What is it they say? “From little acorns grow big trees”? Well Deer Shed may not be a giant oak yet, but its much bigger and stronger than the small sapling that it started as 5 years ago. What started as a relatively sedate family festival, has gone from strength to strength, and now boasts a full three day line-up with headline acts that you are likely see at heavy weight festivals. This year sees headline turns from British Sea Power, Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Johnny Marr, Cate Le Bon, Stornaway and Slow Club. That's just to name a few of the 44 bands playing across the 3 stages!

But Deer Shed isn't just a music festival, or rather when you look at what's on offer you could easily miss that is a music festival! Where to start? Deer Shed advertises itself as “The Family Friendly Music, Arts and Science Festival”, and it is absolutely bursting at the seams with all of that, and more!! For the Arts it offers spoken word, literature, comedy, shows and cinema (I'll definitely not be missing Back to The Future). For Science, there is the return of Raspberry Pi, Scratch (a big favourite in our house), Minecraft, Stargazing and much, much more. Deershed always puts on fabulous Workshops, which are hugely popular with all the family, and this year the workshops range from showing you how to crochet, make friendship bracelets, cardboard knight clobber, and the rather interestingly sounding Tedroids, which apparently involves the augmentation of our favourite cuddly friends!!

No review or preview of Deer Shed is complete without mentioning the fantastic facilities in the camping fields. No matter the size of your tent there is always plenty of space to fit it in, and while you're struggling to pitch the tent the kids can go off and play in the central Sports Field, which includes, amongst many other things, a vast number of 'That game with a tennis ball on a string'!

Oh and finally, I'm not sure there are many other festivals that boast a wild running track!!

Article by Charlotte Greenwood