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Isle of Wight Festival under way at Seaclose Park

BBC Published Jun 11, 2010 Reviewed Jul 2, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors
Citation-ready fact
About 55,000 people are expected to attend the Isle of Wight Festival over the weekend.
about 55000 people · festival attendees
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Citation-ready fact
The event was restarted at Seaclose Park in Newport in 2002.
2002 · event restart year
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Citation-ready fact
About 50,000 people attended last year's event.
about 50000 people · festival attendees
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Citation-ready fact
The Isle of Wight Festival is in its ninth year since its return from its 1970 heyday.
9 years · years since return
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Citation-ready fact
The festival is estimated by the council to be worth £15m to the local economy every year.
15000000 GBP · economic impact
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Tens of thousands of people have gathered near Newport on the Isle of Wight for the annual festival.

The Isle of Wight Festival, which began on Thursday, is in its ninth year since its return from its 1970 heyday.

Sir Paul McCartney is set to be the headline act and will play on Sunday night, as the festival draws to a close.

The event was restarted at Seaclose Park in Newport in 2002 and is one of the UK's largest festivals.

Organisers are trying to make the event as "green" as possible after winning the Greener Festival Award last year.

Generators are partly running on bio-diesel, solar power is being used, while rangers have set up a wildlife and bee haven near the site using funds from festival-goers.

About 50,000 people attended last year's event, which the council estimates is worth £15m to the local economy every year.

Other artists playing this year's festival include Jay-Z, Florence and the Machine, The Strokes, Pink, Blondie, Crowded House and Editors.

The 1970 festival became famous for Jimi Hendrix's performance, three weeks before he died.

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