North West to host UK’s first socially distanced outdoor festival with just 480 guests per day

Missing the summer festivals? Well, now there’s one in the not too distant Lancashire countryside offering live dance music, dress-up movie nights – and full social distancing.

Billed as the UK’s first socially distanced festival, Gisburne Park Pop-Up will take place from July 11th – Aug 30th with a programme of music, entertainment, food, drink and boutique glamping, and is expected to welcome 24,000 socially-conscientious guests. 

There’s the option of day tickets or weekend glamping, and with a limited capacity of 480 per day, the eight-week long festival will take place with impeccable social distancing measures across the 10-acre site.

Guests will book individual hexagonal pitches, designed for social bubbles of up to six people, each spaced 2.6m apart.

Each pitch is equipped with deck chairs and an umbrella, and the pitch is carefully designed to be large enough for everyone within to stay two metres apart if you wish.

Big names in dance music including Jonas Blue, Shapeshifters and Sam Divine have been announced to play the festival’s adults-only ‘Party in the Park’ experience every Friday and Saturday evening, with top DJs and socially-distanced raving.

Dress-up movie nights include Grease, Dirty Dancing and Moulin Rouge, with family-friendly screenings of Dumbo and Finding Nemo.

A specially designed bar-to-pitch service means that food and single serve drinks can come directly to you, with no need to queue, while a sophisticated one-way system ensures festival-goers can make their way around the 10-acre site with a minimum of 2m physical distance between other guests. 

There’ll be bottled cocktails created by some of the UK’s best bartenders from London’s Lyaness and Three Sheets and Bristol’s Filthy XIII.  

And catering will be courtesy of the on-site Betty’s Kitchen, with dishes being delivered straight to your pitch. Options include gourmet burgers, hot dogs, plenty of vegan and veggie delights and even a proper Northern roast dinner every Sunday. 

If you’re worried about the usual festival toilets, organisers say there will be adequate numbers of toilets, urinals and washbasins and hand-sanitising points, all kept in a clean and serviceable condition throughout the duration of the event. 

Handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels will be available at multiple locations both front and back of house for both guests and staff.

For guests wishing to stay the entire weekend, onsite luxury five-metre wide bell tents are available to book. Expect a double bed, king sized duvet, electric power and access to on-site private showers, while outside a decked area contains table and chairs and an outdoor fire pit. 

Or you can choose to stay at the north of England’s leading hot tub holiday destination, Ribblesdale Park, which is also nestled within the Gisburne Park Estate and features luxury lodges and cosy cottages. 

“After a summer of cancelled events, we wanted to deliver a unique, safe experience for people to enjoy outdoors with the Gisburne Park Pop-Up festival,” says events director Robyn Isherwood.

“There is something for everyone from socially-distanced raving to big name DJs, through to movie nights and family fun in the heart of the North West countryside. 

“Our guests’ health and safety is our number one priority. We’ve ensured everyone can relax and enjoy the experience, safe in the knowledge that the strictest social distancing and hygiene measures are in place for all customers, staff and entertainers.”

Tickets to Gisburne Park Pop-Up events are available now. Prices start from £20 per hexagonal pitch, with ticketed events starting from £10 per adult and £5 per child. Boutique glamping starts from £120 per tent per night. The festival is open with events Wednesday – Sunday every week from July 11th – August 30th.

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