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Updated Jan 2008

	Cumbria Free Festivals 1982-84
	Silver Moon Festival Haggs Bank Farm Nenthead, Alston. Cumbria 10th – 12th August 1984   Hawkwind Wystic Mankers

A damned isolated and -if the weather played up, cold site, but a very beautiful setting. We have photos and reports of the 1982 festival, but once again , we have bugger all info on this one , any help with bands, weather, attendance , fun, hassles, site plan, whatever, would be most appreciated.

I am from the North East of England and have been to Stonehenge 83,84 and attended the 3 festivals in Nenthead, close to Alston in 82,83,84. The festivals were in Cumbria and they were excellent. The 1982 event was "The Blue Moon Festival" - you have a picture of this one on your web page. The 1983 festival was "Green Moon gathering" both the 82 and 83 festivals were held at Pry House, Nenthead, Alston and the 1984 festival was "Silver Moon Festival" which was held at a different site further into the hills at Haggs bank Farm, near Alston.

The 82 and 83 festivals had the Tibetans etc and I think Nik Turner and others. The Tibetans had their blue and white marquee but in 84 they had the larger marquee with a trapeze type swing with a kitchen aarea attached. These were great events, however, the 84 festival had a different feel about it, harder drugs being openly on sale and as a result the locals got a bit freaked and as far as I am aware that was the last of the Cumbria festivals.

I was always interested in the Tibetans and my memories of what they used to perform and the people surrounding them used to interest me. I would have longed to travel with them etc but that was wisful thinking on my part at the time.
Just one last point the Tibetans played music and put on performances at the Cumbria festivals under the Wystic Mankers. I have some photos of them still camping on the land about 2 weeks after the 83 festival and I have some pics of the 84 festival but not on my pc.

Colin

Compere Trevor Reed writes :

Finally we come to the Silver Moon, sadly the final festival of the trilogy this was held on Hags bank. This festival was more of a schedule A market than a festival, culminating in an invasion by the convoy who proceeded to attack the local police force and basically destroy any good will there was between the local populace and the incomers. However watch this space- there is talk of a revival.

Free rock festivals of the 70s and 80s

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