Barefoot Wines are the new comers for Blissfields 2010. Launched in California more than 25 years ago by two bohemians guys, Barefoot is all about making wine more fun and less serious. They launch the product as a “garage wine” and organized parties within the communities, supporting local charities /environment projects to bring everyone together. Today Barefoot wine is the most awarded winery in the US and has lost none of its community heritage.

The Barefoot ethos is all about giving back and supporting local communities. Barefoot is more than an award winning wine, it is a way of thinking and living, removing barriers between people and getting together.  All five wines in the collection are easy drinking, light, bright and fruity. Barefoot has been a supporter of live music across the UK since it launched in 2007, so the Barefoot community is extremely proud to sponsor Blissfields 2010. See you at the front!

James recording another podcast

Those Girls in Green Shoes have been working hard again to bring you exclusive recordings and interviews of acts from this year’s festival!

We are pleased to be able to release the first of our 2010 podcasts, recorded by James Towers (Greenhouse Group) and presented by Rhiannon and Liv from The Girls in Green Shoes it is a mix of interviews, live recordings and tracks from artists attending as well as chats with the organisers and others involved.
It is a great way to get yourself warmed up ready for this year’s big weekend!
Keep nipping back here as we will be updating the podcast every four or five days until the festival, and with some real treats in store!




Click on logo to subscribe with itunes


Click on logo to subscribe to podcast with RSS feed, or use the player below to stream individual episodes.

Episode 1: Features tracks by: Polly and the Billet Doux,The Jesse Rose Trip, Rebel Control and a live recording and interview with Mark Johnson
Episode 2: Imperial Leisure, Lanterns on the Lake, Klezma Villanova, Dub Pistols
Episode 3: Interviews with Paul and Mel Bliss and other organisers, Port Eden & Subgiant tracks.

Sorry if you are coming to Blissfields and and you are from a country with a decent football team and are in the quarter finals.

We’ll be announcing a couple of bands to play instead shortly.

Last years Bliss Scrapbookette

This is what the wonderful Sally, who organises the book, has to say:

“This year it will be bigger, better and brighter, more band photographs, more autographs and more goodies. I will be fleecing each band for everything they own, CD’s, T-shirts, posters, badges, stickers, basically whatever is not nailed down. (I am a scouser after all!). I will also be stalking bands for backstage photos and autographs and make them into Bliss Scrapbook 2010. The raffle will be drawn just before the Stereo MC’s on the Saturday night and one lucky festival goer will walk away with all these prizes. All you have to do is buy a raffle tickets for one whole English pounds from one of the official Bliss Scrapbookettes who will be roaming the field of Bliss and keep your fingers crossed.

Last Years Happy Winner

This years charities are the British Heart Foundation, who helped my family last year when my dad had a heart attack, Oxfam Action for Haiti and the Bliss’s chosen charity Practical Action.

Good Luck!

love Sally xx”

Of course we don’t know how much it’s going to cost you, however before you start calling us capitalist bastards we are donating the proceeds from the first pair of tickets to Preston Candover School PTA , the lovely parents of which will be running the family area.
Also twenty percent of the next three auctions will go to our chosen charity Practical Action, with the rest going to offset the spiralling budgets for this years event, we just can’t stop ourselves adding more wonderful things for the weekend which inevitably costs more!

In each case the starting bid will be the face value of the  tickets (plus p&p) and the auction will be run on ebay by seller blissfield42 and linked to from here (see below).  Any other tickets being offered have no connection to the festival and are bought at your own risk!

Auction dates and links, they only go live on the due dates :
Pair 1 : Finished
Pair 2 : Finished
Ticket 1: Finished
Ticket 2: Finished
Ticket 3: Started - Ends 19:07  Sat 27th June 2010
Ticket 4: Started – Ends 20:10 Sat 27th June 2010

Good Luck!

This is what Fred who is running the area has to say:

B10 T-Shirt Design

“At Blissfields we will be setting up camp ready to print live. The celebrated illustrator – Ornamental Conifer, has designed the Official tenth anniversary Blissfields t-shirt.  As it’s a festival we are not going to tire ourselves out, so if you are wanting a beautiful, official, two sided t-shirt your going to have to print it yourself.  If you want to get creative we will be running workshops all day, so that you can design and print your own t-shirt.”

Silk screen printing

Print Club London is a members screen printing studio based in Dalston. They aim to promote silk screen printing as a fun and affordable way of getting ideas or artwork on to t-shirts and posters.
They teach ways of printing that people can use in their own local print club or to do DIY silkscreen printing at home.
They always teach safe and environmentally friendly ways of silkscreen printing.

We want you all to get into the spirit and print your own shirt but will also have pre-printed ones on sale.

Mitch is an exciting and inspirational international yoga teacher, who brings his own dynamic approach to yoga packed with energy, creativity and fun. His engaging classes will empower your body and lift your soul, whoever you are. Laugh, move, breathe, feel revitalised and ready to rock and roll!
His classes are designed for all levels from those new to yoga to the experienced and are based on a fusion of yoga styles to suit everyone.He particularly likes to encourage those who wouldn’t usually consider doing yoga, showing that yoga has something to offer everyone and how each individual can personally benefit.
He uses an intuitive sense of his own body and those of the students in the workshop, to dictate the pace, postures and type of practice used within any one session. A sense of fun combined with a thoughtful practice will ensure that everyone feels at ease, no matter what their ability.

Mitch will teach a morning yoga and relaxation class each day at Blissfields, which will energise you and get you ready for the festivities ahead. If the weather is good then it will be outside in the sun. You will be able to find out further information and timings at the festival and in the programme.

He usually teaches yoga full-time in Winchester and runs yoga holidays all over the world including India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Spain, Turkey and Brazil and can be contacted on email mitchyoga@yahoo.com or view his website www.mitchyoga.com for details.

Benevolent Leader Jo

In this time of indecision amongst the leaders of the UK we wanted to remind you of a better time.
A time of strong leadership, a flourishing populace and a productive, loving, artistic community. It may seem like a legendary place now, lost in the mists of time, a nation state of indescribable  wonders and happiness, but it was real, it was pure, it was OUR United States of Bliss. Ruled over by our Benevolent Leader Jo it gave us a brief respite from the gruelling outside world.

However we want to remind you, although the U.S.of B. is no longer here, in early July 2010 you can can rise up and rejoice in remembrance  of it’s passing by gathering to party like you never have before.

We therefore offer you, to download and cherish, the old National Anthem of U.S.of B. Let it’s sentiment  burn bright in your heart and remind you of that better place, so you can endeavour to help rebuild  those hopes and wishes once again on Bradley Farm in 2010!

Blissfields National Anthem (to save right click on player on the next page and  ”save as”)

We would like to thank our enlightened fellow citizens at ExpressFM for showing us the way by offering the listeners of  The Me and Perrin, You and Everyone We Know Show the National Anthem to download and who have since been inundated with requests.  ExpressFM and Joel Ransom will be present at Blissfields 2010, so make sure you you say make their acquaintance. Beforehand Joel will be presenting programmes often with a high Blissfields content in the run up to the festival so give it a listen!

Remember the Blissfields national dictum: Peace, Respect and Party !

John after finishing the marathon

Long time friend of Blissfields, performer, stage manager and all round nice guy John Stanford will be running a full marathon from the festival to make up for your sins of over indulgence! What do you have to do? Easy…support him generously in his fund raising for Brain Tumour UK either at the festival or before from the link below, and make sure you are around to cheer John on his return from running 26.2 miles at the festival.

Last year, John ran his first marathon, the London Marathon and this year he takes a huge step up by tackling 12 marathons during 2010 and will be including a marathon run on Saturday 3rd July at the Blissfields Festival.  The route for the ‘Blissfields Marathon‘ will take in Bentworth, Bighton, Old Alresford, Preston Candover and Wield.  Of course, John would welcome anyone who wants to join him for all or part of the run!

You can see his route here: Mapmyrun

This is more to this than just a personal challenge. When a very good friend suffered a seizure in the middle of the night in October 1998 he was not at the time aware that he had just started out on a major battle against a brain tumour, a battle which has continued for the last eleven years with operations, chemotherapy, steroids and hospitalisations. John wanted to join his battle and will therefore be fundraising for Brain Tumour UK throughout his twelve marathons.
Brain Tumour UK is the UK’s leading, caring charity committed to fighting brain tumours by providing support, funding research and raising awareness.