Way back in 2006, the first Beat-Herder was hot. Hot like hotknives. The land was baked like a biscuit and 1200 people came, enjoyed and partied really hard. There were fewer areas back then. Toil Trees was the epicentre of the throng. We had a tiny stage in the main field; there was Trailer Trash, there was Colin (Still the best Reggae tent of the Northern hemisphere), a witch tent, a naked sauna and couple of hippy food stalls. Since then...a colossal creation of some 16 additional areas for music, 14 bars, 40 + stalls, fairgrounds... the list goes on. Mother Beat-Herder has been busy.
Beat-Herder is different to other festivals; it is built on unconditional love and the tireless efforts of many. From plants grown from seed, hand painted signs and flags, restoring old cars, to homemade hymn books; the detail and creativity is endless. Most of the stuff you will see here is unique to Beat-Herder. Like most things at Beat-Herder, ideas begin with a crude sketch on a fag packet. We then get out a roll of brown wrapping paper, tape to a table and begin scrawling random ideas, words and pictures. We did this 15 years ago whilst conjuring up the name for the festival and, after hours of scrawl, we all knew when Beat-Herder was written that it was the right name.
And so 15 years on, we all sit here with scribbles on fag packets and brown paper taped to table –scratching out names of the countless individuals, organisations, groups n all that who have contributed to making Beat-Herder what it is and who we want to say thank you to. From painters, cake makers, tea brewers, musicians, quarrymen, seamstresses, welders, stone carvers, tractor drivers, fencers, mechanics, singers, song writers, writers, DJs, welfare workers, social workers, electricians, lifeguards, academic organisers, health and safety experts, web designers, agents, performers, graphic designers, party makers, bookers, mothers, fathers, lovers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters.... but more than anything, all you lovely visitors that come, love, look after and make Beat-Herder.
