Out of this world family fun adventures at Underneath the Stars Festival
Organisers of Underneath the Stars Festival have opted for a spacious, socially distanced, outdoor environment and lots of family fun as part of its packed schedule of leading folk, rock, and indie musicians. They’re joined by poets, authors and broadcasters, together with craft tents, storytelling, street artists and circus treats (Friday 30th July – Sunday 1st August).
Alongside star-studded headliners singer songwriter Paul Carrack, Saving Grace (ft Robert Plant and Suzi Dian) and Kate Rusby, families can also enjoy an equally impressive list of performers, entertainers, and crafting activities at Cinderhill Farm, Barnsley.
Despite a relaxation of the covid guidelines, festival organisers have decided to stick with the original socially distanced event beneath the sky, with the brand-new Galaxy Stage being moved outdoors. Families can sit back, relax, and enjoy the much beloved festival, literally Underneath the Stars, with plenty of space for their own social bubbles.
Before festival goers launch themselves into a weekend off action packed activities, festival organisers have released a digital version of their programme, allowing stargazers the chance to plan their days’ activities in advance. Kids can prepare to rocket into space in The Sun Tent, packed with plenty of messy activities for the whole weekend, and enjoy celestial activities in The Moon Tent.
As a result of limited capacity numbers, families are advised to book ahead for Emma’s Crafty Kids tent Saturday and Sunday. The family run team will be holding several craft activities, providing lots of activity to keep small hands entertained, and inspiring children to use their imagination to make fabulous, new arts and crafts projects.
Promising an enchanting experience, Grimm & Co storytellers extraordinaire will be bringing their own special magic to the festival, encouraging children to explore their own imaginations and create fantastical, amazing tales with their innovative approach to storytelling. This award-winning team are expert at engaging with young people and inspiring new confidence to write captivating new tales.
A vibrant world of theatre and acrobatics, Panic Circus are known for their legendary family festival programs. Children can reach the sky walking on stilts, dabble in the art of puppetry, and learn the tricks of the trade of being a circus performer with Professor Panic, bringing smiles to both parents and children. With lots of audience participation and fast-moving acts, festivalgoers won’t want to miss a minute.
Closing the weekend in spectacular fashion, gravity defying Greentop Community Circus Centre Troupe will be performing Sunday. A dazzling showcase of aerial hoop, trapeze, acrobatics and tight-wire stunts, families can enjoy magnificent performances and even step into the ring during interactive workshops.
What’s more, festival goers can also look forward to a wide range of eccentric street theatre performers, unpredictable live music, unruly comedy, tai-chi and even an alien treasure hunt, creating an action-packed, entertaining weekend for all.
Run by the production team behind folk artist and Sunday’s headliner Kate Rusby, Underneath the Stars features music, performance arts, crafts and more for the whole family plus food, drink, and shopping, sourced from independent vendors, brought together in its cosy corner of rural South Yorkshire.
Festival director Emma Holling says: “The success of the Underneath the Stars Festival has been built on its great family-friendly and inclusive atmosphere. It is an enduring and important part of our make-up that the festival is open and welcoming to a wide audience. This principle is reflected in the broad church of musical tastes and performers as well as the range of boutique food vendors and children’s entertainment. We’re very proud of our award for Small Festival of the year that was given in recognition of this.
“We’re just delighted that we have been able to put on the festival this year after the previous postponement in 2020. We’ve got a fantastic line-up for our audience to enjoy, and we owe a huge thank you to our loyal following and amazing volunteers who make an invaluable contribution to making it happen, this year more than ever.”
Underneath the Stars festival is a community interest venture with inclusivity and community at its heart. The team recently enjoyed a week of celebrations as they won Small Festival of the Year and took home the prestigious Judge’s Award at the National Outdoor Events Association’s (NOEA) Awards ceremony on Wednesday 28th November 2019.
They also gained an Attitude is Everything Silver Charter Award. AIE is a disability-led charity supporting non-profit and commercial organisations to make what they do more accessible and inclusive for Deaf and disabled people. Its Charter improves Deaf and disabled people’s access to live music by working in partnership with audiences, artists, and the music industry.
Check out the full programme here: https://issuu.com/uts-f/docs/uts_2021_programme