| WOMAD comes to Wiltshire - nearest station, Melksham, July 2026 Posted by grahame at 07:50, 19th February 2026 |     |
From the Melksham News
Renowned music festival WOMAD will be establishing its new home near Atworth this summer, after being granted a licence by Wiltshire Council.
The festival, founded in 1980 by Box-based musician Peter Gabriel, was held at Charlton Park near Malmesbury from 2007 but left the site in 2024.
Now organisers say they are “thrilled” to have been given a licence to move to Neston Park, near Atworth, from 23rd to 26th July.
“We are thrilled to announce that we have been granted our licence for WOMAD Neston Park,” said the organisers in a statement on social media.
“We want to express a profound thank you to Wiltshire Council and local residents for being extremely supportive through this process, believing in our vision and helping sustain our beloved independent festival in our new home at Neston Park.
The festival, founded in 1980 by Box-based musician Peter Gabriel, was held at Charlton Park near Malmesbury from 2007 but left the site in 2024.
Now organisers say they are “thrilled” to have been given a licence to move to Neston Park, near Atworth, from 23rd to 26th July.
“We are thrilled to announce that we have been granted our licence for WOMAD Neston Park,” said the organisers in a statement on social media.
“We want to express a profound thank you to Wiltshire Council and local residents for being extremely supportive through this process, believing in our vision and helping sustain our beloved independent festival in our new home at Neston Park.
and noting ...
The licence covers live and music performances until 4am, although organisers say the performances will run until midnight on Thursday and 2am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The licence is for a maximum of 29,999 people on site although this includes staff, contractors and performers.
Fifteen thousand adult tickets are being offered for sale in the first year at Neston Park.
The licence is for a maximum of 29,999 people on site although this includes staff, contractors and performers.
Fifteen thousand adult tickets are being offered for sale in the first year at Neston Park.
Neston Park is just under 4 miles (just under 90 minutes to walk) from the nearest railway station, which is Melksham, contrary to the online information that says it's Chippenham which is about 7 miles away.
For the 2026 WOMAD festival (23–26 July), which is moving to Neston Park in North Wiltshire, people primarily arrive by car, train, and bus, with specific options for accessibility.
Here is how people get to the festival:
By Car
Location: Neston Park is near Corsham, Wiltshire.
Parking: A purchased car parking ticket is required to park.
Routes: Attendees typically take the M4 motorway, with potential traffic delays noted near Junction 17.
By Train
Nearest Station: Chippenham is the primary train station for the festival.
Shuttle Bus: A dedicated festival shuttle bus service runs regularly between Chippenham railway station and the festival site in Neston Park.
Alternative Option: A free shuttle car sometimes operates from Kemble Railway Station for those arriving from other directions.
By Bus
Local bus routes are available to the nearby village, and organizers work to ensure these routes are safe for pedestrians.
Tips for Traveling to WOMAD
Trolleys: Many attendees bring trolleys to transport camping gear from the car park to the campsite, as it can be a 15–20 minute walk.
Liftshares: Participants often use Facebook groups or similar forums to organize car-sharing, particularly from locations like Bristol or London.
Accessibility: Accessible tickets and shuttle services are arranged through Nimbus Disability and the Access Card system.
Arrival Times: It is recommended to arrive early to avoid long shuttle queues or to secure a good camping spot.
Here is how people get to the festival:
By Car
Location: Neston Park is near Corsham, Wiltshire.
Parking: A purchased car parking ticket is required to park.
Routes: Attendees typically take the M4 motorway, with potential traffic delays noted near Junction 17.
By Train
Nearest Station: Chippenham is the primary train station for the festival.
Shuttle Bus: A dedicated festival shuttle bus service runs regularly between Chippenham railway station and the festival site in Neston Park.
Alternative Option: A free shuttle car sometimes operates from Kemble Railway Station for those arriving from other directions.
By Bus
Local bus routes are available to the nearby village, and organizers work to ensure these routes are safe for pedestrians.
Tips for Traveling to WOMAD
Trolleys: Many attendees bring trolleys to transport camping gear from the car park to the campsite, as it can be a 15–20 minute walk.
Liftshares: Participants often use Facebook groups or similar forums to organize car-sharing, particularly from locations like Bristol or London.
Accessibility: Accessible tickets and shuttle services are arranged through Nimbus Disability and the Access Card system.
Arrival Times: It is recommended to arrive early to avoid long shuttle queues or to secure a good camping spot.
| Re: WOMAD comes to Wiltshire - nearest station, Melksham, July 2026 Posted by matth1j at 09:23, 19th February 2026 | |
Although the title is "Nearest Station", it does say "Chippenham is the primary train station for the festival", perhaps based on the free shuttle bus that will run from there (which makes sense given the relatively infrequency of the Melksham train service). But it would be helpful to also state what the actual nearest station is.
| Re: WOMAD comes to Wiltshire - nearest station, Melksham, July 2026 Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:19, 19th February 2026 | |
Alternative Option: A free shuttle car sometimes operates from Kemble Railway Station for those arriving from other directions.
From Kemble?
That's about 20 miles!
| Re: WOMAD comes to Wiltshire - nearest station, Melksham, July 2026 Posted by eightonedee at 19:29, 19th February 2026 | |
From Kemble?
I think someone copied last year's message. WOMAD was at Malmesbury for many years, having moved from Reading back in the noughties.
As an aside, these festivals don't seem particularly good at picking "sustainable" locations, from a transport of view. See also Glasto!
