The Y Not Festival is an annual music festival held in Pikehall – tucked away in deepest Derbyshire –  the festival has its roots in a party Ralph Broadbent was planning in the garden of his parents’ house in 2005 – the parents changed their minds and didn’t go away as planned – so the party was relocated to a disused quarry site in Biggin by Hartington – around 120 people turned up – the first year it went under the name of the Big Gin Festival – after the village where it all started – the main stage at the festival has retained this name as The Big Gin Stage.

The following year it was renamed Y Not Festival with the public being invited – a year later moving to its current site at Pikehall – attendances increased year on year – topping out at 15,000 in 2015.

As a small independent festival the event has won many awards and accolades such as best small festival in 2012 and the prize for best grass roots event and best toilets at the 2011 UK Festival Awards.

In 2016 it was sold to Global Radio’s festival division, Broadwick Live – 2017 was the first year under the new management – however this year the weather won and the festival was cancelled eventually.

A short move up the road in 2018 saw an excellent weekend line up – The Libertines headlining Friday night – Catfish & the Bottlemen & Kaiser Chiefs on Saturday – Jamiroquai on Sunday – the festival was moving to a new level.

Covid intervened – the festival returns in 2022 with headliners – Stereophonics & The Manic Street Preachers Friday night – Courteeners Saturday night – Blossoms Sunday night – The Levellers are tucked in there as well – it promises to be a stunning weekend.

Y Not still aims to retain the carefree, good-time atmosphere of those original, dawning years from its Pikehall location – against a backdrop of panoramic countryside views – the music is a melting pot of emerging, established and eclectic talent.

See their website above for this years dates & bands.