Those who’ve lived in the village since the early 1970s may remember that, for Knebworth Park, the first Saturday in August was always “Air Display Day”… the Barnstormers Aerobatics Team, the fly-bys by Spitfires, Mosquitos, Lancaster Bombers, and – most vivid in my memory – the waving girl standing on the wings of the bi-plane. But the planes that won the Battle of Britain were finally defeated at Knebworth… by the weather. The “Air Display Days” came to an end because it always rains on the first Saturday in August. Always.
But a little rain’s not going to worry Knebworth Park’s new event for the first Saturday in August. Rolling in for the final date of its successful tour of Europe, the Sonisphere Festival, marks a welcome return of live music to Knebworth Park. A much smaller event than the traditional Knebworth concert – a fourth of the size – Sonisphere is a weekend music festival with camping (you have to go back almost to the 1970s again for the last time we did that – Cliff Richard, in 1983). The campsite is open Friday through Monday, for staggered arrival and departure – with all public access planned for the A1 entrance only – so the effect on local traffic should be minimal.
The headline acts are Linkin Park (Saturday) and Metallica (Sunday) and the style of music is “heavy metal” (similar to Deep Purple in 1985 and Led Zeppelin in 1979) so there will be some noise over the weekend – but, as per the licence, it will be closely monitored, and entertainment in the campsite is not open air. If neighbours do experience any disturbance over the two days, we thank you in advance for your patience – this is important business for the Park and a happy continuation of our tradition of live music that has bought so much pleasure to so many people since 1974…
…and if the trivia of this article has interested you, you may want to visit our “Knebworth Rocks!” retrospective of 35 years of Knebworth Concerts that will be on display in the Banqueting Hall during the month of August. You’ll discover, for instance, that the last time we had significant rain at a Knebworth concert was… the last time we hosted “heavy metal” (1985)! But that was 24 years ago, and it was June – so I’m thinking positive for this year’s “Air Display Day”… like the waving girl, as she was strapped to wings of the bi-plane!
Henry Lytton Cobbold
www.knebworthhouse.com