Deer Shed Festival

Deer Shed Festival 2026

Deer Shed Festival returns to Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, from 24-26 July 2026. Set in an 18th-century park with meadows, woodland and a lake, this family-friendly festival offers a blend of creativity, fun and live entertainment.

Family Activities

Children are at the heart of Deer Shed Festival, with the imaginative City of Play featuring den-building, sensory outdoor play, puppet shows, storytelling and music workshops. The Discovery Zone offers older kids and teens hands-on science and technology projects, including coding and robotics.

Entertainment

The festival features headline concerts daily with family-friendly indie, folk and world music. The Big Top and Comedy Tent offer stand-up, puppet theatre, circus skills and variety shows, plus fire performances and outdoor movies to enjoy.

Food & Drink

A range of artisanal street food stalls provide international flavours and comfort dishes, with options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. Local ales, drinks and ice cream are also available.

Atmosphere & Community

Deer Shed Festival fosters a warm, inclusive community spirit with secure camping, on-site welfare and volunteers. Festivalgoers enjoy communal activities like campfires, acoustic jams and drum circles, creating a welcoming environment for all ages.

By car, the festival is very straightforward to reach. Baldersby Park (Topcliffe, postcode YO7 3BZ) is located just off the A1(M) motorway. Drivers should take junction 50 (Thirsk/Ripon) and follow the A61 west towards Baldersby. The festival has ample on-site parking (often available to pre-book). Typical drive times are roughly 45 minutes from Leeds, 1 hour from Newcastle, 1.5 hours from Manchester, and 3 hours from London. Car-sharing is encouraged as a convenient way to cut fuel costs and reduce traffic on local roads.

By train or coach, the nearest station is Thirsk, around 7 miles from the site. Thirsk lies on the East Coast main line, with direct trains from London Kings Cross (about 2 hours) and onward connections via York or Edinburgh. Festival organizers often run a shuttle bus between Thirsk station and Baldersby Park (Friday and Monday only), or you can grab a taxi or local bus for the short onward journey. National Express coaches stop in Thirsk from major cities; from there you would switch to local transport or a taxi to reach Topcliffe.

By air, the closest airport is Teesside International (near Darlington), about a 30-minute drive from the site. Leeds-Bradford Airport is roughly 1 hour by car (train connections typically involve a longer route via Harrogate and Leeds). Manchester and Newcastle airports are each around 1.5–2 hours by car or train (via York). From any airport you can usually rent a car or take public transport to Thirsk, then continue to the festival by shuttle or taxi.

Accommodation tips: Camping on-site is a popular option. The standard weekend ticket includes space for a tent, caravan or campervan, so many visitors make a full weekend of it under the stars. For more comfort, Deer Shed offers glamping packages (pre-erected tents and pods with beds) through its partner – these sell out fast and should be booked early. If you prefer a bed, the nearest town is Thirsk (about 3 miles away), with a few B&Bs and inns. Ripon (10 miles) and Masham (15 miles) also have small hotels, and there are self-catering cottages and campsites throughout the Yorkshire countryside. In all cases, book accommodation early, as the area fills up quickly during festival weekends.