Hops and Harvest Boutique Festival

Starsailor, Newton Faulkner, Toploader

This family-friendly event – which takes place on September 9 and 10 – will be mixing all that was good from the previous 30 years of Hops and Harvest, with some fabulous new festival venues and entertainment. There will be the usual picking, the Kentish Ales and Cider Tent, country life community activities and Kentish traditions, the Pearly Kings and Queens, The Farm Yard and Cuddle Corner all nicely co-habiting with The Bohemian Woods, Wish Upon A Star, Hipshaker in the Village Hall; workshops, debates and spoken word in The School House and fantastical story-telling in The Granary.

The Hops and Harvest Boutique Festival – held at Kent Life Heritage Farm Park, near Maidstone – will feature performances from top bands, an extended schedule of activities, as well as hop-pocking, local ales and other Kentish traditions.

Kent Life’s General Manager Natalie Cox said: “With an impressive music line-up, fantastic locally-produced ales and plenty of activities for the children during the day, there really is something for everyone at The Hops and Harvest Boutique Festival. We really mean it, this is not your average weekend in the country – it’s an amazing one!”

Starsailor (Saturday) burst onto the scene with hit single Fever – being named Britain’s Best New Band in the process – before reaching number two in the UK Album Chart with Silence Is Easy. Starsailor reformed in 2014 and have supported the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Killers and U2.

Newton Faulkner (Sunday) topped the album chart with his debut LP Hand Built By Robots. Since then, he has adopted a style of music which has a greater emphasis on beats and texture which is perfect for festival slots. In the process, he has amassed a loyal following and shed his iconic dreadlocks.

Toploader (Sunday), most famous for their rendition of Dancing in the Moonlight, have sold millions of records and amassed a series of Top 20 hits since they formed in 1997. With a new album out this year, and plenty of older hits, the band will live up to their reputation of being a crowd-pleasing act.

The Hops and Harvest Boutique will be open from midday to midnight on both days (live performances finish at 11pm).

Limited parking is available on site, but visitors are strongly encouraged to make use of a shuttle bus service operating from Maidstone East and West train stations, as well as the town centre, on the weekend of the festival. Kent Life Heritage Farm Park is in Lock Lane, Sandling, near Maidstone, just off junction 6 of the M20 or only an hour by train from London.