Kate Rusby's Underneath the Stars: another folk festival disappearing
June 20, 2024
l
Colin Randall writes:
Kate Rusby and family have announced tbat their Underneath the Stars festival has reached the end of the road. This year’s event, at Cinderhill Farm, Cawthorne, near Barnsley will be the last.
i will have more to say on this in due course. For now, let me just reproduce the Rusby family’s explanation:. the emojis are theirs.
✨Let's Celebrate One Last Time✨
Dearest Stargazers, it is with heavy hearts that we announce this year’s festival will be our last for now and that we have decided to take a break on our festival journey. Worry not though, all is on track to ensure that 2024 will be our best yet and a fitting celebration of 10 stellar years, join us if you are able! 🎪🥳
We never imagined that a wild idea conceived around our dining room table, overlooking the hills near Cawthorne, would blossom into the amazing festival it is today. 😮 When we started a decade ago, we were driven, as now, by passion and a sense of adventure. Now, we find ourselves in different places, both personally and professionally and operating in different times. We can’t believe this will be our
tenth event - it is an amazing achievement and now our adventures are leading us in different directions. 😊➡️⬆️⬅️⬇️
This decision, though difficult, feels right as we embrace these new chapters in our lives. 📖 Looking back, we are overwhelmed with pride and joy. From our humble beginnings to welcoming a beautiful, ever-growing audience, every moment has been a dream come true. 🥹 The laughter, music, and unforgettable memories we’ve shared together have exceeded our wildest expectations. You, our incredible audience and volunteer team, have been the heart and soul of this festival. 🫶 Your energy, love, and unwavering support turned our little dream into a phenomenal and Award-Winning success. 🏆🎪
Each year, you’ve brought magic, transforming our event into a celebration of community, creativity, and pure joy. While this news may come as a shock, we wanted to share it with you now so that we can all come together to celebrate one last time. 🥳💃🕺
Never say never of course and no-one ever knows what we might do in the future. We do know that the festival landscape is challenging at the moment and our hearts and minds are with all our festival friends and family. If you are thinking at all about supporting Underneath the Stars or any independent event or festival this year, now more than ever is the time to and we would urge you to do just that. 🙏🙌
Looking forward to this summer, plans are firmly in place to make this final festival our best and most spectacular yet, filled with love, and the biggest cheer possible. 👏 Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Let’s cherish every moment and create one last round of memories that we will treasure forever; we look forward to seeing you there! 🥰
With love, Team UTS 🌟🎶🎪
I’ve just returned from the UTS’s festival ( my first festival aged 59!) & absolutely loved it.
Thank you to all the team who put on such a safe, family friendly & wonderful festival
It was just gorgeous to see so many generations of families get together- you have definitely got it right.
I loved the fact that I could sit on a blanket in between the 2 tents & “people watch”, listen to the music. Loved, loved loved it & it was just great chatting to so many different folks.
I’m not an artist ( I’m a newly retired & jaded midwife who felt very sad with what’s going on in the world & our beautiful Country atm) but I have come back refreshed & felt very blessed at being able to attend your last festival.
My highlights were “The Barnsley Youth Choir”, “O’hooley & Tidow”, “Dolores forever”, “The Feeling” & “Lucy Spraggan” & of course listening to our very own Kate Rusby & her audience with.
The stalls were well thought out & I did spend lots of money!!
I was scared to come on my own so managed to persuade my brother to come along too (he did have a caravan/awning so win win & he too enjoyed it but in different ways)
Anyway I’m waffling now so have a great break away from all the madness/stress of taking on such a mammoth event & Thank You.
God bless each & everyone of you
Jane Millar from Scarbados
PS I only came across one person smoking, one slight whiff of cannabis & absolutely no trouble at all.
My daughter downloaded the video of “Big Brave Bill” for her son Ezra & he is now a converted fan.
So if you were ever to bring the festival back (even for a day) I will be come back with my little Ezzy.
Take care 😘
.
Posted by: Jane Millar | August 06, 2024 at 09:20 AM
Lovely comment, Jane. I’m glad you enjoyed the festival so much.
Posted by: Colin Randall | August 09, 2024 at 12:31 AM