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GL events Owen Brown revs up for Chris Evans’ Carfest – and gets set to tuck into Jamie’s Big Feastival too

By 30/01/2014September 7th, 2016Shows and festivals

Temporary structure providers GL events Owen Brown, will help present a mix of celebrities, cars, food and music after winning contracts to supply structures for three of the summer’s newest and quirkiest events.

The firm is providing more than 10,000sqm worth of temporary structures and marquees for DJ Chris Evans’ Carfest South event, which takes place at Laverstoke Park Farm, Overton, Hampshire, on August 26 and 26, as well as Carfest North, which takes place two weeks later on September 8 and 9 at Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire.

In between, it will provide around 1,300sqm of temporary accommodation for Jamie Oliver’s brand new Big Feastival, which will offer a blend of music, food and family fun on September 1 and 2 on Blur bassist-turned-cheesemaker Alex James’ farm in Kingham, Oxfordshire.

Both Carfest events, in aid of Children in Need, were heavily promoted on Evans’ BBC Radio 2 breakfast show and tickets sold out in under an hour as fans, lured by the prospect of classic cars, live music featuring Texas and Razorlight and the chance to perhaps meet the star DJ himself, booked their places.

Among the structures being provided by Owen Brown are an Absolute Peak structure housing a series of car exhibitions, including models from Formula 1, on the arena field and structures for food and drink exhibitions, plus a VIP lounge, on the music field.

Oliver’s and James’ Big Feastival, meanwhile, will see Owen Brown provide the structures for a Food Village, restaurants, a VIP area and a cooking masterclass space, where Oliver will man the chopping boards alongside fellow celebrity chefs Gennaro Contaldo and Simon Rogan.

James Anderson, commercial director at Owen Brown, welcomed the contracts, adding that alongside the company’s annual high-profile work at venues such as Ascot, Epsom and Silverstone, it has picked up a wealth of new work this year.

Other new business has seen Owen Brown provide structures for Sochi Park – Russia’s official Olympic House in Kensington Gardens – the London Wild Bird Watch and events held to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Mr Anderson said: “We have had a very successful year and have been terrifically busy in what is shaping up to be a vintage year for the outdoor events industry.

“Now we are thrilled to be working on three of the hottest festival events of 2012. Carfest North and South both sold out in a matter of minutes, while Jamie’s collaboration alongside Alex is likely to see the event become a big hit.”

Owen Brown is also providing structures for another event attended by Chris Evans in the shape of BBC Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park, which the DJ is hosting and which takes place on September 9.

Known as the Festival in a Day, BBC Radio 2 Live will, this year, feature performances from musicians including Jessie J, Paloma Faith, Emeli Sandé and rockers Status Quo.