About Rhythms Of The World

What’s the festival all about, and who organises it?

In a nutshell, the answers to those two questions are remarkably simple – it’s about us, our local community, coming together to celebrate our diverse local and world cultures – and it’s us, people from the local community who organise it because we think it’s a good thing!

ROTW is a registered charity set up to support the arts in their broadest sense across North Hertfordshire, to celebrate our world culture and to give a focus for people of all ages, race, ability and economic diversity to come together.

In trendy terms it probably hits all the right boxes of ‘social cohesion’ and other such terminology, but the bottom line is that those of us involved believe that ROTW helps make a difference to our community and the way we all live together.

How it's funded

While we do get some financial support from North Herts District Council and other grant givers (thank you once again!) the festival is a massive undertaking in both terms of organisation (the festival site itself is a two-week build and de-rig) and cost (around £200 000 this year!).

Everyone involved in this huge undertaking is a volunteer, freely offering their time, support, experience, knowledge and enthusiasm. The small ticket charge goes part way (but only part way) towards covering our costs,  as our ethos is to make sure everyone can be part of the festival.

But, as always, we can do with more help – both in terms of finance through sponsorship and donations, and in terms of volunteers to get involved and help make it all happen.

The Rhythms code

The festival is held in the parkland of Hitchin Priory and could not take place without the generosity of Chartridge, who allow the free use of their grounds, and our many other sponsors.  Please show your respect and support for all the volunteers and sponsors who make the festival possible by following THE RHYTHMS CODE:

  1. Enjoy the unusual each day of the festival
  2. Please look after yourselves and others and respect The Priory Grounds & the town of Hitchin
  3. Please take personal responsibility for your litter
  4. Please show your appreciation for the performers and the volunteers who make the festival happen
  5. Leave your car at home

ROTW values and respects diversity and individual differences.  Any individual demonstrating abusive behaviour due to intolerance of such differences will be excluded from the event.

Site Terms and conditions

Please also be aware of and comply with the site terms and conditions

  1. No Glass containers to be brought onto the site.
  2. Not more that 750ml of wine or 4 cans of beer or cider to be brought onto the site per person
  3. BBQs or any other item with an open flame (e.g. candles, gas lamps) will not be permitted on the site
  4. Fireworks, smoke canisters, offensive weapons or other similar articles are not permitted on the site
  5. Any person found in possession of such articles will be refused entry or ejected
  6. Persons will not be admitted if, in the opinion of Security, they are under the influence of alcohol or an illegal substance
  7. ROTW reserves the right to carry out bag searches and to refuse admission in reasonable circumstances
  8. Any person found to be behaving in a manner deemed unsociable or potentially dangerous will be ejected from the site without refund
  9. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult
  10. With the exception of guide dogs, no animals are permitted on the site