TROYFEST | EVENT PREVIEW

Baskerville Hall, Hay-On-Wye

Words: Laura Boyd

Seven years ago at Glastonbury after a few too many ciders, a group of friends decided to give the whole festival thing a go for themselves and came up with the idea of “a field somewhere, a marquee and a couple of DJs”. Now in its third year and expected to sell out completely, Troyfest is a testament that not all outlandish drunken plans should be forgotten.

Set at Baskerville Hall near Hay-on-Wye in the same grounds that both Green Man festival and The Big Chill started in, Troyfest is swiftly becoming known as the UK’s friendliest small festival. Their growing reputation is being gained through its mix of eclectic music which offers something for every taste.  They’ve had had success in hosting well-known DJs and artists such as Babyhead, DJ Moneyshot and DJ Cheeba in previous years, whilst also introducing many up-and-coming new acts for festival-goers to discover over the three days. This year is no different with a great line-up including a Craig Charles DJ set, Laid Blak and The Nextmen topping the bill, as well as local Cardiff bands such as Tree House Fire and Beijing Bandits among many more.

While putting on an abundance of musical talent throughout the entire bank holiday weekend, Troyfest is also known for offering all kinds of entertainment such as circus acts, arts and crafts, games rooms, a massage tent and fancy dress. A welcome addition to the expectantly muddy camping grounds sees Troyfest with the added bonus of indoor en-suite bedrooms for those festival-goers who enjoy a more comfortable weekend. The hotel facilities also include bars, restaurants and even a heated indoor swimming pool which is available for use by all guests at the event.

If you’re looking for an intimate festival with an interesting few twists, make sure you catch Troyfest while it’s still young, then one day you can say you were there when it all started.

Info: www.troyfest.co.uk