Small Festivals

[the beadle]

OK so we’re all going to the biggest festival, does anybody go to much smaller festivals? I’m talking anything up to 1,000 people? Me and my mates all work Glastonbury but in July we all go off to Kozfest in Devon which basically is 500 hippies and other assorted weirdos in a field. Any other good ones we should know about?

[Twiggy553]

I love Awamu Together festival. No big names but all fantastic music and amazing vibe

https://www.awamutogether.co.uk

Edited May 8, 2023 by Twiggy553

[Twiggy553]

On a completely different vibe a lot of my mates rave (pun intended) about Balter Festival:

https://balterfestival.com

[THEBOILERMAN]

Something Else end of Season Party

 

https://sefests.co.uk/se-in-the-dunny/ 

[Jay Pee]

Farmer Phil's in Shropshire is on the list for me. It's more than a thou but wonderfully chaotic. And you can camp Monday to Monday for the ticket which is great value considering how expensive camping has become post pandemic.

We helped with the stewarding last year. My wife accidentally woke the drummer of Bad Manners at about midday on Sunday as he had crashed out backstage. He was actually grateful as had a gig that evening a long drive away. Asked if we Knew anywhere near by doing a Sunday Roast.. still Chuckle at that 

[spg]

https://www.fuelledbycider.com/outcider

I've always enjoyed outcider. 2 barns, one bar, a few food vendors, always fun.

[efcfanwirral]

I mention it a lot but 110 Above is the sort of size you describe. Probably not the sort of music you're after, but for anyone reading who's into smaller guitar music it's such an amazing atmosphere. Usually 1,000 people but it's scaled down this year - they're not using the main stages - so must be less this time around 

Biggest draw is the site is tiny, and they barely cross over bands so you can see almost all acts over the weekend if you want, with very minimal clashing 

Edited May 8, 2023 by efcfanwirral

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

1 hour ago, Jay Pee said:

Farmer Phil's in Shropshire is on the list for me. It's more than a thou but wonderfully chaotic. And you can camp Monday to Monday for the ticket which is great value considering how expensive camping has become post pandemic.

We helped with the stewarding last year. My wife accidentally woke the drummer of Bad Manners at about midday on Sunday as he had crashed out backstage. He was actually grateful as had a gig that evening a long drive away. Asked if we Knew anywhere near by doing a Sunday Roast.. still Chuckle at that 

My mate (Jamie) somehow managed to book the site that Farmer Phil's is set within during one of the breaks from the covid lock downs. The numbers were limited to 30, but not exactly adhered to (a little like my dad's funeral during covid, whereby the priest said that the numbers must be limited to 30, but that his ability to add up was substantially compromised!). 

Anyway, there we were all having the best of fun, and sitting around a lovely log fire at about 7am in the morning, in the most glorious of settings and weather, and then a hunt came over the hill in front of us. By 'hunt' I mean 100+ beagles, people on horses, and for some reason quad bikes etc. They were, evidently, not drag hunting, but chasing a fox down. A totally incongruous event, compared to the harmony and love that had occured the night before, and up unto that point. 

As an extra aside, I was administered the best 2cb tablet that I have taken, the night before. I had said to my wife that there was a squadron of drones in the sky above and someway ahead of us coming our way. It was then that I was informed by her that they were stationary stars! lol

[Jay Pee]

14 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

My mate (Jamie) somehow managed to book the site that Farmer Phil's is set within during one of the breaks from the covid lock downs. The numbers were limited to 30, but not exactly adhered to (a little like my dad's funeral during covid, whereby the priest said that the numbers must be limited to 30, but that his ability to add up was substantially compromised!). 

Anyway, there we were all having the best of fun, and sitting around a lovely log fire at about 7am in the morning, in the most glorious of settings and weather, and then a hunt came over the hill in front of us. By 'hunt' I mean 100+ beagles, people on horses, and for some reason quad bikes etc. They were, evidently, not drag hunting, but chasing a fox down. A totally incongruous event, compared to the harmony and love that had occured the night before, and up unto that point. 

As an extra aside, I was administered the best 2cb tablet that I have taken, the night before. I had said to my wife that there was a squadron of drones in the sky above and someway ahead of us coming our way. It was then that I was informed by her that they were stationary stars! lol

Lolz mate. Your anecdotes are always a tonic. Fair point about the comedown of the hunt. It's rural enough round there to a firm backer of the Countryside Alliance.

I love the area though. The Long Mynd is glorious. We walked over the top one morning to Church Stretton for the market and a pub lunch in the Great Joules pub. Asked the landlady if there was a taxi number and was laughed out (in a good way). Had to get a chap from Craven Arms to come in his cab and run us back to the site. It was not cheap!

[Superscally]

22 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

My mate (Jamie) somehow managed to book the site that Farmer Phil's is set within during one of the breaks from the covid lock downs. The numbers were limited to 30, but not exactly adhered to (a little like my dad's funeral during covid, whereby the priest said that the numbers must be limited to 30, but that his ability to add up was substantially compromised!). 

Anyway, there we were all having the best of fun, and sitting around a lovely log fire at about 7am in the morning, in the most glorious of settings and weather, and then a hunt came over the hill in front of us. By 'hunt' I mean 100+ beagles, people on horses, and for some reason quad bikes etc. They were, evidently, not drag hunting, but chasing a fox down. A totally incongruous event, compared to the harmony and love that had occured the night before, and up unto that point. 

As an extra aside, I was administered the best 2cb tablet that I have taken, the night before. I had said to my wife that there was a squadron of drones in the sky above and someway ahead of us coming our way. It was then that I was informed by her that they were stationary stars! lol

If err...you have err...any of that...asking for a friend 😄

[stuie]

My absolute fave festival in the land, more than 1000 but definitely in the small festival bracket, is Noisily.

It is absolutely perfect in every way, for me. Set in the first, it’s all techno/dnb/pt but massive effort is made with the mind body soul programming and the crowd is perfect.

Some of my friends who can only manage one festival a year now do Noisily over their glasto. 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

50 minutes ago, Jay Pee said:

Lolz mate. Your anecdotes are always a tonic. Fair point about the comedown of the hunt. It's rural enough round there to a firm backer of the Countryside Alliance.

I love the area though. The Long Mynd is glorious. We walked over the top one morning to Church Stretton for the market and a pub lunch in the Great Joules pub. Asked the landlady if there was a taxi number and was laughed out (in a good way). Had to get a chap from Craven Arms to come in his cab and run us back to the site. It was not cheap!

Apart from a little (just over a year) stint in Colchester (at the University - not the military prison!), I spent 51 of my years in the city of Birmingham. Then I moved to Shropshire. It is an almost unspoken of hidden gem. Btw - Brown Clee is the one to 'hit' (walk), or so I am told - yet to get there. 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

56 minutes ago, Superscally said:

If err...you have err...any of that...asking for a friend 😄

That was a while ago now. The tabs were bright green- which wasn't exactly alluring. Anyway, it was a mate who got them. He probably has access to the same supplier (the web which is dark), but the chances of the same batch are infinitesimally small. However, if you do want me to take this further then PM me. 😊

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I've just had a thought - can stars actually 'be' stationary'? I guess they might consider themselves to be, and that 'other' bits / bobs / elements of the universe are actually the moving parts. Discuss?*

 

*- 'DON'T' - as in 'DO NOT' discuss. We'll be here forever otherwise! Oh, hold on a minute.........

[guypjfreak]

My son used to do one called On The Bus.. Was great.. 

There's a few other small ones that I wouldn't call festivals but meet ups 

This year there's ENDORSET,, 

we might go to Cerne brewery naughty corner... 

But at the moment it's just glasto.. Endorset... Beautiful days... 

Glastonbury is definitely getting to big for me nowadays... 

[worthyraver]

I have a google document just with small festivals on it, I will tidy it up and post it here.

Another vote for Farmer Phil's been the last three years going again this year, fantastic vibe cant knock the parking next to your tent handbrake on tents out of trailer all all set up super quick and the weather last year for the full week was the best festival weather I have ever experienced anywhere my mate brought some super soakers water pistols more fun then class As 🙂

 

[Clarence Clemons]

47 minutes ago, worthyraver said:

I have a google document just with small festivals on it, I will tidy it up and post it here.

Another vote for Farmer Phil's been the last three years going again this year, fantastic vibe cant knock the parking next to your tent handbrake on tents out of trailer all all set up super quick and the weather last year for the full week was the best festival weather I have ever experienced anywhere my mate brought some super soakers water pistols more fun then class As 🙂

 

sounds a useful doc, would love to see it 

[worthyraver]

In no particular order:

Watchet Festival
Capacity 5000
Parsonage Farm, Watchet, Somerset, TA23 0HS
https://www.watchetfestival.co.uk/

Lunar Festival
Umberslade Farm Park, Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire, B94 5AE
https://lunarfestival.co.uk/

Moovin Festival
http://www.moovinfestival.com/

Farmer Phils
http://www.farmerphilsfestival.com

Deershed Festival
https://deershedfestival.com

Noisily Festival over 18s only
Capacity 4000
https://noisilyfestival.co

Camper Calling
Ragley Hall, Ragley, Alcester, Warwickshire , B49 5NJ
https://www.campercalling.com

Audio Farm
A favourite have been before sadly cancelled this year 😞
Hopton Court, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY14 0EF
https://audiofarmfestival.org

Outcider
https://www.fuelledbycider.com/outcider

Equinox Festival
https://equinoxfestival.org.uk

Sunrise Celebration
Great festival I think it has gone for good now 😞

Flummoxed Festival
My favourite a few hundred people in a field run by a folk band they took a break COVID year before we knew about COVID timing or what, they may return
https://www.facebook.com/flummoxedfestival

SouthCider Festival
https://www.bredyfarm.com/events-at-bredy

110 Above 

Lake Fest
Dog Friendly clashes with Farmer Phil’s
https://lakefest.co.uk

DevaFest
Dog Friendly clashes with Farmer Phil’s
https://devafest.co.uk

Nozstock Festival
https://nozstock.com

Solfest
https://solfest.co.uk/

FarmFest
https://farmfestival.co.uk/

Wilderness Festival
https://www.wildernessfestival.com

Womad
https://womad.co.uk

Moovin
https://www.moovinfestival.com

Small World Solar Stage
http://www.smallworldsolarstage.org/

Lost Village Festival
https://lostvillagefestival.com

Warm Up Festival
Looked good was cancelled this year
https://www.warmupfestival.co.uk
 

Link to document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15z8K3evSv9ZXe9zCJccognZJdDqqGaWsMwsjUMgdu-A/edit?usp=sharing

[danmarks]

Sad to report that lunarfest hasnt come back for 6years so probably not a thing anytime soon. 😔 

[Beerqueen]

Loving the love for Farmer Phil's!  It my local festival and I love it - so easy.  15 minutes away, can camp all week if you want to and can park next to your tent so you can lob everything in your boot "just in case".  Two small stages, one large beer tent and a small beer hut where you never have to queue.  Lots of choices of real ales.  Good music too! (except for T'Pau a couple of years ago, which I won't say anything more about).