Words by Richard Thompstone
Chickenstock Music Festival is now firmly established in the Kent summer calendar for thousands of fans, having begun as a garden party eight years ago.
The four-day event takes place on farmland in Stockbury, Sittingbourne, a few miles from the Kent Showground, and attracts live musicians and families from across the area and beyond.
It’s a difficult time for music festivals with events across the country falling by the wayside because of escalating costs. At least 36 festivals have been cancelled, postponed or closed this year, according to the Association of Independent Festivals.
While Chickenstock is not immune to the financial problems, it has carefully tailored an event that doesn’t try to compete with other festivals.
In 2022, it announced that seventies band 10cc would headline that year, only for the booking to fall through because of ‘contractual issues’. It was the last time the festival tried to get such a high-profile act.
That was when organisers Moya and Beth Taylor realised that part of their festival’s attraction is in it being smaller, cheaper, less commercial and with a friendlier, community feel than most other larger music events. Not only is it family-friendly with plenty of children’s attractions, but also dog-friendly.
They’ve turned their lack of household names into an asset. Audiences have learned to trust their judgement and many people attend specifically to hear and discover relatively unknown musicians. The great thing about going to a festival is getting to hear brilliant acts you’d never previously thought of going to see in concert.
The policy has paid off. Many music-lovers make an annual pilgrimage to Chickenstock and audiences are slowly rising year by year as the festival’s reputation continues to grow. Several visitors come from overseas – the farthest this year being from California.
“We try to put on an event to which we’d like to go,” says Moya. “We moved to a new site last year that is surrounded by trees; accessibility is better – there’s less walking from the campsite and cars, and it’s a flatter site which is disabled friendly.
“Traders are now around the arena rather than being in another field and we’ve better facilities for campers and camper vans.”
Those features include regularly cleaned toilets, free showers, electricity points and luxury glamping pods. Oh, and 30 of the friendliest volunteer stewards I’ve found at a music event of this size.
Initially a folk festival, Chickenstock has widened its appeal into a multi-genre event incorporating indie, blues and rock across two stages.
Headline acts this year include Elian Alexander, Molotov Jukebox, Lack of Afro and Man the Lifeboats.
Showcasing Kent bands will give exposure to Hobo and the Hippies, Simon Giles and the Situation, the John Doe Trio, IO, Fine Lime and Green Diesel.
The festival has a tribute band for the first time with Clearwater Creedance Revival and there’s an opportunity for buskers to play.
For the second year, the Saturday will be a theme day for those who want to dress up. It was Hawaiian last year; this year is the Wild West (but no guns – toy or otherwise!).
Chickenstock runs from Thursday, July 31 to Sunday, August 3. You can book tickets here.
Adult tickets cost £135 for the full weekend and between £35 and £50 for day tickets. Child tickets cost £10 for the weekend, £5 per day, and under 10s go free.
