Thirty Something years old and still as exciting, vibrant, and significant as it’s ever been – Yep, OTT rolls back into town 30th August – 1st September 2024.

Our FFA Reviewers worship OTT, and with good reason. Just take a looksee at the FFA Off The Tracks 2023 Review for just a hint of the malarkey that goes down at this granddaddy of the festival scene. We’ve said to before, and we’ll say it again, OTT really is an unsung jewel in the UK festival crown. Why That? Well… it’s pretty much unique in its offerings, that’s why.

The event is held at Donington Park Farm House in Derbyshire. The farm is heavily diversified, and the festival is held in old farm buildings centred around the old farmyard. Those same farm buildings host a permanent, year-round pub and diner!  No. Really. Now, imagine that your favourite pub held a festival all weekend, packed out with good friends and fellow kindreds, excellently curated, with cracking bands, and splendid food and drink. Also imagine an on-site permanent year-round camp site, with excellent shower and toilet block facilities, where the atmosphere is as good as inside the festival.

The festival is held in various outbuildings and barns surrounding the farmyard itself (all under cover, including the farm yard!), with loads of sessions and happenings in the pub itself. Don’t forget that the pub also has a large dining area selling a variety of goodies all weekend, including venison (if that’s your bag) from the farm’s own estate. Expect a real ale festival, healing zone in the fields, enough stalls and the like, and plenty for the kids. It’s an old cliché of FFA’s – but OTT is really more of a House Party the festival.

Music wise, class acts like the Peatbog Faeries, Dub Pistols, and The Beat take centre stage, but it’s often in the side stages and lower down the bill that OTT excels. The guys behind OTT have been booking artists for decades, and they consistently manage to serve up a feast of relatively unknown crackers for your delectation. As always, there is an excellent late-night scene across the stages, and the gaff is kicking until the early hours.

Now Listen Up, the music and non-music shenanigans are not the half of it. OTT is all about its people. It’s a very special crowd, and there is a wonderful atmosphere to the weekend. The place buzzes. It’s an old school festival experience, but with all the creature comforts. You may travel further, and fair worse, as my old gran used to say.

Some tickets, priced at a bargain £110 for the weekend (including Friday & Saturday camping), are currently still available. FFA Reviewers will once again be holding court – so do come join us!

Article by Barrie Dimond