Our second visit to Beat-herder left us feeling complete and fulfilled, both musically and spiritually! The even is billed as an “orgy of beats and barminess” – and that’s a pretty accurate description!

Located near Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley, the festival was full of surprises. The organisers had put a lot of creative energy into an array of 20+ whimsical stages which varied from castles and mansions to forests and factories. Beat-Herder’s magic lies in its special little touches designed to make your festival experience top notch. The attention to detail given to every aspect leaves you in no uncertainty that this is a festival for the people! From great music and fantastic stages to decent priced beer and its beautiful location – this isn’t a commercial festival, just thrown together to make as much money as possible.

The music was just a small part of the experience at Beat-Herder. Entirely handmade from scratch, the stages stood out as something truly different in the increasingly identikit festival landscape. That attention to detail creates an immersive world full of beguiling and intriguing creative concepts. Which other festivals give you the opportunity to explore underground tunnels, dance to drum and bass in a chapel or get inked in the functioning tattoo parlour? And when the hedonism got a little too much, you could slow the pace by lounging in the heated hidden swimming pool or by enjoying some retro entertainment at the site’s very own working men’s club.

Beat-Herder’s picturesque site and technicolour utopia are truly unique but the line-up wasn’t something to be sniffed at either as it featured a range of great acts such as Rudimental, Basement Jaxx, Groove Armada, Sister Sledge, Hannah Wants and Purple Disco Machine.

Over its thirteen-year history, Beat-Herder has become known for uniting the disparate subcultures of dance music in one phenomenal location in the Ribble Valley.

Beat-Herder was true to its word and was one of the weirdest, wildest and most wonderful festivals that we have been to.

One of the highlights of the visit was Toil Trees on the Saturday night, which featured Hannah Wants. A child of the garage generation Hannah Wants has validated herself as a world renowned DJ with some serious credentials. In 2014 alone Hannah picked up the Best Breakthrough DJ title at the DJ Mag awards and became Mixmag’s Best Breakthrough DJ.

Beat-Herder continues to exist as it did back when it started as a free DIY party in 1998: uncompromising, unwavering and distinguished by an overwhelming sense of community. Its reputation as one of the friendliest festivals around can be attributed to its loyal followers – friends, couples and families who create new memories to cherish in a bold and barmy atmosphere each summer.

For more information visit: beatherder.co.uk