With some 30,000 festival fans having voted, the results are in for this year's UK Festival Awards, staged by VirtualFestivals.com. And well done to T in the Park, Glastonbury, Cream and Bestival who all scored well. The Scottish festival won the big prize - Best Major Festival - as well as the quite-dull-sounding-but-probably-quite-important sounding Best Organisation And Facilities award. Glasto took the award for Best Family Festival, won Best Festival Moment for that Make Poverty History hand holding thing and they were given the 'Outstanding Contribution Award' for the way the show went on despite all that rain. Cream won the Best Dance Festival award, while relative newcomer Bestival won 'Best Medium Sized Festival' and also took the gong for 'Best Innovation' for all the cool stuff they had going on aside the music - like live downloads, a wireless sense experiences, the hidden disco and that biggest ever fancy dress party.
Commenting on their wins, T In The Park boss Geoff Ellis told CMU: "This accolade is testament to the extremely hardworking team behind T in the Park, many of whom work on it all year round. Thanks must also go to the T in the Park audience, which is, from my own experience and from what I'm told by almost every artist that plays the event, the best in the world. We always strive to make their experience as good as we can and whilst we may have the hottest selling festival of 2006, we will never take our audience for granted and will do our very best to ensure that they will want to vote for us in both categories again next year."
On the award for their Make Poverty History stand, Glastonbury's Emily Eavis told VirtualFestival: "It was an incredible moment and part of the integrity of this year's Glastonbury. It's important that it's acknowledged that way but also that it's seen as a beginning and not an end to the campaign. Thanks to everyone for voting for it, and for being part of it - because it's them, not the rock stars, that made it."
On their win, Cream boss James Barton said: "The coveted UK Festival Awards are a body that not only recognises what great events we have in this country but firmly puts the UK on the global map as leaders in their field when it comes to outdoor events. The number of people that have voted this year proves this and makes winning this particular award very special."
And finally, the word from the Bestival camp ran thus: "Bestival base camp has just erupted with joy and alcoholic things at the news we've won these two awards. Up against such amazing festivals as The Big Chill and Glastonbury we're chuffed to have got so far in only our second year, so big up respect gracias to everyone who came to Bestival and voted for us - they're the winners!"
In the artist categories, Foo Fighters and Kaiser Chiefs did particularly well. The former won Best Headliner and Best Rock Act, while the Chiefs won Best Live Newcomer and Anthem Of The Summer - so well done them.