03/10/2026
Greetings Tannerbeasts
I am the bearer of sad tidings. It is with a very heavy heart I wish to inform you that, due to diversification and significant changes to the infrastructure of the farm, there will be no more Tannerfest.
Organising and running a small event does take a lot of time and effort for all involved and we had already discussed calling it a day after one final blow out, but sadly that is not to be now. I know I had spoken to a few bands and artists about this and I can’t apologise enough for raising your hopes.
I would like to thank everyone who has been involved over the years in making Tannerfest the truly magical event it was and supported it whole heartedly. Firstly, our fantastic sound and light crew and stage management, Dave Lowe, Paul Furssendon, Briony, Jon and Jen, Storm and Mark (Snake) Lee have been pivotal in ensuring a party in a barn actually looks, sounds and runs like a proper gig, thank you, you are legends!
We have had some fantastic bands play here over the years that I would like to thank, and although I can’t list them all here, there are a few that have been involved from the early days and have really helped to make Tannerfest what it was. Cristopher Cambridge, in his guise of Electric Dub Guru, played at one of the first Tannerfests, and it was through him, Akahum, and then the following year, Flutatious were added to the roster, bringing in a wider audience from the small festival circuit. A very welcome addition to proceedings indeed.
That’s not to forget a few of the other bands that have been long term and regular supporters of the festie, Spirits of the Earth, Tanglemist, Andy Bole, Paradise 9, Family of Noise and Deviant Amps (long before I joined them), to name but a few. A special mention has to go to Here & Now. The first time I booked them the tickets were still £15, the online tickets had all sold out, and we hadn’t even announced the line up. That was such a buzz knowing people were in for such an unexpected treat, and for me it was the year that Tannerfest got on the festival map proper. Keith Bailey was a true supporter of our little festie and a pleasure to have known. We will miss him dearly.
Huge thanks to my good friend Stevie Jones, who has run the Wildfire Sessions stage over the years. So many people used to enjoy the ‘second stage’ as something different to the acts on the main stage, and this helped make Tannerfest a more eclectic event for all. I’m sure Stevie will post some more specific thanks for the artists contributions on that stage, but thank you all. I would also like to thank Mikee Carr and Paul Beard for their help in setting up the gazebo which housed the Wildfire Stage, which became known as their annual er****on.
Tannerfest is legendary for its £1 a pint b**r which we have always kept since the first year. From the early days when Jon Lyles served Julian Chrurch’s b**r from behind a four poster ramp in the barn, through to Simon Palmer’s building of The Haylock pub in memory of our dear friend departed, Joel Haylock. As well as assisting Farmer Dave (Tanner) with yard and field preparations for the event, he has also assembled a fantastic crew of excellent volunteers to serve in The Haylock. Thank you to Tom Wood, Jeremy Bacon, Jo Cu***ng, Jo Homes, Ruth Pugh, Derry Bass, Mark Burnett, Deano and the Tanner family themselves, Dave, Dennie, Martha and Clancie, for all your hard work.
Tannerfest had always been known for a warm welcome and that was down to our wonderful gate crew, Lynn Timmins, Roger Prescott, Keira Hill, Clare King and Clare Young to name but a few. Thank you for all you support over the years and for making Tannerfest the true ‘friendly festival’.
Thanks to Paul Woodwright and Jon Slack for help with tickets, flyers and t-shirts in recent years and also to Mandy Bland from Karma Gear, our regular stall holder from the early days. You have helped make it feel more like a proper festival and made my life a lot easier, that’s for sure.
Special thanks has to go to a few people. Dave Hill, for all the support you gave in getting the website up and running, launching online ticket sales, early t-shirt designs and production, and the early designs, building our social media presence, helping out wherever else was needed and generally being a fantastic bloke. You are a legend, thank you! As well as playing at the Tannerfest in various bands, Lee Carr deserves massive gratitude for his work in creating the artwork for the t-shirts in more recent years. I’d say his designs have almost become as legendary as the albums that inspired them. It fills me with unashamed pride when I see someone wearing a Tannerfest T-shirt and I hope it does you too mate, Thank you!
I have already mentioned Simon Palmer, but he is a person that deserves extra special thanks, for his commitment and hard work he put into our little festie every year. From the opening of The Haylock pub, to the chill out space next door and all the work helping Farmer Dave prepare for the event, Simon really put the icing on the cake, thank you dude, you also are a legend!
It has been an honour and a privilege being able to hold Tannerfest here and utmost thanks must go to Farmer Dave and the Tanner family for their support over the years. From a small party organised by Dave and I for a few friends, to a proper festie, it has been a great ride, and we should be proud of what we achieved.
And most of all, I want to thank you, Tannerbeasts, for your dedication and support you have given to the event over the years. Tannerfest was a magical place; a place where festival regulars and locals mixed, a place where relationships and friendships were made, where b**r was 80’s prices and a place that will remain in people’s hearts for a long time. I’m gutted, and I know you will be too, but please remember, we have raised well over 30K for charity over the years and had a jolly spiffing time doing it, and that’s all down to you. Thank you, you are legends!
Peace and Love
Justin
