outdoor music festival held annually mid july grounds outside bristol england festival weekend event featured variety local bands national mainly aimed local residents festival overnight camping facilities financed donations benefit starting small day festival festival grew succeeding years said britain largest free festival changes brought government legislation resulted compulsory fees security fencing introduced problems caused temporary foot mouth crisis organisers declared bankruptcy history origins festival held organised friends small event local musicians entertain local community festival took place successive weekends bands playing stage improvised flat bed truck donated following year festival took place weekend located near mansion new organisers came board fund raising held enabling event grow steadily 1970s large numbers people far attended trees damaged burnt illegal camping press reports drugs nudity festival day event facto day event created staging day event festival took place large sloped clearing surrounded sides main stage placed slope second stage natural near entrance clearing performance spaces varying year year including dance tent world music acoustic acts performing arts tent experimental music video children area rides camping festival site allowed 21st century temporarily relocated south city includes deer park closed measure outbreak foot mouth disease affected united_kingdom year caused massive drop attendance heavy financial loss leading debts hung organisation changes licensing laws health safety requirements led commercial style organisation compulsory entrance fee strict security presence perimeter fence attracted criticism locals felt community nature festival lost festival continued run volunteers profit basis weight vibrations crowds returning great strain decided close bridge traffic including pedestrians entirety festival balloon crisis december announced festival financial crisis uncertainty event place festival planning went ahead support donations number bristol businesses june announced alcohol allowed taken site available purchase official bars arena attending festival searched way announcement caused controversy locals long referred festival officially called increasingly popular years claimed britain biggest free festival suggested minimum donation entry gradually increasing compulsory entry fee children aged pay entry fee remained free previously children got free new discounted weekend ticket available festival typically attended people annually festival year site moved field second day event cancelled torrential rain site inaccessible emergency vehicles health safety audience important said bands perform day including good bad queen cancellation increased pressure strained finances festival friday july profit company organised event announced started process winding company financial losses notable performers festival music policy focused local acts late 1990s attracting national acts headline festival major acts recent years include christian mad professor reef chain super animals team plan good bad queen fall legacy following end groups emerged hoping continue sort summer festival bristol bristol festival far successfully summer festivals albeit city centre saw successful people attending days returned announced december continuing festival event returned let rock bristol retro festival
Ashton Court Festival