Valefest Bolsover Music Festival

About ValeFest

Carr Vale FC in Bolsover takes ValeFest 2027 from 30 Apr to 02 May, with the music programme framed around rock, punk, indie and psych. The location is Carr Vale FC, Bolsover, S44 6JE.

ValeFest launched in 2005 at the University of Birmingham’s Vale student village. The location has shifted. In 2020 it moved online for a ten-hour livestream that reached over 30,000 people, while the 2023 edition was cancelled after the Guild refused authorisation.

The festival is grassroots and community-driven, with charity links cited by its own about page. University of Birmingham material in 2024 described ValeFest as celebrating 20 years of bringing music to campus.

Who Is It For?

ValeFest is set up as a mixed-age grassroots event, with ticketing categories for adults, 12–17s and under-12s. There is no age restriction.

The audience profile sits around community music rather than a single age bracket. Bolsover District Council described the 2022 edition as including 24 acts, entertainment, camping, food stalls and a licensed bar.

The Venue and Site

Carr Vale FC sits at the bottom of North View Street in Carr Vale, with the club established in 1962. The festival address is S44 6JE.

Camping is built in. Weekend tickets include camping, and a paddock camping option is listed. Facilities named for the site include toilets, showers, Elsan and fresh water, with food stalls and a licensed bar also listed.

Travel to ValeFest

ValeFest takes place at Carr Vale FC in Bolsover, Derbyshire, west of Chesterfield and north-northwest of Sheffield.

• Rail: Langwith-Whaley Thorns is listed as the nearest rail station to Bolsover, about 3 miles away; Patchwork lists it at 6.4 km.
• Other stations: Shirebrook is 4.38 miles from Carr Vale Road, while Chesterfield is about 6 miles from Bolsover.
• Road: Carr Vale FC is at the bottom of North View Street. Road access references include M1 junctions 29A, 29 and 30.
• Parking: Bolsover town council says parking throughout Bolsover is free and that large events may have additional signposted parking.