North West festival, Deva Fest, joins new young person’s initiative, ‘First Festival Campaign’

Led by The Association of Independent Festivals, the ‘First Festival Campaign’ launches today – a new initiative aimed to increase access to festivals for hundreds of thousands of young people across the UK.

he North West’s favourite family-friendly festival, Deva Fest, has today announced their involvement with The Association of Independent Festivals’ (AIF) latest pioneering initiative, ‘First Festival Campaign’.

The idea of the campaign is to help fund attendance for hundreds of thousands of young people, aged 18+, to attend festivals across the UK providing the opportunity to those that may have missed out on the experience due to festival cancellations during the pandemic.

The ‘First Festival Campaign’ has come to fruition in response to the Covid-19 related conditions and restrictions presented during lockdowns between March 2020 to December 2021. Larger events were cancelled, in line with Government rules meaning many had to delay their ‘first festival experience’.

With the expectation that young people generally attend their first festival when turning 18, the initiative supports those who may have missed the opportunity due to the pandemic, and those feeling the effects of the current cost-of-living crisis.

The ‘First Festival Campaign’ is open to anyone who was/is 18 years old between 1^st September 2019 and 31^st August 2023. Those interested in attending one of the AIF’s member festivals can sign up here through the First Festival‘s website to register their place.

For any who wants to support the campaign, whether it’s on an individual basis or through their organisation, donations are accepted to help make this campaign possible which can be found through Crowdfunder.

As well as Deva Fest, there are a number of other festivals that have signed up to the initiative, including: 110 Above Presents: OTHR Festival; Above & Beyond Brighton Beach; Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival; BlueDot Festival; British Country Music Festival; Camp Wildfire Festival; Chase & Status Brighton Beach; Deva Fest; El Dorado; End of The Road Festival; Green Belt; Green Gathering; Kendal Calling; NASS Festival; Noisily; Nozstock: The Hidden Valley; PennFest; Readipop Festival; Rock Oyster; Shambala; Takedown Festival; UK Tech-Fest; Underneath The Stars Festival; Valley Fest; and We Out Here.

Phil Marston, CEO and founder of Deva Fest, said: “We’re delighted to be a member of the AIF and be able to support their latest fundraising cause for ‘First Festivals Campaign’.

“With the cost-of-living crisis and Covid lockdowns many people have missed their rite of passage to attend a festival when they turn 18. We understand how difficult the last few years have been and we’re doing everything we can to keep our festival affordable and inclusive.

“We have recently made the decision to freeze our ticket prices so they remain at the cheapest we can physically offer. It’s all about creating a space that is fun and accessible to all, and we believe all young people should be able to enjoy their first festival experience without any worries so we’re proud to be involved in such an amazing campaign!”

As and when funding targets are met, tickets will be released to eligible 18-year-olds who have signed up to the online waiting list.

All those who have registered their interest will have chosen their preferred festival, and when a ticket is available will be requested to pay £18 for their ticket as part of the process.

About Deva Fest 

Deva Fest is held at Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire and combines music, comedy, food & drink, camping and family-friendly activities across three days in August. 

Now in its third year, Deva Fest will be held from 11th to 13th August and is a family (and dog) friendly festival made for all types of festival goers.  

With shuttle buses and free parking, as well as low-cost camping and glamping options, attending the event couldn’t be easier. Once on site, festival goers will enjoy their famous high-end/fit-for-a-wedding toilets, free-to-ride fairground, family-friendly activities and entertainment alongside local food and drink stalls. 

As well as global headliners including Will Young, Feeder, Morcheeba, Fleur East, Starsailor and Five and world-class comedians, Deva Fest has a passion for showcasing local talent and opting for improved sustainability wherever possible. This year, Deva Fest has worked closely with the local community around Cholmondeley Castle and is hosting a long list of local bands and artists, some well-known on the festival scene and hand-picked street food vendors from around the region led by food partners Artezzan of Chester. Bar goers can expect a full service from iKO Ventures, the people behind Liquor & Co., Craft and Company and the new Chester market bar Lockwood & Co. 

General day tickets are on sale now with glamping and camping options available to purchase. Tickets start from £44.50 per day for adults, £19.50 for children and a range of family and group options to choose from.  

For more information, visit https://devafest.co.uk  

About AIF

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is the UK’s leading national not for profit festival trade association representing the interests of 105 UK music festivals, ranging from 500 to 80,000 capacity. AIF Festivals collectively reach over 3.3 million people every year, and AIF represents over 53% of all festivals in the UK that are 5,000+ capacity. In 2023, AIF member festivals will stage a total of 11,853 performances. AIF member festivals include some of the most successful and innovative festivals in the UK including the likes of GreenBelt, El Dorado, Deershed, Valley Fest, End of The Road, Pitchfork London, Field Maneuvers, We Out Here and many more. Find out more at www.aiforg.com.