Deva Fest 2022 Announces New Additions

Deva Fest 2022 is promising to be the most spectacular and entertaining family festival in the region when it returns this summer, with a host of new attractions just announced.

The three-day music, food and lifestyle festival will take place from 12-14 August 2022 and organisers have revealed that Chester festival fans are rushing to snap up tickets for the event with over 60% of tickets sold.

Festivalgoers can expect a brilliant boutique experience with a host of attractions and services included in the ticket price as part of the festival's Deva Fest Difference - including free fairground rides, free parking and a daily £1 shuttle bus to and from the Chester Lakes site from as far afield as Wrexham and Ellesmere Port.

New additions made to what is the biggest and best line-up of events and activities yet include a special Mermaid Cove attraction which will boast amazing aquatic acrobatics from mermaids and mermen in a 10-metre-long tank - Europe's largest.

There will be bubble discos and meet-and-greets, while the mermaids will take on Deva Fest's dastardly swashbucklers on Pirate Saturday in what promises to be a real battle royal between land and sea.

Meanwhile singer-songwriter and pop-rap princess Betty Boo is the latest music star to join the Deva Fest family, appearing as part of a stellar all-female Saturday big stage line-up that also includes headliners Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Heather Small, along with Shola Ama and Belle Voci.

And the starry line-up on other days of the festival weekend features Scouting for Girls, Dodgy, Symphonic Ibiza and Sonique.

They will play on the main stage, which is located inside a big top, meaning the music will go on whatever the weather, while a second, open-air, stage will host a mixture of up-and-coming bands, DJs and local talent.

Along with the music there is lots to do for festivalgoers of all ages - in addition to Pirate Day on Saturday 13 August, complete with parades and fancy dress, there are also Stagecoach Chester drama, dance and song workshops, Laughter Tots messy and sensory play for little ones and much more still to be announced.

Deva Fest 2022 will also boast the Deva Laughs comedy tent, the hugely popular Gin and Prosecco Festival, a bespoke selection of high-quality food and drink options including bars run by Chester's own Liquor & Co, and some of the best festival conveniences around as well as an NCT Chester breastfeeding and changing tent.

Festivalgoers are also being offered a huge range of new camping options within the Chester Lakes complex, with pitches for tents, camper vans, caravans and RVs all just a stone's throw from the Deva Fest action.

Deva Fest Managing Partner Phil Marston said: "We're really proud to have brought together such a huge range of stars and attractions for 2022 - and to include so many activities and festival facilities in the ticket price. This is what we call the Deva Fest Difference and we've worked hard to build the event with the comfort and happiness of our festivalgoers in mind.

"The music line-up is incredibly strong, as is the whole breadth of the festival offer from the hand-picked, high-quality food and drink on site - including the hugely-popular Gin and Prosecco Festival - to the Deva Laughs comedy tent, Pirate Day, and now the addition of the fantastic Mermaid Cove too.

"With a wide range of new camping options too, we're confident festivalgoers are going to have a fantastic weekend in August."

Officially launched in 2019, Cheshire's Family Friendly Music, Food and Lifestyle Extravaganza, Deva Fest proved hugely popular.

Like many others, last summer's event had to be postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Then, organisers promised they would be back and added even more star names for their event.

Deva Fest will take place across the weekend of Friday 12 August, Saturday 13 August, and Sunday 14 August 2022, at Chester Lakes in Dodleston, three miles from Chester city centre.

The weekend programme will start on the Friday (12 August) with Old School Dance Anthems Day, headlined by Symphonic Ibiza and top hitmaker Sonique.

Returning to headline after their triumphant performance in 2019, Symphonic Ibiza will once again thrill the crowds with dance classics. DJ Andy Joyce will be joined by a full symphony orchestra conducted by Steve Etherington to ensure that Symphonic Ibiza transports fans back to the White Isle.

The line-up also includes Brit Award-winning singer, musician and DJ Sonique along with Livin' Joy, JX, Dream Frequency, Berri, Bingo Bango, Dave Graham, Chester DJs Geddes & Gioia and more.

Saturday (13 August) is Pirate Day.

The event, headlined by double platinum-selling - and lockdown Kitchen Disco queen - Sophie Ellis-Bextor and M-People's Heather Small, will feature a host of pirate themed activities and entertainment.

The day will feature parades and street performers, with prizes for festivalgoers in the best Jack (or Jackie) Sparrow outfit. Chester's Winter Watch Parade team will provide the entertainment.

Singer-songwriter Betty Boo, Brit Award winner Shola Ama and Chester singing duo Belle Voci also appear along with The Pirate Day Ball with TRIX and The Old Time Sailors.

Deva Fest 2022 will close on Sunday, 14 August with a headline set from festival favourites, Brit Award-winning Scouting For Girls, and indie band Dodgy as well as music from The Dunwells and internet sensation Katie Kittermaster.

Once again, Deva Fest will offer quality food and drink vendors, who will be hand-picked by Taste Cheshire to ensure locally produced tasty offerings and treats are available.

They include Chinese shao kao, Spanish, Thai, Indian, Turkish and street food from many more world cuisines along with award winning burger and hot dog companies, Polly's Parlour offering ice cream and sorbets from its vintage van, and a range of desserts and vegan options.

You can also make a holiday weekend of it with camping weekend tickets also available with toilet and shower facilities.

Full camping details and prices are on the website.

For more information about Deva Fest and to book visit www.devafest.co.uk

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