WOMAD 2007 was my first ever festival and what a festival it was. With 22mm of rain falling in one night, in an area that can expect 12mm for the whole month is it a surprise that WOMAD overnight became….. WOMUD.

While the mud created a barrier to: picnic blankets, cartwheels and generally moving more graciously or faster than a plod, it didn’t stop 20 000 people getting stuck into some serious World Music and Dance.
The acts varied enormously from jazzy blues, through to African cries and ‘Balkan Beats’. The world was represented in so many sounds, smiles, costumes and hip flicks it was essential that I added my own. With my hands clapping in percussion, my umbrella swayed to the musical droplets and my feet anchored my bendy moves to the spot.

While the beats were loud in the ears morale was high, but in those tricky moments when it takes you twenty minutes to cross a field that should only take two, it was the food that swung to the rescue. I remember one particular lunchtime when ‘Pie Minister’ struck out its sumptuous smells. The Thai Chicken Pie that sat proudly amongst mash, pees and gravy made light of the fact that we were standing in a rather big pool of mud. The food on mass was organic, global and really rather delicious, no burger bars to be seen!

Diversity stuck its feet firmly into the muddy grounds of Charlton Park near Malmesbury and celebrated a universal love of music and dance.
While the rain poured down on sodden grounds the spirit of the crowds rose up to meet it.