Talk ’90s to me The biggest party ever – How the Castlemorton rave changed festivals forever
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Oct 6, 2025 Filmmaker Aaron Trinder, director of the documentary 'Free Party: A Folk History,' dives into the wild world of the Castlemorton rave. He explains how this monumental event, uniting travelers and ravers, reshaped festivals and nightlife in the UK. With thrilling tales of unity amidst chaos and the profound impact of media coverage, Trinder reveals the cultural shifts that followed, including the legal repercussions that stifled free parties. He also reflects on how the spirit of Castlemorton lives on in modern festival culture and the ongoing fight for public assembly rights.
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How Castlemorton Actually Happened
- Castlemorton started as a collision of free festival travellers and city ravers that grew into a week-long gathering.
- Aaron Trinder says people arrived from Wednesday and many stayed until the following Thursday, making numbers speculative but huge.
Free Festivals Shaped Modern Festival Design
- The free festival layout created the modern festival blueprint: stalls, stages and mixed environments.
- Aaron Trinder links today's festival architecture directly to the free party movement.
Travellers Brought Infrastructure And Ethics
- Travellers brought 'leave no trace' ethics and infrastructure knowledge to free parties.
- Aaron Trinder notes ravers supplied numbers, money and the music while travellers provided practical know-how.
