The Deer Shed Festival was a little different this year, with an all-camping event and reduced capacity.
Some months ago they took the decision to run the event at the-then guidance, ensuring it could be planned properly, and without risk it would need to be reigned in.
As usual, it was at Baldersby Park, near Tockwith, but numbers were capped at 2,000 rather than the usual 10,000.
It was termed Deer Shed Festival – Base Camp Plus and was from the 29 to 1 August 2021. There was a main arena stage and a smaller covered stage, along with a smaller food and activity offering – but it worked beautifully.
Most of the park was taken with camping space, being divided into around 600 square camping spaces, each with a portaloo (am sure they must have broken a record for the mosy number of portaloos in one place!)
With the addition of festival stages, open air tents, workshops, sports, play areas, the organisers were able to create an intimate music festival, while ensuring the weekend could go ahead in the event step 3 restrictions weren’t lifted in England this summer.
Performances across the weekend featured some of the UK’s most loved stand-up comedians including Mark Watson (Taskmaster, Live at The Apollo) and Rosie Jones (The Last Leg, Would I Lie To You) who delighted the assembled crowds alongside acclaimed music headliners Porridge Radio, Jane Weaver and Dream Wife with a huge line up of brass bands, pop up theatre, workshops, poetry and much more all in attendance.
With the event wrapping up last night courtesy of a headphone DJ set from Happy Mondays icon Bez, the crew at Deer Shed are hard at work restoring their treasured Baldersby Park site and beginning preparations to welcome back a capacity crowd in 2022, for the first time since August 2019.
Deer Shed 12 will take place on 29-31 July 2022 with tickets on sale soon.
Oliver Jones, Co-founder Deer Shed Festival:
It’s an unbelievable feeling to have welcomed our audience back to Baldersby Park this weekend. Base Camp Plus was born out of necessity but thanks to our wonderful team has become a worthy stand in for the full Deer Shed Festival. To see thousands of people of all ages come together to enjoy three days of music, art, comedy, theatre, play, and good food and drink again has made us more excited than ever to bring the full capacity Deer Shed back next year!
Our random collection of media from the Saturday and Sunday.
