Despite warm feelings for the site and the local council, they have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the festival has now outgrown the available land at the Rivermead site.

“We are keen to express our sincere goodwill towards Reading Borough Council and our support for every element of our working partnership in producing the WOMAD Festival each year at Rivermead.”
Thomas Brooman, Managing and Artistic Director, WOMAD

Audience feedback received after WOMAD Rivermead in 2005 included strong criticism of the site as a whole, and a feeling of overcrowding in particular. In order to alleviate these problems, WOMAD implemented substantial changes to the festival site in 2006. However, despite these improvements, a perception of overcrowding remains.

As a result, the WOMAD festival team felt there was no alternative than to seek a new venue in which to present the WOMAD Festival in future years.

They have found a new location for WOMAD near their HQ in Wiltshire. Full details of the new festival site will be announced on Wednesday 1 November and tickets for the 2007 festival (27-29 July) will be put on sale on that date.