Valley Fest, the best-tasting music festival in the South West, has announced Sister Sledge – featuring Kathy Sledge, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Tinie Tempah, The Feeling and The Skids will play over the 1st – 4th August 2024. The family-friendly event takes place alongside Chew Valley Lake, near Bristol which, some say, give it ‘the best view of any UK festival.’
Celebrating its tenth birthday, the award-winning event is pulling out all the stops. The second wave of acts include a DJ set from Phil Hartnol (Orbital), Mungo’s Hi-fi, Gardna, Chainska Brassika, Sheelanagig, Supalung, Emily Breeze, Sam Lee, Florence Adooni, Songø and many others.
Tankus The Henge, Nubiyan Twist, The Nextmen, Huey Morgan and Worm Sound System (Worm Disco Club) were among the names in the initial announcement. Along with family favourites Junior Jungle, Doreen Doreen and Beatles Dub Club. Not forgetting Stanton Warriors, Fabio & Grooverider and Rat Pack, for a rave up.
The event is heading towards another sell out as it goes from strength to strength. It is perfect for first-time festival goers and families of all ages. Plus, it is only nine miles from Bristol and Bath making it really accessible for the weekend.
“Eclectic as ever – from pop to rock, disco to DJs and everything in between, everyone needs to GET ON MY LAND and celebrate our big birthday,” said Luke Hasell, festival founder. “Packed with wholesome fun, families – you’ll find something for your toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents.”
The food and music festival promises feasts, cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and an exciting selection of street food, the majority of which will have been produced using regenerative farming methods.
Short listed for ‘A Greener Festival’ catering award, the menu accommodates all tastes and budgets. Expect added theatre with the cooking over fire demonstrations along with plenty of sampling. The chef line up will be announced in the spring along with the opening of feast bookings.
Arcadia’s Alchemist Playground is becoming a firm family favourite. By day, it’s a hive of activity where kids and teens play, create and build. The Woodland Tribe will be on hand to help children construct a playground out of recycled military materials.
When it’s finished, they will play and party on it for hours. Not only that, popular welding workshops will be back and catering for all ages. There will be new structures, swings and a whole lot more.
By night, the iconic Afterburner fires up. Expect flares, flames and cutting-edge, heart-in-your-mouth performances. Plus, the Lord of Lightning will return – shooting multi-million-volt bolts of electricity from his body, a spectacle like no other.
Built from a Rolls Royce jet engine called an Afterburner, the stage is surrounded by a circle of metal trees and flames. The dancefloor is designed with the DJ in the middle, so you can party with beaming faces all around you.
The festival doesn’t stop at fun, feasting and frolicking around the meadows in lycra. Plenty of brain food is on offer too – educational talks and demonstrations will be themed on regenerative farming. The event takes place on an organic, regenerative farm and so looking after the land and soil is part of its DNA.
Tours of the neighbouring Community Farm will give festival goers an experience of eating food from the fields in front of them whilst learning how it’s produced. This positive farming approach – helps to reverse the soil damage that conventional chemical production has done. Regeneratively-farmed food not only tastes amazing but helps to combat climate change and increases biodiversity and wildlife.
And if all that food and music wasn’t enough, there is a side-splitting comedy line up still to be announced. Ideal for those looking to laugh til it hurts.
Expect hedge-to-hedge Somerset sparkle and spectacle with a whomping soundtrack.
Weekend Tickets are £154.99 (plus booking fee) and can be bought in instalments to spread the cost from www.valleyfest.co.uk.