Our Story - The Secret Garden Party 2022
CoB at The Secret Garden Party July 2022
Church of Burn had long dreamed of bringing its Service and Ritual to a major festival. So, when Freddie Fellowes extended an invitation to The Secret Garden Party in 2022, we were over the moon. As one of the most renowned events in the UK festival scene, SGP had been on hiatus since 2017. With the pandemic having put an end to all UK festival plans in 2020 and 2021, by the time 2022 came around, everyone was more than ready to celebrate.
SGP, an independent arts and music festival held in Abbots Ripton, England, is famous for its stunning grounds with two lakes, its artistic flair, and its breath-taking fireworks displays. Church of Burn owes a debt of gratitude to the late Pete Loveday, an exceptional artist and cartoonist, who was instrumental in convincing Freddie that SGP needed a money-burning Church.
The festival’s decor team embraced our vision, transforming our main tent for Thursday's event into a sacred space with pews, lecterns, candlesticks, and a variety of religious artifacts. Additionally, we were granted a "small space" from where we preached the Word of the Burn throughout the four days of the festival.
Altogether, CoB took around 50 performers, crew and other staff to SGP. We delivered a vibrant daytime cabaret, curated and produced by Michelle Watson and hosted by comedian Andrew O'Neil. In the evening, we led a procession from our small space to the main tent, centered around our newly constructed Altar. We then held our Service and Ritual. This was followed by our inaugural “After Burn” party, DJ’d by the legendary Kermit Leveridge.