Live music fans will flock to a field near Topcliffe this weekend – but the Deer Shed Festival will have a very different feel compared to previous years.
Organisers have set up a socially-distanced weekend called Base Camp, with an on-site radio station delivering live music, comedy and more direct to people’s tents.
The 320 family pitches will be a far cry from the 11,000 attendees at last year’s event – and even the 2,000 who came to the first festival 11 years ago. Director Kate Webster told The Stray Ferret:
“It’s nice that we have been able to do something. All the people here have been to Deer Shed before and a lot of them are just happy to be out of their houses.
“It has been harder organising it because we’re having to do it on fewer staff, but there’s a lot less to do then usually when we have five stages.”
Socially distanced camping spaces, each with a portable toilet
Each pitch is 15m x 15m and has its own portable toilet, with water for washing. The Baldersby Park site near Topcliffe will also offer acres of outside space for families to enjoy.
Food and drink will be on sale from stands, but ticket holders are being asked to bring their own food and drink, including alcohol which will not be sold on site. Tickets were only offered to previous festival attendees, and the event is sold out.
Read more:
The event was originally planned to take place as usual this weekend, but plans were put on hold after the coronavirus lockdown came into force. Organisers have now created a programme for radio, including everything from live music to Q&A sessions.
They are also encouraging people to explore the surrounding area and local visitor attractions during the weekend.
As the first campers arrived on site today, Kate added:
“People are arriving a lot slower than they normally do for a festival weekend. Normally, they arrive an hour earlier than they’re meant to because they’re so keen to get in.
“This has been a lot more casual – people rolling up and slowly putting tents up. It’s a different atmosphere.
“We have got a few caterers and a bit of space, but we didn’t want people to get confused that it’s a festival. It’s not – it’s a camping event. You’re camping with like-minded people who go to Deer Shed and enjoy live music as a family.”
Although the full festival this year has not been possible, Kate said all the headliners and most of the line-up have been transferred to next year’s dates, July 30 to August 1.