Festival Dates

The dates for this year's Dentdale Music and Beer Festival are:

22nd - 24th June 2012

Three days of FREE music and merry-making - put it in your diary now!

Festival Field Facilities

The Dentdale Music and Beer Festival aims to provide FREE entertainment for all the family.

As well as giving adults access to a wonderful time, there is a separate area on the Festival Field dedicated to younger visitors. Throughout each day, parents will have the opportunity for their little ones and young adults to experience their own festival fun, with games, live entertainment and the chance to learn new skills (or develop existing ones) with craft demonstrations and participation.

On the Festival Field, you'll find terrific real ales (more than 25) and amazing, locally sourced, home-made and freshly cooked food.

There will be plenty of toilets, and also baby-changing facilities in the purpose-built toilet block at the top of the Field.

Venues

More than 25 artists will perform on two stages on the Field, with acts alternating between the two. We allow time for you to move from one stage to the other before the next act/performers start - no more having to chose which acts to see!

As well as these two stages, you'll find two lovely pubs, the Sun Inn and the George & Dragon, within very close walking/staggering distance in Dent, where music of all varieties will ring out throughout the day and (probably long) into the night.

Add to that the street performers in the cobbled streets - clog and traditional dancing and other individual and group musicians (sometimes impromptu) - and you'll have a totally unforgettable experience.

And... if you haven't had enough after all of the organised activities have finished, potter along to one of the two nearby campsites - more than likely you'll come across a group of musicians who just can't bear to quit and go to bed and you'll be treated to some mellow, acoustic tunes to prepare you for slumber.

History of the Festival

After the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the early 2000s, the local community proposed and investigated an idea to regenerate the area, and to raise much-needed funds for local projects. In 2002, the first music event was held in the village and proved to be such a success that it grew hugely year-on-year. In 2009, the festival became two events, with a free, family oriented event remaining in Dent village under the new name of the Dentdale Music and Beer Festival.

The Dentdale Music and Beer Festival is held purely for the benefit of the local communities. Any profit from the event is either ploughed back directly into community projects, such as the primary school, church bells and cave rescue, or held in trust for future projects.

Our Honary Patrons

We are delighted that Lord & Lady Johnson accepted our invitation to become the Honorary Patrons of our event. Gerry & Elaine (as they liked to be called) have a great deal of interest in music and to all things that are 'Dentdale'. They are always involved in raising money for either charity or for a local cause in Dentdale, so we are very pleased to have them on board. I'm sure you will see them in one of the tents enjoying the music, so say hello when you do!!

Directions

By Road

From the M6 - Leave at J37 signposted Sedbergh A684. Dent is then signposted and a further 4 miles from Sedbergh.

From West Yorkshire - Leave the A65 at Kirkby Lonsdale, heading for Sedbergh. At Barbon village follow signs for Dent.

From A1 - Leave the A1 following signs for Bedale (A684). At Hawes take B6255 towards Ingleton looking out for the turning to Dent (approx 4 miles).

By Rail

Leave the car at home and enjoy the views of the Settle to Carlisle Railway line to Dent station - the highest in England.

For train times see www.thetrainline.com.

The festival bus will collect visitors from Dent station and drop you in the centre of Dent, within a minute or two of the campsites & pubs etc.

Times to be confirmed.