Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't know about BlokeFest already and are thinking about coming, then you are bound to have some questions, so here are some answers, as best we can provide them.
About the singing..
Is BlokeFest just about singing?
Not entirely although it is the main focus and the raison d'être of the weekend. It basically started off as an idea to get a bunch of blokes from different choirs that were evolving in the forefront of "BlokeSong", a sort of "alternative Male Voice Choir" style of singing, a bit out of the ordinary from your average MVC or Community Choir.
Do I have to be a good singer?
No, not really. Most of the blokes who come along are enthusiastic rather than experts. As long as you can pick up a tune, remember some words and then put them both together you will be ok.
Do I need to be able to read music?
No ... all the pieces are taught by ear but we put together a songbook with the words.
Do I need to be in a choir?
No ... but no problem if you are!
Can I find out more about some of the songs you sing?
YES! Have a look at our More About page to find our YouTube Channel which has some great Playlists, such as the BlokeFest MAN-ual Playlist and our Virtual BlokeFest 2020 Cabaret, these should give you a good start, and there is our latest MAN-ual and even a Spotify Playlist that covers much of our material.
Is BlokeFest just about singing?
Not entirely although it is the main focus and the raison d'être of the weekend. It basically started off as an idea to get a bunch of blokes from different choirs that were evolving in the forefront of "BlokeSong", a sort of "alternative Male Voice Choir" style of singing, a bit out of the ordinary from your average MVC or Community Choir.
Do I have to be a good singer?
No, not really. Most of the blokes who come along are enthusiastic rather than experts. As long as you can pick up a tune, remember some words and then put them both together you will be ok.
Do I need to be able to read music?
No ... all the pieces are taught by ear but we put together a songbook with the words.
Do I need to be in a choir?
No ... but no problem if you are!
Can I find out more about some of the songs you sing?
YES! Have a look at our More About page to find our YouTube Channel which has some great Playlists, such as the BlokeFest MAN-ual Playlist and our Virtual BlokeFest 2020 Cabaret, these should give you a good start, and there is our latest MAN-ual and even a Spotify Playlist that covers much of our material.
On your own, in a group, fitting in…
Do I need to come in a group?
No ... some people did know each other before coming but by no means everyone. Some come without knowing anyone but they soon make friends. Everyone is very sociable and friendly so over the years regulars meet up and catch up. That's one of the really special aspects of this festival.
What if I don't know anyone else, can I come by myself?
Definitely, YES!
We know it can be tough and we make every effort to encourage new blokes and solo blokes or small groups of blokes to come along and meet others and feel right at home with us all.
Is it just performers?
No, whilst everyone is encourage to participate as much as they like it is by no means compulsory (and we try to "channel" any who want to perform just a little too much....!).
What sort of Blokes go to BlokeFest?
In a word, "any".
Blokefest is for all types of bloke, big blokes, small blokes, hairy blokes, bald blokes, thin blokes, curvy blokes, vegetarian blokes, omnivorous blokes, gluten-free blokes, married blokes, single blokes, undecided blokes, in fact, any bloke, so long as you're a decent bloke who likes singing with other blokes, or likes the idea of singing but hasn't yet.
Basically this is an event for Blokes who like singing, possibly having a drink, a decent meal or two, lots of chatting and doing other stuff like that, with no overtones or undertones - come as you are, accept us for what we are. Let's face it, we even have some Swindon Town and Oxford United fans intermingling and they find out they are not so bad after all and get on well!
What if I'm not really a big drinker?
It isn’t about drinking.
Some might drink a little more than we normally would (or should!) on a weekend, but many don’t drink much at all. It's just to let our hair down a bit. We would encourage savouring the quality of the ales and other drinks available rather than just the quantity. We abide by the premise that most of us are "moderate drinkers with a singing problem" (rather than the other way round!).
We do hold the event close to a pub because most of the blokes attending enjoy the atmosphere of singing in hostelries.
How "big" is the festival?
It's pretty intimate, we have grown from around 60 in our first year to approaching 150 at some years but we are average around 110 so quite bijoux really so everyone can get to know other people without feeling swamped and you can also keep yourself to yourself if you want - basically it's all very relaxed and friendly and supportive.
Do I need to come in a group?
No ... some people did know each other before coming but by no means everyone. Some come without knowing anyone but they soon make friends. Everyone is very sociable and friendly so over the years regulars meet up and catch up. That's one of the really special aspects of this festival.
What if I don't know anyone else, can I come by myself?
Definitely, YES!
We know it can be tough and we make every effort to encourage new blokes and solo blokes or small groups of blokes to come along and meet others and feel right at home with us all.
Is it just performers?
No, whilst everyone is encourage to participate as much as they like it is by no means compulsory (and we try to "channel" any who want to perform just a little too much....!).
What sort of Blokes go to BlokeFest?
In a word, "any".
Blokefest is for all types of bloke, big blokes, small blokes, hairy blokes, bald blokes, thin blokes, curvy blokes, vegetarian blokes, omnivorous blokes, gluten-free blokes, married blokes, single blokes, undecided blokes, in fact, any bloke, so long as you're a decent bloke who likes singing with other blokes, or likes the idea of singing but hasn't yet.
Basically this is an event for Blokes who like singing, possibly having a drink, a decent meal or two, lots of chatting and doing other stuff like that, with no overtones or undertones - come as you are, accept us for what we are. Let's face it, we even have some Swindon Town and Oxford United fans intermingling and they find out they are not so bad after all and get on well!
What if I'm not really a big drinker?
It isn’t about drinking.
Some might drink a little more than we normally would (or should!) on a weekend, but many don’t drink much at all. It's just to let our hair down a bit. We would encourage savouring the quality of the ales and other drinks available rather than just the quantity. We abide by the premise that most of us are "moderate drinkers with a singing problem" (rather than the other way round!).
We do hold the event close to a pub because most of the blokes attending enjoy the atmosphere of singing in hostelries.
How "big" is the festival?
It's pretty intimate, we have grown from around 60 in our first year to approaching 150 at some years but we are average around 110 so quite bijoux really so everyone can get to know other people without feeling swamped and you can also keep yourself to yourself if you want - basically it's all very relaxed and friendly and supportive.
Bringing stuff
What do I need to bring?
See our handy BlokeFest Kit List.
Can I bring my dog(s)?
No ... We've asked around and for various reasons it would be best if you could NOT bring dogs so please make other arrangements.
Can I bring my kids?
Sort of, Yes, Young Blokes are positively encouraged to come and have a weekend away with their male family members that is a bit different. Just bear in mind that it might not be overly suitable for younger blokes, we would anticipate they would need to be 11 and upwards to cope but who knows, they might enjoy it. We don't have any hard and fast rules other than common sense that says if they come along and don't enjoy it and start spoiling it for the rest of the blokes you might need to make a tactical retreat before anyone gets too upset (your kids or anyone else!).
Don't the kids find it embarrassing seeing their Dads sing?
Well, we can't speak for all of them, but there were quite a few young lads who have come along with their dads and they didn't seem to mind! Don't worry, there is no "Dad Dancing"! (usually).
What do I need to bring?
See our handy BlokeFest Kit List.
Can I bring my dog(s)?
No ... We've asked around and for various reasons it would be best if you could NOT bring dogs so please make other arrangements.
Can I bring my kids?
Sort of, Yes, Young Blokes are positively encouraged to come and have a weekend away with their male family members that is a bit different. Just bear in mind that it might not be overly suitable for younger blokes, we would anticipate they would need to be 11 and upwards to cope but who knows, they might enjoy it. We don't have any hard and fast rules other than common sense that says if they come along and don't enjoy it and start spoiling it for the rest of the blokes you might need to make a tactical retreat before anyone gets too upset (your kids or anyone else!).
Don't the kids find it embarrassing seeing their Dads sing?
Well, we can't speak for all of them, but there were quite a few young lads who have come along with their dads and they didn't seem to mind! Don't worry, there is no "Dad Dancing"! (usually).
Location and timing…
Is the event always in Wiltshire?
"Traditionally" the event has been based in the Gloucestershire / Wiltshire area because most of the original attendees were from that area or nearby, but over the years we have had blokes turn up from some staggering distances, drawn down from the likes of Aberdeen and Northumbria by the promise of a great weekend singing with other blokes.
In 2017 we tried an experiment and "moved away" to a gloriously sunny Anglesey, which we think went pretty well on the whole, but returned to The Bruce Inn near Pewsey in 2018 as it has served us well in the past and we think it is a great place for our event. And still we had blokes coming down from miles away, and some of them offered to host an event in their local patch and combined with a few other things that fell into place means that the idea of "BlokeFest Up North" came into being with the event being located in Ilkley, West Yorkshire in June 2019.
Is it always the same weekend?
The very observant BlokeFest Follower will notice that we have moved the weekend over the years. This year happens to be the UK's "Father's Day" weekend. This is due to a combination of factors, trying to align various stars but we are up for another cracking weekend, whenever it is!
Is the event always in Wiltshire?
"Traditionally" the event has been based in the Gloucestershire / Wiltshire area because most of the original attendees were from that area or nearby, but over the years we have had blokes turn up from some staggering distances, drawn down from the likes of Aberdeen and Northumbria by the promise of a great weekend singing with other blokes.
In 2017 we tried an experiment and "moved away" to a gloriously sunny Anglesey, which we think went pretty well on the whole, but returned to The Bruce Inn near Pewsey in 2018 as it has served us well in the past and we think it is a great place for our event. And still we had blokes coming down from miles away, and some of them offered to host an event in their local patch and combined with a few other things that fell into place means that the idea of "BlokeFest Up North" came into being with the event being located in Ilkley, West Yorkshire in June 2019.
Is it always the same weekend?
The very observant BlokeFest Follower will notice that we have moved the weekend over the years. This year happens to be the UK's "Father's Day" weekend. This is due to a combination of factors, trying to align various stars but we are up for another cracking weekend, whenever it is!
Camping and facilities
Can I charge my Electric Vehicle at the site?
Unfortunately the site does not have capacity for charging (it caused us problems last year...) so please see https://www.zap-map.com/locations/pewsey-charging-points/ or however you find you get recharged - sorry about that - we do support your initiative but there just isn't the current infrastructure in the site.
Do you HAVE to camp at BlokeFest?
No you don't, some people who live locally go home overnight. We appreciate that not everyone likes camping or has the kit, but if you can pitch up and pitch your tent that's great, it's all part of the experience - but it is not obligatory by any means and you can always find some local accommodation and pop back there and return to the site when you want - no pressure either way. One or two blokes stayed in a camper van last year but we don't hold that against them!
In fact, let's make this easier, here is a link to a list of local places https://www.visitpewseyvale.co.uk/where-to-stay-2/ but there are many other sites, just search for them and tell them we sent you.
Can I bring my caravan or camper van?
Yes, but... Space is limited on the main camp site area so if you bring a camper van and get there early enough you may be able to position it on the edge of the main camping area or we may have to ask you to park in a particular spot on the site.
If I don't camp, can I get a reduced price ticket for the weekend?
In a word, "No". Sorry but we have to draw the line somewhere. Running even just a small festival like this involves a lot of work and spreadsheets for a very dedicated and small team. It just makes it simpler for us. If it helps, consider that we give the camping away for free and all the value is in the workshops and food. ;-)
Can I charge my Electric Vehicle at the site?
Unfortunately the site does not have capacity for charging (it caused us problems last year...) so please see https://www.zap-map.com/locations/pewsey-charging-points/ or however you find you get recharged - sorry about that - we do support your initiative but there just isn't the current infrastructure in the site.
Do you HAVE to camp at BlokeFest?
No you don't, some people who live locally go home overnight. We appreciate that not everyone likes camping or has the kit, but if you can pitch up and pitch your tent that's great, it's all part of the experience - but it is not obligatory by any means and you can always find some local accommodation and pop back there and return to the site when you want - no pressure either way. One or two blokes stayed in a camper van last year but we don't hold that against them!
In fact, let's make this easier, here is a link to a list of local places https://www.visitpewseyvale.co.uk/where-to-stay-2/ but there are many other sites, just search for them and tell them we sent you.
Can I bring my caravan or camper van?
Yes, but... Space is limited on the main camp site area so if you bring a camper van and get there early enough you may be able to position it on the edge of the main camping area or we may have to ask you to park in a particular spot on the site.
If I don't camp, can I get a reduced price ticket for the weekend?
In a word, "No". Sorry but we have to draw the line somewhere. Running even just a small festival like this involves a lot of work and spreadsheets for a very dedicated and small team. It just makes it simpler for us. If it helps, consider that we give the camping away for free and all the value is in the workshops and food. ;-)
Other important questions
Is it just Blokes? Isn't that a bit "sexist"?
Well, yes, it is just Blokes, hence the name "BlokeFest"! That does mean only men and boys. But it's not meant in a sexist way, but just to give us Blokes and Young Blokes a chance to hang out and explore singing together.
And just to explore a bit further, so that we’re all singing from the same "Him sheet" (geddit?), Blokefest is committed to treating all people with respect regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender or singing ability. We are a very welcoming and inclusive club! We have some touching feedback from numerous attendees who are genuinely moved by how welcome they are made to feel and what a lovely warm and inclusive vibe there is at the event.
What is your policy re Blokes being in possession of illegal substances whilst at BlokeFest?
As anyone who knows anything about BlokeFest will already know, despite the rough, manly exterior we attempt to don for a weekend, most of the blokes are a pretty clean living lot and decent law abiding citizens. Blokefest should be considered by all as "an illegal substance free zone ". If anyone is known to be in possession of illegal substances the organizers are obliged to inform the Police Service who will follow up accordingly. The clear advice is: Don't bring illegal substances to BlokeFest.
What is the Refund Policy? It's a tough one... basically no refunds unless we cancel... but read on...
BlokeFest is run entirely on a volunteer basis and is financially a very tight ship, ie we aim to give maximum value to attendees for minimum cost. As a result of this policy, BlokeFest is run on very small margins of error which mean that once you have paid up and registered we cannot offer a refund if you can no longer attend unless you can arrange a direct replacement attendee, in which case we will transfer your ticket fee directly to them, less any administrative fee (£10) and any transaction costs.
If you want to make any changes to any part of your booking, such as purchase of different combination of merchandise, we will do what we can to help, but you must appreciate it is extra admin for us and often the charges we have to pay for transactions via Ticket / Payment services will make this uneconomical for both parties. We might just have to owe you a pint (or more)!
In the case that BlokeFest has to be cancelled we will comply with the legal obligations to offer a full refund (less an administrative fee, in this case of £10) or transfer your ticket to a re-arranged event.
We hope understand this policy in the spirit that it is intended and very much hope you and we do not need to invoke it.
We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Is it just Blokes? Isn't that a bit "sexist"?
Well, yes, it is just Blokes, hence the name "BlokeFest"! That does mean only men and boys. But it's not meant in a sexist way, but just to give us Blokes and Young Blokes a chance to hang out and explore singing together.
And just to explore a bit further, so that we’re all singing from the same "Him sheet" (geddit?), Blokefest is committed to treating all people with respect regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender or singing ability. We are a very welcoming and inclusive club! We have some touching feedback from numerous attendees who are genuinely moved by how welcome they are made to feel and what a lovely warm and inclusive vibe there is at the event.
What is your policy re Blokes being in possession of illegal substances whilst at BlokeFest?
As anyone who knows anything about BlokeFest will already know, despite the rough, manly exterior we attempt to don for a weekend, most of the blokes are a pretty clean living lot and decent law abiding citizens. Blokefest should be considered by all as "an illegal substance free zone ". If anyone is known to be in possession of illegal substances the organizers are obliged to inform the Police Service who will follow up accordingly. The clear advice is: Don't bring illegal substances to BlokeFest.
What is the Refund Policy? It's a tough one... basically no refunds unless we cancel... but read on...
BlokeFest is run entirely on a volunteer basis and is financially a very tight ship, ie we aim to give maximum value to attendees for minimum cost. As a result of this policy, BlokeFest is run on very small margins of error which mean that once you have paid up and registered we cannot offer a refund if you can no longer attend unless you can arrange a direct replacement attendee, in which case we will transfer your ticket fee directly to them, less any administrative fee (£10) and any transaction costs.
If you want to make any changes to any part of your booking, such as purchase of different combination of merchandise, we will do what we can to help, but you must appreciate it is extra admin for us and often the charges we have to pay for transactions via Ticket / Payment services will make this uneconomical for both parties. We might just have to owe you a pint (or more)!
In the case that BlokeFest has to be cancelled we will comply with the legal obligations to offer a full refund (less an administrative fee, in this case of £10) or transfer your ticket to a re-arranged event.
We hope understand this policy in the spirit that it is intended and very much hope you and we do not need to invoke it.
We look forward to seeing you at the event.
We look forward to seeing you at the event.
If you do have any more questions that are NOT answered here, contact us via
If you do have any more questions that are NOT answered here, contact us via
