Do you sometimes get sick of Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/your friends texting/ your mum calling? No? OK, then stop reading now and get back to your phone… for the rest of you, I have a treat.
Innocent smoothies are inviting you all to unplug this Bank Holiday weekend at a secret (and FREE!) festival for people who want some hard-core time out. Motivated by the fact that life is a little too connected these days, the two-day festival focuses on mindfulness and well-being – but don’t worry, there is fun to be had, too.
Revellers are encouraged to get back to basics for a weekend off the grid with no WiFi, 3G or traditional electricity, to de-stress, recharge and remember life before our 24/7 updates. To help distract yourself from your phone, there will be DJs, inspirational speakers, workshops, yoga, a spa and more (check out the full listings below).
But how are you going to ensure no use of social media? Well, all power will be generated by people (think pedal power and giant hamster wheels!) or the sun. And anyone who’s caught dabbling on their device will have to accept a penalty challenge (don’t ask me what, though…).
So, if this weekend you can’t bear the thought of scrolling through Instagram seeing all your mates doing things that are (most probably not) more fun, then run away from modern life and unplug. But whatever you do, don’t tweet about it!
**The People’s Stage – Musical highlights **
· Norman Jay - one of the finest and most respected DJs in the world today – running the People Powered Disco
· The Correspondents – the kings of hiphop swing · Duologue – a band that fuses a sense of songcraft borrowed from the indie sphere with glitchy, forward-thinking electronica
· Mr Motivator – ’80s lycra legend, who’ll be getting everyone warmed up and dancing around
· Ethan Ash – a brilliant new British singer-songwriter · Diana Yukawa – a modern, electric/classical crossover violinist
· Broken Back – a fab Parisian indie-dance, electro-pop group
· Kimberly Anne – a singer with a rare and unique quality but yet comfortingly familiar sound
· Congo Faith Healers – combines down and dirty swamp-infested gypsy blues with wild savage guitar playing, voodoo vocals, Latin American drum and trumpet grooves with rockabilly swing double bass and hooks that you will be singing for days
· Hackney Colliery Band – East London’s unique take on the brass band: featuring trumpets, trombones, saxes, sousaphone and marching percussion, they are totally acoustic and yet able to blow the roof off any room
· Nathan Lee – a beatboxing flautist
**Inspirational speakers **
· Grace Dent – journalist, author and broadcaster
· Sasha Wilkins, aka LibertyLondonGirl – blogger extraordinaire
· Camila Batmanghelidjh – founder of Kids Company
· Ed Halliwell – the School of Life’s mindfulness expert
· Tristan Gooley – a natural navigator · Al Humphreys – micro adventurer
· Mr B, the Gentleman Rhymer
· Good for Nothing – a collective of smart folk collaborating and experimenting to solve stuff that matters
Dotted around the festival
· Laughter Yoga
· Wood-fired spa
· Hot tubs
· Saunas
· Yoga throughout the weekend
· Massages
· Fergus the Forager – taking people on forest foraging exhibitions
· Abandoned Apothecary – creating your own herbal elixirs to make you feel great, naturally
· Morning Glory – an immersive morning dance experience for those who dare to challenge morning culture and start their day in style Banquet Hall
· A locally sourced forest banquet – £39pp · Bespoke picnic lunches · Beautiful breakfasts · Food carts · Meringue Girls Afternoon Tea – £30pp
· And all the juice and smoothies you could possibly want
Date: 23rd – 24th May
Location: A secret woodland location just outside London (near Sevenoaks)
Tickets: Free! Available through www.innocentunplugged.com
Tickets to the locally sourced forest banquet, wood-fired spas and Meringue Girls Afternoon Tea can be purchased online prior to the festival.