By Isle of Wight Observer
The IW Festival is celebrating 25 years of music later this month, with a new exhibition in Newport starting on Monday. The original festivals were held between 1968 to 1970, before being brought back by John Giddings 22 years ago.
To celebrate this, the ‘Experience the Isle of Wight Festival’ exhibition is returning and this year will be renamed ‘Experience 25’ to encompass the three original festivals. It will be on display at the Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council’s High Street offices until July 29.
Ray Foulk, who organised the first three festivals with his brothers, will be bringing some of his iconic archive to be part of the ‘Experience 25’ exhibition, featuring artists such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix.
Dimbola Museum, Freshwater Bay, will also be bringing the colourful exhibition it ran last summer, featuring artwork and artists from the past 22 years, such as Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, along with some new pieces. This is the first time that an exhibition dedicated to all of the Isle of Wight Festivals will be seen in one place:
Ray said: “My family is delighted to contribute to this commemorative show, with historic items and archives.
“It is with great pride that our embryonic rock festivals of more than half a century ago have been so successfully and splendidly revived. Twenty-two years of visionary enterprise has guaranteed the Island’s formidable prowess in the wider world of contemporary music.”
John added: “The iconic Isle of Wight festival 1970 was the Woodstock of Europe, but the IW Council in their wisdom decided to ban it for 32 years in the form of an act of parliament – allowing others to pick up the baton.
“They allowed us to restart it for the Queen’s 50th jubilee, and it has gone from strength to strength – re-establishing this small Island off the south coast of England as a worldwide brand. Here is a celebration of the last 21 years, with the original three years added by kind courtesy of Ray Foulk, without whom it, it would not exist…and this year makes it the 25th – enjoy!”
There is no entrance fee to the exhibition, but there will be a shop to raise money for Dimbola, which will be selling IW Festival T-Shirts and posters – including a new vintage line of clothing.
Mal Butler 
Tilly Walder