And you can’t talk about Corfest without mentioning Corsham Rugby club, who provide the venue and so much more. As chairman and treasurer (respectively) of Corsham RFC, Andy and Graham gave me an insight into the importance of supporting local sports. The club is self funded and requires constant upkeep, meaning the contribution from Corfest ticket prices is of paramount importance. Andy seemed keen to change people’s perceptions of rugby, as someone uninformed may pass it off as being a sport about violence. In reality, rugby is a great outlet for children and adults, there is a place for everybody. Being part of a club nurtures a sense of community on and off the pitch. And this community isn’t just for players, it extends to fans, club staff, and parents who all chip in to keep Corsham rugby club going.

Year two of Corfest saw the introduction of a second stage. Its purpose was to give a platform to young, up and coming bands, which is something the organisers consider to be very important. Matt expressed excitement at having received enquiries from bands wanting to play Corfest in the future. “We’ve established a good reputation”. It’s becoming harder and harder to make an impression in music, which makes Corfest’s commitment to helping local talent get a foot on the ladder especially important. Steve made sure to mention that the talent still has to be of a certain standard, this sentiment was clear in the quality of bands booked. I personally enjoyed the sets from second stage bands such as Butane Skies and BIL as much as I enjoyed the acts on the main stage. Following the success of the second stage in 2024 it will be getting an infrastructure upgrade in 2025. There was also a mention of some enhancements of the main stage in the future. Glastonbury’s pyramid stage should watch out! Another point of discussion for the future was the possibility of making Corfest sustainable. After Massive Attack held a fully climate conscious concert in Bristol, it seems plausible that Corfest could move towards sustainability. Apart from this there does not seem to be much need to “mess with the formula”, Matt said he wants development to be slow and well considered.

To finish up our conversation I asked each organiser for a few stand out memories from the past two years. For Matt it was standing there ready at the start of the day, and playing the final note of The Clones set. For Steve it was having a quiet beer with friends at 1am, and performing on stage with his daughter. For Graham it was the anticipation of being ready, and hearing a child tell her parents that it was the best day of her life. For Andy it was the team breakfast at the start of the day, and watching the parade of people walking out. Corfest has established itself as an important part of Corsham culture, and I for one can’t wait for 2025!