Sheffield’s ‘worst kept secret festival’ makes its debut in the Moss Valley

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Povey Fest, a new independent festival, will debut in Sheffield's Moss Valley from 14-16 August 2026, featuring live music, DJs, and family activities. The event, organised by Events Collective, will host 500 attendees at Povey Farm, offering a unique festival experience with acts like Dutty Moonshine Big Band and Steve Edwards. The festival aims to create a community-focused atmosphere with a variety of entertainment options, including workshops, performances, and wellness sessions.

EDITORIAL INSIGHT: Context, industry insight and market perspectives of this news story

Povey Fest’s arrival in the Moss Valley adds another independent, small-scale event to Sheffield’s already lively summer calendar, aiming to offer a more intimate and community-focused festival experience. The organisers, drawing on their background with local events, have opted for a deliberately limited capacity and a site just outside the city, targeting festivalgoers who value a relaxed atmosphere and local talent alongside established names.

For Sheffield’s music and events sector, the launch of Povey Fest highlights ongoing demand for grassroots festivals that prioritise local artists and audience experience over large-scale commercial growth. The event’s focus on family activities, wellness sessions and local food, as well as its commitment to keeping numbers low, may appeal to those looking for alternatives to bigger, more crowded festivals. With tickets nearing sell-out, the festival appears to have tapped into a market for smaller, community-driven gatherings.

Press Release

SHEFFIELD, UK - 11 August, 2026

Povey Fest brings Dutty Moonshine Big Band, Steve Edwards, Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip and a packed Sheffield line-up to Povey Farm from 14–16 August 2026

Sheffield’s “worst kept secret festival” will make its debut in the Moss Valley from 14–16 August, with the first-ever Povey Fest bringing together live music, DJs, camping, family entertainment and festival mischief.

Tucked away at Povey Farm on the edge of Sheffield, the independent festival is deliberately kept small, with just 500 people on site. The result is a very different kind of festival weekend: short walks, small queues, familiar faces and a packed programme running from daytime family activities into late-night music.

At the top of this year’s bill are Dutty Moonshine Big Band, Amen Sage and Sheffield’s Speed For Lovers, joined by special guests Steve Edwards and his full band, Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip and Goldivox.

Festival favourites Dutty Moonshine Big Band bring their explosive collision of brass, big band music and bass culture to the farm. Their 2020 album City of Sin reached number one on the UK Dance Albums Chart and the UK Top 40.

Sheffield-born singer and songwriter Steve Edwards will make a special appearance with his full band. Best known internationally as the voice and co-writer of Bob Sinclar’s “World, Hold On”, Edwards has also worked with artists including Cassius, Axwell, Pete Tong and Reverend and the Makers.

They are joined by long-standing Glastonbury favourites Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip, live jungle and drum & bass drummer Amen Sage, Sheffield post-punk/electronic favourites Speed For Lovers and Sheffield funk, soul and disco outfit Goldivox.

Across the weekend, more than 15 live acts and around 30 DJs will perform across the site. The wider live bill includes The Scribes, Dirty Vertebrae, Canadians in Space, Mark Bradshaw and The Jackdaws, We Are Little Rock, Rough Trade Band, Glass Rhino, Jube and Matic Mouth.

The DJ programme is just as packed, with Winston Hazel, Jayney’s Jack Shack, Alex Deadman, Dill Planet Zogg, Papa Al and Camouflaged Disco joined by Andy Driver, CJ Cheek, Clumsy, Creola, D2, DJ Thompo, Ev & Dan Camouflaged, Hannah Fay, Ian Pointon, James Worrall (Love To Be), Kathy La Rue, Kitty SFL, Laura Fives, Loop Skywalker, Mark Thompson, Pig, Rae, DJ Thompo, Henry, Cole and Isaac, with more still to come. Late-night Silent Discos will keep the music running into the early hours.

Povey Fest is organised by Events Collective, the experienced Sheffield events team whose previous festivals and events include Knot Tied Festival, which took place at the same Moss Valley farm, and Illuminate the Gardens, the much-loved Botanical Gardens event which ran for seven editions between 2017 and its final event in 2025.

Knot Tied grew out of the team’s years of producing festival-style weddings, combining small numbers and a strong community feel with live music, DJs and plenty happening away from the stages. That experience has helped shape the new festival, while Povey Fest begins its own story in 2026.

Bob Worm, Festival Director said;

“Sheffield’s always been good at finding a party, even if you hide it at the end of a lane. After years of putting on events like Knot Tied and Illuminate the Gardens, we wanted to take everything we’ve learned and create something new. Povey is deliberately small: 500 people, great music, families, friends and enough oddness to keep you wandering. We call it Sheffield’s worst kept secret because, somehow, people keep finding us.”

Music is only part of the weekend. Povey also includes children’s workshops and activities, walkabout performance, archery, late-night cinema, quizzes and games, yoga, Tai Chi, gong baths and other wellness sessions, alongside street food, bars and on-site camping. Children under 12 attend free, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.

With the festival now close to selling out, final weekend tickets and day tickets are available via www.poveyfest.com.

Notes to editors

Event details

Povey Fest 2026 14–16 August 2026 Povey Farm, Lightwood Lane, Sheffield, S8 8BG www.poveyfest.com

Weekend campers can arrive from 6pm on Thursday 13 August at no additional charge.

Music line-up

Headline acts: Amen Sage; Speed For Lovers; Dutty Moonshine Big Band Special guests: Steve Edwards & full band; Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip; Goldivox

Additional live artists include The Scribes, Dirty Vertebrae, Canadians in Space, Mark Bradshaw and The Jackdaws, We Are Little Rock, Rough Trade Band, Glass Rhino, Jube and Matic Mouth, with a wide programme of DJs across the weekend.

DJs: Winston Hazel; Jayney’s Jack Shack; Alex Deadman; Dill Planet Zogg; Papa Al; Camouflaged Disco; Andy Driver; CJ Cheek; Clumsy; Creola; D2; DJ Thompo; Ev & Dan Camouflaged; Hannah Fay; Ian Pointon; James Worrall (Love To Be); Kathy La Rue; Kitty SFL; Laura Fives; Lee White; Mark Thompson; Pig; Rae; Ste Macca; plus more TBC.

Press / media contact: Alex Deadman – [email protected]

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