UNDERNEATH THE STARS – A NEW SOUTH YORKSHIRE-BASED FESTIVAL OF ARTS, MUSIC AND FOOD – HAS ANNOUNCED AN IMPRESSIVE LINE-UP FOR ITS INAUGURAL YEAR.

Richard Thompson is set to headline over the weekend of 25th – 27th July, with other performers including Rachel Sermanni, Sarah Jarosz, John Smith, Damien O’Kane, The Puppini Sisters, Jack Harris, Jaywalkers, Moore-Moss-Rutter, Adrian Edmonson & The Bad Shepherds, Dave Burland and The Treacherous Orchestra. UNDERNEATH THE STARS is a new collaboration between Barnsley singer-songwriter Kate Rusby (also scheduled to perform), her family production team and Yorkshire visitor attraction and quality food producer Cannon Hall Open Farm, near Cawthorne.
Cannon Hall offers visitors and school outings an educational insight into the day-to-day workings of a modern farmyard, and has previously hosted a series of summer concerts raising funds for the village Cricket Club, Church and Preschool. Now the aim is to develop those into a festival weekend of world class entertainment, held in a purpose built big-top concert marquee. In addition to the music, there will be activities for a range of ages including craft stalls, workshops and storytelling – plus a giant planetarium showing video presentations and night-sky projections. Underneath The Stars indeed.
The organisers are committed to providing the best facilities available (so banish all thoughts of damp outdoor stages, soggy chips and sour beer, or queuing for blocked plastic portaloos), and there also is the opportunity to pitch up and stay at the festival’s campsite. Tickets here.

The Mouth Magazine interviewed Rachel Sermanni here, and John Smith featured in The Mouthcast last year (here).