The Mighty Hoopla Big Weekender is not your typical English music festival. This event, held at Butlin’s in Bognor Regis, stands out from the crowd with its all-embracing celebration of pop music icons and queer culture. Since it began in 2016, Mighty Hoopla has become one of the UK’s most original and beloved events. The festival held its own unmissable TV moment when the opening Friday night featured the finale of BBC’s hit reality TV show, The Traitors.
The seaside resort of Butlin’s has been hosting family-friendly entertainment since 1936. Mighty Hoopla has reclaimed this space and turned it into a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies. Many festival-goers were initially unsure about visiting Bognor Regis, but the Mighty Hoopla family has created a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming environment. “It’s about rewriting the narrative, but with lots of camp bells and whistles,” says co-founder Jamie Tagg.
While the festival’s popularity continues to grow, the crew’s final pilgrimage to Butlin’s took place during its 2024 Big Weekender. The rising costs of travel and booking artists have made it challenging to keep the event affordable for attendees. However, the crew remains optimistic about the festival’s future. Postcards on tables that read ‘bye bye Bognor. Hello…’ fuel the rumors of a new location. Performers have hinted at the festival going global, and the Mighty Hoopla team has indicated a desire to take the event somewhere “different.”
Whether the festival continues in a new location or returns to Butlin’s in the future, its singular magic needs to be preserved and cherished. The Mighty Hoopla Big Weekender has become an essential part of the UK’s cultural offering. At a time of uncertainty in the music industry and with other events and venues under threat, Mighty Hoopla provides a safe and
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