Y Not Festival
Not that anyone would be silly enough to even question why you would want to go a music festival with headlining acts as jaw dropping as Snoop Dog and Basement Jaxx but if they were in fact silly enough to ask then the simple answer would be “well why the hell not”. Couldn’t have said it better myself. You may or may not have heard of Y Not, it’s a smaller festival, the type that could get overlooked by rivals like Glasto and Reading, the ones that require you to take out a small loan to fund your weekend but the good thing about festivals is that size doesn’t matter. What matters is the amazing music on offer, the incredible atmosphere and the chance to dress up like your favourite superhero (read ahead to find on what I’m going on about).
Trust me; it will feel anything but small when you get there!
Save the Date
Y Not takes place from the 31st July to the 2nd August over a three day extravaganza. The festival is located in Pikehall, a small quaint village in Derbyshire, its more than just country parks and sheep don’t you know! If your techno savvy and actually own a relatively decent Satnav then getting there couldn’t be easier, just tap in the address and Bobs your uncle. However, if you’ve been made to endure public transport then fear not. The nearest stations are Buxton and Matlock, although a bus service is not available they will have a shuttle bus running to and from these two stations which will take you directly to the site, just be sure to leave with plenty of time as there are bound to be ques.
Line up
This three day event is all about great music, with a whole host of amazing artists from the well established to the virtually unknown you can expect to see performances from your most loved musicians and leave having found new and exciting favourites. The festival has three stages over which a number of different bands and artists are set to perform, the main stage will be graced by some huge stars this year including Snoop Dog, Primal Scream and Deaf Havana just to name a few. The Quarry is the festivals biggest indoor stage and will see performances from Rae Morris, We are Scientists and Raleigh Ritchie as well as loads more from all different genres of music, no matter what your musical tastes you’re sure to find something to whet your appetite. The final stage isn’t called The Giant Squid for nothing; it’s heavy, loud and hardcore. If that doesn’t scare you off then expect to see performances from Lower than Atlantis, Don Brocco and Pulled Apart by Horses, ear protectors at the ready guys.
A Place to Stay
Camping is available for this three day affair and whatever your needs you can be sure to find something suitable. There’s a family camping area for all those bringing your little horrors with you or there’s a quiet camping zone for those of you who just want some shut eye at the end of a long day and who can blame you? I certainly won’t. If getting down and dirty isn’t really your thing then you can pay more and upgrade, a bit like business class of the camping world, plus you get your own toilet! Now that is worth forking out extra for. Trust me, portaloos are the devil.
Bit on the Side
The best thing about Y Not is you don’t need to take things too seriously, fancy dress is what it’s all about so don’t be shy about dressing up and looking like an idiot, you
definitely won`t be the only one, I don’t even need to try most of the time... If you need a little Dutch courage before braving your favourite Tinkerbelle or Captain America costume then that certainly won’t be a problem, there’s 7 different bars around the site all different sizes offering you anything from a Cider to a Pina Colada, or even Sex on The Beach (the cocktail, obviously). There’s also a whole host of food stalls on site ready to cater to all your culinary desires, you can expect way more than greasy chips and a cheeseburger with this one, although that will always go down a treat in my eyes.
So why not grab yourself some tickets and enjoy a weekend of good music, good atmosphere and some pretty damn good (if not slightly embarrassing) memories!
By Sophie Black