When: 25th – 28th July 2024
Where: Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England
Founded in 1980, WOMAD – the World of Music, Arts and Dance Festival – is still going very strong 44 years later as its announcement of the first wave of global artists to appear at this year’s festival will firmly attest.
Yet again WOMAD has brought together a hugely diverse line-up that will feature a mix of talent, from newcomers to legends, unknowns to visionary songwriters spanning every genre; R&B, hip-hop, rap, rock, blues, electro, folk, punk, jazz and everything in-between; New Orleans brass band, funkadelists, drum and bass, neo-soul, gospel, indie-pop, psychedelic rock, Qawwali, mambo, boogaloo, and flamenco.
Amongst the impressive list of international names who will all head to the picturesque surroundings of Charlton Park in Wiltshire come the last weekend in July will be the exciting hip-hop trio Young Fathers (UK), cultural visionary Baaba Maal (Senegal), legendary gypsy punks Gogol Bordello (USA), the spectacular singer, rapper and songwriter Sampa The Great (Zambia), electronic trailblazer and dance icon Alison Goldfrapp (UK), the celebrated musical duo Amadou and Mariam (Mali), and the hip-hop outfit DAM (Palestine).
Other artists due to appear at WOMAD 2024 include New Orleans jazz band The 79rs Gang (USA), indie-rock innovators Deerhoof (USA), two Latin Grammy Award winners in Bala Desejo (Brazil) and iLe (Puerto Rico), from the Real World label, Yungchen Lhamo (Tibet), the viola-playing master John Metcalfe (New Zealand), the folk gospel flavoured duo The Breath (Ireland/England),new to the spotlight African musical sensation, The Zawose Queens (Tanzania), and many more thrilling acts besides.
WOMAD is not just about incredible music; it has an abundance of activity; the World of Words, celebrates all things spoken; fascinating talks, thought provoking conversation and inspirational authors and the Hip Yak Poetry Shack will have some of the best-spoken word artists in the country. There will be mind-expanding talks, experiments, and performance at the Physics Pavilion; pampering and tranquility at the World of Wellbeing and luxury at the WOMAD Spa, an oasis of calm with wood-fired hot-tubs, and all-day yoga. And some of the weekend’s performers will get the chance to show off their culinary credentials in the legendary and unique Taste the World stage.
On top of that, festivalgoers have the unique opportunity to learn from experts and get involved with a whole array of workshops; from taking dance lessons to picking up a musical instrument from the other side of the globe. And at the World of Children there are more child-friendly activities and workshops than at any other festival, this year’s theme is Superheroes, the culmination of which is the now-legendary Sunday afternoon parade across the festival site. All children 13 years and under are free.
Full details can be found HERE
