About Us

Background

The idea behind the Galtres Festival originated from the Crayke plan questionnaire sent round in early 2005, which asked villagers how they would like the village to be improved - everything from transport to housing to entertainment. The notion of an annual festival attracted immediate support - and had the benefit of being slightly easier to arrange than affordable housing or a rail link! So a first festival was organised in Crayke in September 2005 in a marquee in the grounds of the Durham Ox, and attracted about 600 people.

The event also tied in with the annual York Festival of Food and Drink, which attracts thousands of visitors each year to the region. The York festival's organisers are keen to support events outside the city, and also to extend the drinks programme. The Galtres Festival, which centre around promoting real ales produced by North Yorkshire's 20 or so independent and microbreweries, are receiving a high level of support from the York Festival promoters.

The success of the 2005 event led to plans for an even bigger and better Festival for 2006. First it was decided that the Festival would become the Forest of Galtres Festival, taking its name from the ancient woodland formerly covering the area. It would move around local villages, drawing on support and sponsorship from a wider area - and Sutton-on-the-Forest was picked for 2006. It was also agreed to build on the live music, entertainments and local food elements of the 2005 event - basically more like a proper outdoor Festival for all the family, where the beer and cider is very important but by no means the only attraction.

The 2006 Festival was a great success, attracting more than 1000 visitors and a great deal of very positive feedback. We're now starting on plans for 2007, which is likely to be a two-day festival, and even better than before. Watch this space!