THE woman behind South Wales’ biggest music and arts festival Green Man has been honoured by the festival industry at London's O2 Arena at the Access All Areas (AAA) live industry conference.

Fiona Stewart, owner and managing director of the Glanusk Estate-based event between Abergavenny and Crickhowell, collected the top Editors’ Award, previously won by Glastonbury Festival’s Emily Eavis, in front of 2,000 festival and live event industry peers.

Described as “in a field of her own”, Fiona said: "Any success is due to the team around you, and I’m so grateful for the support of the many gifted and passionate people who have worked with me, especially my son Ben, Nush and Mike. Their hard work and talent has made so much possible.”

“I also want to thank the people of Cymru and the welcome you bring... this award is for you.”

Green Man welcomes 25,000 visitors a day in August to the Black Mountains and is one of few remaining large-scale independent festivals.

The 2024 edition sold out in under an hour with the lineup still unannounced.

It has previously received Best UK Festival five times, alongside awards for accessibility, design, tourism, sustainability, food and ale.

Fiona has spearheaded some of the UK’s most innovative live event legislation and initiatives and played a key role in shaping the 2003 Event License legislation.

She has also chaired the Business Group advising the fulfilment of the UK and Welsh Government’s £120m Mid Wales Growth Scheme.

Fiona was also the first woman awarded the Outstanding Contribution to UK Festivals award in 2016, previously awarded to Michael Eavis and Peter Gabriel.

AAA’s Christopher Barrett said: “Fiona is a festival industry pioneer, someone who’s been hugely influential while steadfastly sticking to her principles and creative vision as an independent operator.

“A strikingly unique event, Green Man is one of the very few major festivals to remain truly independent... Fiona’s in a field of her own!”