about us
At the end of 2023, Fandangos were pleased to purchase WrdeUp from WrdeUp Music Festival CIC, which started and ran the event for the past 10 years. We’re incredibly excited to be taking over the reins of this key town-wide event for the people of Highworth and beyond.
We’re going to be working hard to deliver the Festival for 2024. We plan to deliver as much of the event in-house, with the hope of growing the show while making it more self-sustainable and in a better financial position, allowing WrdeUp many more years to run!
Thanks again to the committee who have worked so hard for the past 10 years, we look forward to adding to the fab environment you’ve all created.
our history
The first event was in 2013 and was originally organised as a celebration for the Highworth Junior Football Club after winning a regional award. Due to a clear demand for this sort of event for the town the event came back again in 2014, under the name of “Higworts”.
In 2015, the name “WrdeUp” was first used for the event and seemed to resonate with the audience, the majority of whom are all local Highworthians. “Wrde” was the first recorded name for our town in 1086, for a short 8 years before being renamed to “Wortha”.
faq
Please see below for our frequently asked questions, do feel free to email us at hello@wrdeup.co.uk if you want to ask us anything
is there a schools scheme?
yes there is! we offer a schools / pta scheme where attendees of the school (and their parents / guardians) can access cheaper tickets while raising money for the school at the same time. click here to find out more.
are you allowed to bring in your own food and drink?
Food and drink are not permitted into the event. There is an exception of one unopened small plastic bottle of water / juice per person and you are allowed to bring baby/toddler food. We will have a selection of quality food vendors on site which can cater for most dietary needs and offer children’s portions. We know everyone is different, If you have particular circumstances you would like to discuss then please reach out to us so that we can advise you. Email any questions to hello@wrdeup.co.uk
is there drinking water on site / should I bring a refillable bottle?
There will be drinking water available at the event from a filling station. Please bring along an empty re-useable water bottle with you which you can fill up.
will there be security / bag checks at the event?
Security will be present on site at all times and anyone accessing the site will pass via various security measures we have in place. All attendees may undergo bag / body searches as a condition of entry and as part of our premises licence as stipulated by the council. We reserve the right to refuse entry to the event. Please be prepared for checks and queueing upon entry, we will work through this as quickly as possible however have these plans in place for everyone’s safety.
what should I bring?
Bring your tickets, cash/cards for purchasing on site (There is no cash point on site), your ID (for ticket collection and if you want to purchase alcohol), a small bag (see separate FAQ below about bags), an empty refillable water bottle and all your friends (of course!)
why did fandangos take over wrdeup?
The workload involved to deliver an event such as this is huge and incredibly demanding, especially when run by a committee of volunteers as was this scenario. After plenty of call-outs for volunteers to join the committee, those involved made the decision that they we’re unable to carry on as they had been. The heavy work load coupled with increasing costs led the committee to engage into conversations with us to plan a way for the festival to remain in the town and the sale completed.
can I bring my pet?
You’re not able to bring pets to the event. Due to the nature of festivals, the setting could be uncomfortable for pets so we do not allow them. Guide/assistance dogs are allowed on the site – please notify us by emailing hello@wrdeup.co.uk if you are going to be bringing your guide/assistance dog.
what toilet facilities do you have?
The event uses basic event porta-loos. We also have a number of urinal blocks and a few accessible toilets for wheel-chair users or those who require additional space. Please email us at hello@wrdeup.co.uk if you have any questions.
what shouldn’t I bring?
Please don’t bring cool boxes or rigid containers, any glass, your own food and drink (please see FAQ above), alcohol, hampers, large rucksacks or bags, tables, event shelters / tents / gazebos, sharp items, lasers, aerosol cans, professional cameras or video recording equipment
what’s the swan all about?
We like this one…When researching and rebranding WrdeUp Festival we noticed the Swan appear in a few of the Town’s crests – most noticeably the Higworth Town (HT) Council Crest and also the HT Football Club badge. Upon researching we found out the Swan was in reference to Highworth’s proximity to the River Thames. Although a slightly unfamiliar reference for the town and one (us Highworthians) may think is more suited to Lechlade, we really like the Swan so thought better to spread the story!
how do we pay for things at the event?
All food / drink vendors and stall holders will accept cash and card / contactless. There is no cash point on site. The closest is the Petrol Station (Chargeable) and the Coop (Free).
can I bring a chair and shelter?
Although we don’t encourage camping chairs as it can congest the arena you are allowed to bring them to the event. Small event shelters, gazebos and tents are not permitted.
are bags allowed?
Small sensibly sized bags are allowed onto the event site, please note your bags will be subject to a search, please see above for items you won’t be able to bring in.
