Well having been pleasantly surprised by the inaugural Maui Waui last year it would have been rude not to have returned to a great little festival which is less than 90 minutes’ drive from my front door. And it looks as though a good few more people have cottoned on as well because the word is out and the number of punters was probably at least double that of last year’s admittedly somewhat sparse attendance. We had some proper laid on entertainment on the Friday night with the amply stocked bar and the new Flavour Parlour venue both contributing to a great first night atmosphere. And I’m fairly certain the closing times on the other evenings were extended by an hour with schedules running to 2am on the Saturday night and 11pm on the Sunday.

Otherwise the site was laid out much as I remember from last year with all the attractions arranged around a big circle with loads of space in the middle in which to just chill out on the grass with friends and soak up the late summer sunshine. In fact for the first time in 9 festivals this year we had a proper dry weekend and even indulged in a little paddle in the sea at nearby Walberswick after we left the site on Monday.

Musically the emphasis is still very much on swing, and we were constantly reminded of this by the “weekend swinger” slogan emblazoned on our wristbands. However Saturday night headliners Alabama 3 added some diversity with a fantastic acoustic set. Toilets are plentiful and seemed to remain pretty much spotless throughout and the selection of ales and ciders was, if anything, even better than I remember from last year. I’d have to say the choice of food stalls appeared slightly limited but I was self-sufficient on that front so it didn’t impact my enjoyment.

So, much like Cosmic Puffin at the very start of the season, Maui Waui has elevated itself in my estimation from being a pleasant way of whiling away a free weekend to an absolute must-do event and I’ve certainly got every intention of going back for more next year. Seeya there Swingers!