.png)
Spotlight On: Doing Things Differently - Grassroots Rising
- Chai Wallahs
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
March 26 2025
Grassroots Rising is an ambitious new festival initiative spearheaded by Si Chai, founder of Chai Wallah’s, in response to the increasing pressures on independent festivals. Taking place from June 18-21, 2026, during Glastonbury’s fallow year, it aims to be a "festival of festivals," bringing together independent festivals, venues, and promoters with the focus on collaboration over competition.
Hosted at Secret Garden Party’s grounds it will operate under a community-benefit model, funded and shaped through a membership-based crowdfunding system, with participants actively involved in its creation.
The festival also hopes to address the growing disparity between grassroots artists and commercially supported acts, ensuring independent talent gets the platform it deserves.
“We’re not here to compete with the independent scene, we’re here to bring it together. In exchange for your collaboration and involvement in the creation of Grassroots Rising, you will get an invite to a restorative, energising, inspiring, and innovative cooperation; steeped in new experiences, musical discoveries, meaningful connection, and a return to the heady days of true festival culture, and not only that, it’ll be serious value for money, as it should be.” – Si Chai, Chai Wallah’s.
Why should you care?
Grassroots Rising is a radical reimagining of what independent festival culture could look like with collaboration at its heart. It promises not only affordable tickets but also an immersive and meaningful experience, reconnecting people with festival culture that is free from commercial constraints.
The festival is also committed to re-engaging young audiences, offering subsidised tickets and hands-on industry experience through student-led production teams. It aims to make a real impact — not just for one weekend, but for the future of independent music and culture.
Watch out for the Crowd funder opening this summer and keep an eye on things HERE.
Original article 'forecast vol.07 - New shoots and stories of hope' by the AIF -
Comments