Type: Event
Location: Dimbola Museum & Galleries
Entry: Paid Entry
Event Date: 04/08/2011
End Date: 04/12/2021
The first Pop Festival in 1968, which was held at Ford Farm near Godshill, featured such bands as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Fairport Convention and was organised to raise funds for a swimming pool locally in Freshwater. This festival marked a turning point in UK music history. Two further festivals culminated in the huge 1970 event within sight and sound of Dimbola. This saw Jimi Hendrix’s last major performance and his last in the UK. Following a 32 year gap, the IOW festival was relaunched in 2002 and from then on to the present day the IOW festivals (now promoted by Solo Ltd) have been a huge success. The display includes rare posters and photographs of these legendary festivals. One photograph in particular is a panorama from Afton Down which gives an idea of the audience of 600,000 who gathered to watch Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Taste, Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell to name a few. Outside Dimbola there is a small memorial garden with a statue of Jimi Hendrix designed by sculptor John Swindells.