subject: Reading Festival The Years Outdoor Music Extravaganza! [print this page] Reading is a city which lies between the sprawling valleys of the Rivers Thames and Kennet. The area is as rich in natural beauty as it is in material wealth, being a thriving IT, business and regional shopping centre. Reading is also famous for its university spheres of Thomas Valley University and Reading University, which are in large part responsible for the citys overall student demographics. However, the town enters the consciousness of music-lovers all around the world by the merit of being the hosting grounds of the Reading Music Festival. One of the worlds largest outdoor music events, this takes place on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend concurrent with its twin event in Leeds.
The Reading Festival is the oldest currently-running music festival in the world and was the brainchild of Harold Pendleton. Since its inception in 1961, the Festival has evolved beyond all expectations, enduring disastrous political censure and mismanagement in the 80s, enjoying new revival in the 90s and dealing with expansion problems causing its ultimate spillover into Leeds. Currently it is organized by Festival Republic and accommodates over 80,000 spectators from all over the world at Little Johns Farm in central Readings Richford Avenue.
This music festival for fans by fans, is best known for its rock and metal music, although it also features a range of genres from indie music to rap and hip-hop, punk and dance. International stars share a line up with emerging artists, cult indie bands and underground heavy metal outfits. Little-known acts and stars such as Bonnie Tyler and 50 Cent have shared the humiliation of being bottled off stage (the tradition of bottles being thrown at the stage by disapproving fans) while legends such as Nirvana have left indelible benchmarks in its performance history. A fringe Festival has been spawned in recent years which is beneficial for those who cannot attend the main one to which tickets are usually sold out within two hours of their release.
If youre looking for a quality hotel in Reading which showcases Berkshire to its best advantage, Copthorne Hotel Reading is highly recommended. Nestled in a scenic country lakeside, this hotel Reading is located in close proximity to the citys major thoroughfares and provides easy access to the areas best attractions, including the festival grounds.
