9 Reasons to Love Cloud 9 Festival

The small, beautiful and community minded Cloud 9 Festival is picking up momentum as festival season approaches. Here are just 9 of the many brilliant things about this lovely one day event. 

The headliners

For a small festival, Cloud 9 packs a big punch. Standing its ground amongst the big hitters, the 2011 line-up features the likes of mighty North Eastern rockers The Futureheads, raw electro duo Cassette Jam, and Manchester's finest The Sunshine Underground and The Answering Machine, who'll all appear on the main stage on Saturday 6th August. 

The rest

But of course, no festival is ALL about the headline acts. It's often in the smaller tents and arenas around the festival site that the magic happens and the best memories are created. So with two dance tents, an acoustic tent, the infamous Same Teens House Party and many more areas hosting over 40 bands, DJs and other acts, there's more than enough to do away from the main stage. 

The size

Not too big and not too small - but still bigger than last year and possibly smaller than next year - Cloud 9 Festival has been steadily growing to meet demand since 2008. This year the festival has expanded to a rather comfortable 5,000 capacity, meaning that it will still retain that community spirit that organisers and Cloud 9-ers value so much.

The setting

Well, what can we say about the setting. It's lush. It's green. It's impossibly pretty. Cloud 9 Festival unfolds on Love Lane Farm, deep in the heart of the beautiful Cheshire countryside. And despite feeling a world away from city life, it's within an hour of Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Birmingham, and only 90 minutes from Sheffield, Leeds and Nottingham.

Open to all ages

This year, the event will open its gates to festival goers of ALL AGES. So come one, come all, and bring the kids, the grandparents, and everyone in between. With loads going on for little ones, the festival makes a great family day out. And what's more, under 10s get in absolutely free. 

Community spirit 

Cloud 9 Festival has its wellies firmly planted in the community, being developed and organised by locals and taking great pride in the ways in which it supports local talent and organisations. This ensures that the festival enjoys a creativity and attention to detail that only the local community could bring. 

Charity

As well as doing all it can to support the local community, Cloud 9 also supports charity, this year backing the men's wellbeing charity C.A.L.M (Campaign Against Living Miserably). As fellow supporters of C.A.L.M, Skiddle can only emphasise the importance of the work that this charity does to combat suicide rates in young men living in Britain. 

No need to take time off work 

As the festival is only one day, you can take the entire Sunday to recover and be back at work all bright eyed and bushy tailed on Monday morning! We're not sure that's definitely a good thing but hey, at least it won't eat into your holiday allowance.

The price

At just £27.50, with an extra fiver for anyone wishing to camp, Cloud 9 is an absolute bargain. And it's even better for 11-15 year olds, who get in for just £18.50. Tickets are on sale now with Skiddle - get them here before they all float away! 

Find all the latest news and information about Cloud 9 Festival in our festivals guide. 

Tickets are no longer available for this event