Free music festival is celebrating 30th birthday with top local bands

Last year, about 5,000 music fans headed to Dyers Hill, Charlbury in west Oxfordshire over two days for music, food and beer.

The Riverside Festival is back this weekend for a special anniversary celebration.

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One of the directors of the event last year said they had “some amazing performances” including reformed bands like Rock of Travolta and the Samurai Seven”.

A Riverside Festival visitor in 2025 (Image: Ed Nix)

Director Fergus McVey said at the time: “Both had amazing reunions and blew the crowd away.”

The festival started out small and has grown to host about 60 acts during the weekend over five stages.

The Samurai Seven, DB Band, The Standard, Knights of Mentis, The Mighty Redox and Unbelievable Truth are among the bands performing this weekend.

Phil Freizinger, who plays guitar and flute with The Mighty Redox, said the festival was “the highlight of the year for many bands, not just us”.

He added: “We don’t get paid and we don’t expect it – I think we would feel slightly insulted if they paid us.

“Any money the festival does make goes to local good causes. We do get given a few beer tokens along the way.

“The festival is a community event – it’s not on the make and it’s open to everyone – families can come in and relax and stay for as long as they want.

“Riverside has an amazing atmosphere – it’s a miracle and wonder of Oxfordshire music.”

Phil’s band have been recording their seventh album and will be playing some songs from the new release at the festival on Sunday.

The group’s Sweet Zombie Horse musical will also be performed at around 1pm in the fringe tent.

The festival said in a statement: “Of course, people come, love it and bring their friends next year. Bands play and love it and bring more bands next year, and so Riverside – and Charlbury itself – grows organically.

“Our dedication to focussing – for one weekend at least – on the fact you can choose something else is one of the things, like Beer Festival and the Cricket Club, Street Fair and Gigs at The Shed that makes Charlbury different.

“Over it’s 30 years it’s become a cornerstone of Charlbury life bringing joy, excitement and perhaps a tiny touch of minimal mayhem to the Mill Field for 2 days in July.”

The Riverside Festival in Charlbury in 2025 (Image: Ed Nix)

Festival organisers added: “For those that don’t know, or have managed to miss one of us banging on about it in the Rose and Crown, Riverside is a free festival, we don’t charge, no one gets paid and everyone helps.

“There are crews of organisers, four crews looking after each stage, a Greenfield crew, a kids’ area team, stewards and bar stewards. Everyone is a volunteer, which is why we can do this for nothing.

“But of course the first among these equals are the bands, entertainers, speakers and crafters who actually make the show. There’s a lot to see; five stages, food stalls, craft demos and this year a lecture tent with some amazing people talking about everything form local ecology to managing international rock tours.

The Riverside Festival in Charlbury (Image: Ed Nix)

“Riverside is different, we certainly beg, borrow and appeal – but we don’t (and never will) demand. This is entertainment by Charlbury, for Charlbury – but our hinterland is huge.

“With Unbelievable Truth, Samurai 7, Beaker and DB Band showing up to make clear why we’ve been around so long – plus around 40 other up-and-coming bands delivering indie, folk, electronica, rock and, perhaps, some roll throughout the weekend.”

A guitarist at Riverside Festival (Image: Ed Nix)

Music fans are being encouraged to bring a wide variety of different flags to this year’s festival.

Riverside is a voluntary festival, meaning that while some commercial obligations get paid, the vast majority of set-up, stewarding and administration is done by volunteers.

Riverside remains free, but due to increased running costs this year – including staging, security, and infrastructure – it needs to raise additional funds.

The festival’s Green Field is now in its 10th year and has consistently expanded year on year, bringing green ideas and crafts to young and old.

To help celebrate the 30th anniversary the festival has added the new addition of the Green Room, where green ideas and interesting stories will be shared with the crowds in a space for green discussion and stories.

There will be a diverse array of topics from solar power and bioacoustics to the future of regenerative farming or how to manage a heavy metal band for 40 years.