Underneath the Stars Festival 2021 - What has changed for this year

Can you believe it is only 12 weeks until we will be arriving at the joyous site of Cinderhill Farm to celebrate once again at Underneath the Stars. We all feel a little emotional here at UTSf headquarters, thinking of the moment we will all be in a field together. We simply can’t wait to see your faces again, to have our festival family back with us. Gulp
Things are progressing nicely, and as we prepare the site with all the regular infrastructure, we are also planning for additional measures too, just in case they are needed. We are very lucky to have a site where we can spread out a bit and with this in mind we are taking full advantage of this space to stretch and give ourselves more room.
As you can imagine, it is difficult to plan for a festival where guidelines are not fully in place, so we are going to go ahead cautiously, planning for a socially distanced festival at a reduced capacity. Should it be possible to relax measures closer to the festival, we shall do so, though we are confident that our more cautious approach will allow the festival to go ahead this year.
One of the main changes for 2021 will be that we are moving the bar and stages outside… YES! We are actually going to be underneath the stars with one stage and two mahooosive screens! There will be enough space for everyone, so get your telescopes ready to point out those constellations! Eeeeeep!
The additional key safety measures will also include:
The main arena is being redesigned to allow for more space
People will be able to watch performances in their own household or bubble, currently up to 6 people.
We are providing sufficient space and systems to allow for 2m social distancing from people not in their household or bubble (if still needed)
There may be one-way, queuing systems and pre-ordering facilities in certain areas
Face coverings may be required in certain areas
There will be plenty of additional hand washing facilities and cleaning systems
Social distancing will also apply in the campsite (if still needed)
People will be able to camp with their own household or bubble (if this is still required)
Most of these points we are all pretty used to now, so we are hoping that this will not be too much of an impact. Things will hopefully get better, meaning that we can ease some of the points above. But for now, we feel that you should be prepared for what we are currently planning.
Ticket sales are still temporarily paused due to the fact that we have already sold close to all the tickets our reduced capacity will allow. However, if we can, we will release more closer to the time. But only if we feel that it is safe to do so. Your safety and the safety of the wider community is our number one priority.
We have also announced our line-up so far for 2021 which is very exciting. You can find this here. There are some changes, for instance, our Kate is now performing on Sunday. For those wishing to attend on a different day are more than welcome to swap. You will need to do this by the deadline of 1 June.
Those wishing to receive a refund because they are not confident in attending are also most welcome to do so, again the deadline for this is 1 June.
Anyone taken ill or forced to self-isolate can obtain a refund right up to the festival.
We shall continue to pay close attention to government guidance, the progress of the roadmap and review our plans and pledge to continue to keep people updated.
If you have any questions or would like more detail about any of the changes or arrangements, please visit our FAQ page. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please contact [e-mail]