Right now the Brown family’s cows are grazing the festival field, but in two weeks’ time the farm gates will open and 6000 festival goers will head to Morris Farm, Essex, for Brownstock Festival’s 10th birthday event. The festival goers will see headline shows from Dizzee Rascal, De La soul and Razorlight, and be able to take part in a raucous variety of entertainment. The full Brownstock line up includes over 150 different acts and performances.

de la soul

Latest headliners and key supports. Dizzee Rascal, De La Soul, Razorlight, The Feeling, Pendulum (DJ + Verse), Route 94, Sigma, Roots Manuva, Chloe Howl, Claude Von Stroke, Shy FX and Stamina MC, DJ EZ, Jack Beats, Bipolar Sunshine, Josh Record, Matrix and Futurebound, P Money, Doorly, Goldie Lookin Chain, Bipolar Sunshine, The Cuban Brothers + many more.

Brownstock Festival, taking place from the 29th to the 31st August in Stow Maries, Near Chelmsford, is run by the Brown family on their farm in Essex. The 2014 event is the festival’s 10 anniversary year since it began in 2005 as a small event for 150 people. The Brown family now welcomes world class acts, but the festival is still completely independent with a uniquely quirky, rustic and handmade feel

The festival has music over 6 stages and 10 festival areas. The Good Shed, the event’s 2000 capacity tent which houses some of the UK’s leading DJs, will see sets from Pendulum, Route 94 and Sigma, Claude Vanstroke, and around 20 other acts. Across the other stages visitors can expect everything from Electro Swing Shows, Underground House and Techno, to the Slippery Saddle Saloon bar with live country music. The festival had over 800 acts apply to play over the weekend and BBC Introducing will be broadcasting live from the event.

The Essex festival is also scattered with themed areas hand built or handpicked by the Brown family. The Treehouse stage with giant birdsnest seats all built by Anna Brown in one of the old oak trees in the festival field will house upcoming acts. The Saloon Bar has swing doors, rustic décor and bar stalls topped with saddles where you can pop your feet in the stirrups and enjoy a full on country hoe down. Festival goers can also enjoy the Brown family’s pick of festival food and try a Brownstock burger made with home raised Aberdeen Angus Beef from the farm.

New for this year is The Lock Inn bar in the campsite, home to comfy sofas and acoustic sets and open mic in the day, and by night an Electro Swing Show, The Big Ska Throwdown, circus performances and the popular “Ready, Steady Glow” UV fuelled silent disco. Razorlight’s lead singer, Johnny Borrell will also be playing an extra exclusive acoustic set on this stage during Sunday.

And it is not all about music. During the weekend don’t miss the Paint Fight, which takes places in front of the mainstage on Saturday afternoon at 5.45pm, the Comedy Show run by The Official Comedy club at 2pm in in The Good Shed on Sunday and the Brownstock Quiz in The Lock Inn on Sunday afternoon.

The festival also takes pride in serving the very best food that you can buy in a field. There is not a chip in sight. After you have tasted the home grown Aberdeen Angus Burger, you can try a zebra or Wildebeest burger from The Exotic Meat Shack or even fish free eco sushi from Happy Maki’s camper.

There are of course a variety of Birthday surprises planned for the festival’s 10th birthday celebrations. As Brownstock always says #MeetYouAtTheFarm.

Adam Brown, founder of Brownstock Festival says, “There are 2 weeks to go and we can’t wait. We have some complete music industry legends this year. We have seen the plans for Dizzee Rascal’s live set and it is going to be simply incredible. De La Soul are also heading to us following playing to thousands and thousands of people at a packed Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury earlier in the year so we know that they will put on a fantastic show. Meanwhile it is also great to have artists like Sigma and Route 94 who have had great chart successes this year. And of course, as always, we are also so excited to get the names of some of the amazing local talent out there and offer a varied and unusual festival experience that goes way deeper than just putting acts on the main stage”.