Deer Shed Festival has revealed details for Deer Shed: Base Camp Plus, an intimate and socially distanced festival, with all-female live music headliners.

Last month, Deer Shed Festival announced for a second consecutive year that its full 15,000-capacity event would not go ahead as planned, due to the lack of commercially available COVID-19 event cancellation insurance, or a Government-backed insurance scheme.

There was some good news for festivalgoers, however, with the organiser announcing its intention to run Base Camp Plus. Taking place on the original festival dates of July 30 – August 1, this will be a smaller event “within tolerable limits in terms of financial risk for us as an independent promoter,” according to Oliver Jones and Kate Webster, co-directors.

Deer Shed ran Base Camp in July 2020, without the plus, within restrictions in place at the time. This time around, the plus comes in the form of a full Main Stage, complete with live music, comedy and shows. As with last year’s event, each 12m x 12m camping pitch will contain its own personal portaloo and washing facilities.

Jones, festival director, said: “Base Camp 2020 was loads of fun, and a welcome return to something as close to normality as we could achieve last July. Let’s face it though: it was still far from normal.

“Base Camp Plus offers us the chance to get back to what we love doing, in programming quality entertainment for our audience in Baldersby Park. We’re delighted to have secured three female-fronted music headliners, who have all been formidable in their continued output during the COVID-19 crisis, and a brilliant line-up of some of our favourite comedians.”

Despite the expanded offering, the organiser is currently planning to adhere to the Step 3 restrictions due to come into force on May 17 in England. This means limits on capacity will remain, with some social distancing and face coverings in covered areas. If the Government proceeds with the unlocking as planned, however, the event rules may be relaxed in line with national restrictions.