Christopher BarrettIndependently owned and operated Valley Fest has partnered with Arcadia to use its Afterburner stage at the 10,000-capacity event this year.
Due to take place on the banks of Chew Valley Lake, near Bristol, from 4-7 August, Valley Fest has a long association with the Arcadia team, best known for its installations at Glastonbury Festival including a 50 ft fire-spitting spider.
For the last two years, Arcadia’s Bug stage has been set up at Valley Fest but organisers said the inclusion of the Afterburner stage (pictured) represents a major expansion. Recent years have seen the Afterburner stage set up at international festivals including Burning Man.
The stage, built from a Rolls Royce jet engine, will be installed in Valley Fest’s second field and the area will be surrounded by a circle of metal trees and flames.
A Valley Fest spokesperson said the Arcadia team has spent a lot of time working and living on the festival site: “When they first started out, they built their structures in an old cow shed on the farm, filling the yard with prize bits of scrap, picked up from around the country. Reusing and repurposing is an integral part of Arcadia’s art and now they’re turning their attention to regeneration.”
The event was founded by Luke Hasell, an organic farmer who owns the land and the event. Members of the Arcadia team spent 15 years living in showman’s vehicles in one of the fields.
Another new aspect of the event this year will be an area showcasing regenerative farming, while Josh Eggleton will head up the food programming. Eggleton is behind the Michelin-starred Pony and Trap restaurant, part of the Pony Restaurant Group.
The live music lineup is yet to be announced but confirmed DJs include Faithless, Roni Size and Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club.
Arcadia founder Pip Rush said, “After touring four continents, it feels fantastic to be bringing the party home again. Many of us have moved into the Chew Valley and have our kids in school. During lockdown, it became clear we should be growing deeper roots at home, both from a social and an environmental perspective.
We’ve loved working in recycled materials and to sculpt a whole festival environment from the ground up, to plant trees and play the long game is next level. This is an installation that we hope will be built by thousands of people and evolved over many generations.”