Yorkshire’s most eclectic music festival has announced its first acts for 2014.

Taking place at Hillside Rural Activities Park near Thirsk, from the 19th to 22nd June this mid-summer festival promises to deliver 4 days of classic acts performing alongside promising breakthrough artists.

Long established punk, reggae artists Ruts DC will be delivering classic hits from their back catalogue with their new line-up including ex-members from Alabama 3, bringing a new twist to the original punk, reggae band.

Hailing from Newcastle, Smoove & Turrell, are a funk and soul band who have quickly gained a loyal following on the festival circuit.

Leeds based act Hope & Social with be bringing their own special brand of melodramatic pop rock.  Utilising cellos, banjos, piano and glockenspiel they deliver their esoteric songs of Yorkshire folk law and dance. 

Travelling all the way from Reading, a young gang of minstrels called Smokey Bastard bring their very danceable Pogue esque style of jigs reels, heavy metal and Irish humour to entertain the Willowman masses.

Festival organiser Steve Williams commented “This summer we will be organising our 5th Willowman festival, we attract a very mixed audience of families, groups of mates, locals and diehard festival goers. I think part of the attraction is the mixed bag of performers we have across our 4 stages, we are looking forward to the long sunny days of June and l am delighted on how the line-up is coming together.

Willowman’s booking of iconic artists continues with the announcement of Ian McNabb, who first rose to prominence with The Icicle Works. Ian has also recorded in LA with Neil Young’s Crazy Horse, the album titled ‘Head Like a Rock’ was ultimately nominated for a Mercury prize. Ian will be performing as a solo artist at Willowman.

Rockabilly outfit Bessie and the Zinc Buckets are much loved in their native North East and around the country wherever they perform. No one else does a live mash up which includes Johnny Cash, Abba and classic television theme tunes. The zinc Buckets are one of the most irreverent and riotous acts on the festival scene and are billed as ‘not to be missed’.

More Details HERE.

Willowman Festival 2014

Hillside Rural Activities Park, Knayton, Thirsk. North Yorkshire. YO7 4AN

Starts: Thu 19th to Sun 22nd June 2014

Tickets: Adult camping tickets from £55