After months of excitement and preparation, Youth Beatz 2022 is almost here with 40,000 young people expected to attend the UK’s largest free youth music event on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June.
This year’s event will once again take place at Park Farm Showfield in Dumfries after a 2 year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival is looking forward to welcoming people from Dumfries & Galloway and from across Scotland over the 2 main event days.
For 2022, the festival continues to expand the offer of music acts, performers and activities available for young people across a variety of stages and areas of the site. The continued expansion of Youth Beatz is thanks to the ongoing support of Dumfries and Galloway Council, who value our region’s young people and want to give them a truly memorable experience.
For 2022, there are lots of new and exciting things to do and see at Youth Beatz, such as the Arboria II Luminarium, Foam Parties, Ziplines, DG Arts Festival, Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust as well as old favourites returning for this year including the Kids Tent, Youth Work Tent, Sport Activities, Inflatable Zone, Oasis Centre Main Stage, Youth Enquiry Service Second Stage, The Toon and much more! Daytime activities are free for children, young people and their families from 12noon until 6pm.
Youth Beatz will play host to headliners ELLA EYRE, PIXIE LOTT, NATHAN EVANS, JOHN NEWMAN, JONAS BLUE, HRVY and THE VENGABOYS, as well as a showcase of young, up-and-coming performers from across Dumfries and Galloway through our daytime schedule of acts on the Oasis Youth Centre Main Stage and Youth Enquiry Service Second Stage.
Youth Beatz 2022 will also see a return of the hard hitting, immersive and interactive youth learning experience – The Toon. The Toon Productions presents an alternative take on common issues that affect young people in their day-to-day lives. Topics addressed will include mental health, drugs, knife crime, poverty and domestic abuse. Over 50 local young volunteers have been working since Easter to put together this award-winning educational experience. Make sure you book in early at the Toon Box Office to ensure that you get a place on a tour, as the tickets always go fast!
The Youth Information Marketplace will feature a wide range local partner organisations and education providers who work alongside young people throughout Dumfries and Galloway. For Youth Beatz 2022, we are joined by over 18 organisations including Better Lives Partnership, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, LGBT Youth Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Road Safety Partnership, Dumfries and Galloway College, Dumfries and Dalbeattie Sea Cadets, Sexual Health inc. Cool2Talk and Dumfries and Galloway’s Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP). The Marketplace is a dedicated space for organisations to promote their in person and virtual services for young people.
There are 3 main performance areas at Youth Beatz 2022; Oasis Youth Centre Main Stage, Youth Enquiry Service Second Stage and the Dance Tent. We are proud to bring ticket-holders a showcase of young, up and coming talent from across Dumfries and Galloway and wider Scotland throughout our daytime line-ups. Daytime performers have been selected by a panel of young people from across the region with acts going through an audition process to secure their slot at the Festival.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Service Manager for Young Peoples Services and Poverty and Inequalities, and Head of Event for Youth Beatz, Mark Molloy said “Youth Beatz tickets were all allocated in record time this year and we cannot wait to welcome 40,000 attendees over the course of the weekend. Our priority is the safety and well-being for all festival go-ers and to ensure this we have in place security at all entrances, exits and throughout the site. All attendees will be subject to a general search inc. bags, carriers and prams. We would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone, irrespective of their age, that Youth Beatz is an alcohol free event and illegal substances are not permitted, any incidents of illegal activity will be reported to Police Scotland.
As the event is sold out, and tickets are not available on the weekend. We ask that people do not attend unless they have a valid ticket. The safety of those in the festival is of paramount importance and our goal is to put on a fantastic event for children, young people and their families.
Now in its twelfth year, the award-winning youth event is managed through a partnership led by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Young Persons Service in conjunction with the Oasis Events Team. The event is supported by the National Events Programme Fund, managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate. Further support for the event had been secured from Youth Link Scotland, Young Start Big Fund, Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Cashback for Communities, Robertson Trust, and Creative Scotland.
Police Scotland has worked in partnership with Youth Beatz planners over many years to ensure the focus of Youth Beatz is on young people being able to attend and enjoy the event in an environment that is safe. This is a strictly no alcohol event and a robust policing plan is in place to ensure that anybody who enters this area in possession of, or under the influence of alcohol will be refused entry.
Chief Inspector Stephen Bell, Local Policing Commander at Dumfries said: “We would like to remind those attending the Youth Beatz festival that it is an alcohol-free event, and as such local officers will be working closely with event staff to ensure anybody in possession or under the influence of alcohol will not gain entry to the event. We are looking forward to another successful weekend after a three year pause from the last event. Youth Beatz’s success over the last 11 events is very much linked to the first-class planning that takes place at a local level, with a host of partners in Dumfries and Galloway. The event is now one of the largest in our region’s calendars and is a huge community effort from all of those involved. All partners that are involved in the planning and delivery of the event want it to be a success, safe and enjoyable for all, and would appreciate the ongoing cooperation of those attending. I will be at Youth Beatz to oversee the policing operation, and I look forward to another successful event.”
To get up to date information surrounding this year’s event, visit www.youthbeatz.co.uk or follow us on social media.
