Latest update from Blissfields:
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Dear Blisscampers,
It’s with tremendous sadness that we have to announce the gates to our odd little corner of Hampshire will unfortunately not be opening this July. Blisscamp 2018 shall not be going ahead.
We’ve been on quite the journey together. 18 years ago we invited some friends to a party in our back garden, and from there we’ve somehow grown into an award-winning small festival.
We’ve done things we’re tremendously proud of. We’ve seen performances that have changed our lives. We’ve made some of the greatest friends we could have ever dreamed to meet.
We’ve built a family.
A huge part of everything we’ve achieved has been down to you. Whether you dropped by just once, or have seen the sun rise over the Hidden Hedge with us more times than you care to admit – our hearts, and our arms, and well just about everything else are open to you. We love you. We will miss you.
We have always been an independent festival. We have always run Blissfields as a family, in our own DIY way. That’s allowed us to take risks, and do things a bit differently to other festivals. But that’s also been a hard tractor to keep moving – emotionally and financially. We’ve seen the festival industry in our 18 years blossom and change into what it is now. With so many other events for you to pick from, with rising costs of booking artists, with the music industry changing and the dimming light of music press and media… it’s gotten harder and harder each year to produce and promote the show we want.
We were happy to have existed in such a wonderful time of the quirky English festival as we did. In the last twenty years the UK has become a pioneer of festivals, the envy of the world over, setting a benchmark for quality and quantity. We’re glad to have been part of the mayhem. As part of that tapestry we’ve helped bring people together, offered first steps into the industry for some of our crew, helped break emerging artists, and offer you early performances to what are now household names. We’ve had some tremendous reviews, watched thousands of hours of your videos and even picked up the odd award. Above all though, we hope we’ve given you some good memories.
In 2018 we wanted to strip it all back, and reinvent what we were doing in a new, unfiltered way. While everybody else was going big, in effect we were going “home.” We wanted to build something completely individual – boiling all the best bits of those 17 years into a micro-festival the likes of which nobody had ever seen… and then stick a huge fire in the middle of it all. We didn’t want to just rest on our laurels, rather continue to challenge and intrigue you. We wanted to take Blissfields back to its roots.
Sadly though it seems that’s not what the public wanted – at least not enough for us to go ahead with Blisscamp this year. As not enough tickets are sold for us to start finalising and building the festival, we have had to make the call to cancel.
It was not a decision we made lightly, and it’s one that fills our hearts with such sadness we can barely begin to even put a pinch of how we feel into this message.
So many of you have supported us, and we’re sorry that we’ve not been able to bring you a party this summer. Your tickets for Blisscamp will be refunded once we sort out the details on our end – so please just bear with us, but rest assured that your ticket money is safe. We will be sending out a further email later this week covering the refunding of the tickets. Thank you to all of you who bought tickets this year and believed in what we were creating.
In the future if we feel that there is a place for our individual style of entertainment to make a return, then who knows – maybe there’s a “to be continued” written in the stars over our ride into the sunset. If the tide changes back to more immersive camping festivals, maybe you’ll see our hats poke back above the horizon.
Thank you for 18 years.
Please continue to support your local artists, your local venues, local press and festivals. These are difficult times with a lot against us. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. Never settle. Fight for what you believe in. Without independent promoters and thinkers the entire music industry will fall apart or turn into one homogenised mess. Keep the UK festival scene the strongest in the world. And keep supporting Hampshire.
Thanks to everybody that’s been part of it all – for your time, creativity, sacrifices and endless dedication. We wish you the greatest luck in all your future adventures.
And thanks to whoever’s upstairs that we pretty much always had nice weather. That was a bonus.
Have a great summer.
Melanie, Paul and the whole Blissfields family.
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25 Responses
I cannot believe what I’m reading. Is it April fools?? There’s gonna be a but…. ..
Sad news indeed – Blissfields has been a regular highlight of our year for the past 9 years. Our kids have been every year of their lives, including their pregnancy months😊.
Thanks for all your hard work and individuality Blissfolk!
Have a great, restful summer x
Love you all 😘😘😘
I am so sorry to read your sad news, even though I only came a few times, I have always told as many people as possible about your lovely little festival.
But I do understand times are getting much harder.
I would however like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of Blissfields.
Sending you all a massive hug and love to you all. xxx
I’m so sorry, I don’t understand – you were one of the best. Heartbroken. No idea how I’ll break this to the kids, they’ll be so upset. Thank you so much for everything. xxx
Oh no! So sad to read this.
But you cancelled once before and came back stronger than ever!
I’m going to hold my own little Blissfields/Blisscamp tribute festival in my back garden on the now-empty weekend, sleep in the tent and listen to awesome music. XXX
So sad but thanks all for some great times!!!! Well done to all involved for making it a fantastic festival. You must be gutted.
Very sad to hear this, the music industry is becoming more monopolistic by the day and it’s becoming extremely difficult for independent festivals to survive, sad state of affairs, I hope this changes in the near future and independents can shine again..
This festival has given me so much more than just the music. I have met so many wonderful people through you guys and for that alone I will be forever grateful. Sad day and love to you all xx
So sad, but u guys should be very proud of what u have achieved running a beautiful festival independently for 18 years! Xx
Oh my goodness this is such sad sad news!! Covered in goosebumps reading your heartfelt message above. That must have been emotional to type that out!! 😢.
I can’t tell you how much happiness, how many good times, how much new music introduced and friends made that are now like family! So many fantastic memories! Words cannot describe what Blissfields means to us! Anyone I know that knows Blissfields understands the effort & passion that has gone in to it!! Our little Blissfields family will be lost without you! I’ve never know a festival to have such a unique special feel!! We love you from the bottom of our hearts! Hope it’s not the end just a breather. Thank you thank you 🙏🏻!! ❤️❤️❤️😢😢😢 ❤️❤️❤️
One of my and my children’s absolute favourite festivals. It’s really a great shame. Thank you for giving us some of the most wonderful memories, I really hope when you are ready you will be back x
So devastated at the news, was so looking forward to this year after my first visit last year! I understand how hard it must be though. Can’t understand it myself as your line up is amazing and everyone who’s been says how fabulous it is! Hope to see you return in the future! x
Very sad to hear this.
It must have been such a tough decision.
We have been for many years and seen it grow along with many acts that we have seen play there over the years.
We love it. My kids adore it.
Thank you for all the fun times and magical memories.
Blissfields is our happy place…
And makes us feel……like we are home.
All the best guys.
And thank you so, so much.
Very sad news. I feel extremely lucky to have been involved over the years. My children have grown up in the love of the blissfields family. Many thanks much love and big hugs. Xx
Such sad news and my thoughts are with you all as I know this decision will have been taken with such a heavy heart ☹️ As a member of Angel Gardens crew I have always felt Blissfields was the special one. The understanding of each other, the common aims and goals, the respect held on both sides made it so different to anywhere else. Will be sadly, sadly missed. But, atleast the last 18 years happened and the pleasure you have given to so many people over so many years should never be forgotten, thankyou for so much. Xx
Thank you Paul , Melanie, Paul P Diddy and Andrew for making our wedding day – our Blissing day. We will never ever forget the generosity of spirt and the kind hearted nature of the Blissfield family. Martin and I wish you the very best for the future xxx
Absolutely heartbroken 💔 Blissfields is so unlike any other festival. Thank you Paul and Mel for letting me be part of the Blissfields family and thank you for over ten years of amazing memories. Lots of love to all Blissfielders.
Amy (Inder!) xxx
I only knew you for two of the last 18 years, but if those two were anything to go by, I shall be investing whatever savings I have into the development of a working time machine so that I can come and revisit you at every opportunity. Too many special memories for me to list here, that little picturesque pocket of Hampshire is indeed a magical place. Sending you massive love and hugs xx
So sad, you’re part of our family history and you have helped to “shape” our 2 daughters into fantastic music loving young adults.
Most of all we are gutted for you, we know how hard you work.
What will we do with ourselves early July each year?
Maybe will just show up anyway out of habit and party in the field.
Thanks for the last 12 years. Love to all.
We’re really sad to hear this news, but The Bay send a massive thanks to Paul & Mel Bliss, to Ben, and all the amazing team that has let us join in for the last few years. You should be proud of all you achieved. x
We will miss this so much. Been coming for years. This year we were coming with more family and introducing our 2 month old grandson to it. He even had his head phones. Can’t begin to think how awful you must all feel, so sending lots of thanks for the wonderful years and hopefully we will all meet again soon x
We refuse to accept this.
I am absolutely devastated to hear this. Blissfeilds became like my home away from home festival and even though we don’t remember any of it, im sure my freinds and I had a pretty fucking amazing time Emma Bundy Maisie King
So very sorry to hear this news. I’ve had some of the best times ever in the fields of Bliss; watched some amazing performances and met many beautiful people. Thank you Mel and Paul, I loved being part of the Blissfields family xxx