After months of excitement and preparation, Youth Beatz 2023 is almost here – with 40,000 young people expected to attend the UK’s largest free youth music event on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July at Park Farm Showfield, Dumfries.
For 2023, 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.
At this year’s Youth Beatz Festival, there are lots of exciting things to do and see at Park Farm, such as the Realm giant inflatable assault course, activities including mini-golf, ziplining, mountain biking and zorb football; there are four stages entertaining crowds over the weekend – the Third Stage, Kids Tent, Second Stage and Main Stage.
The UK’s largest free youth music festival is all set to welcome a capacity crowd over the weekend of Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July. Park Farm will play host to headliners JOEL CORRY, HRVY, B*WITCHED, ELLA HENDERSON, THE VENGABOYS, and CALLUM BEATTIE, as well as a variety of Dumfries and Galloway’s young and upcoming performers.
Youth Beatz 2023 also sees 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.
Throughout both afternoons in the park, there is a massive range of activities for all of the family to get involved in; Galloway Activity Centre area, Inflatables, Ziplining, The Realm inflatable assault course, Kids Tent, Play Talk Read Bus, Youth Work Tent, Sports Activities, Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust, and much more! There will also be a Youth Information Area where local and national organisations will be promoting their services for young people. The Council’s Youth Work Service Team also have their Youth Work Area, where you can find out what youth services you can become involved in, and what is on offer across Dumfries and Galloway. If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle, we also have a dedicated Quiet Area and Sensory Space.
Dance and music performances will be provided throughout the day on the Second Stage, giving festival goers the opportunity to see some of Dumfries and Galloway’s best up and coming young performers, with the Main Stage also hosting performers from across our region, and Scotland. Programming for the Second Stage has been carried out by a panel of young people from across Dumfries and Galloway who ran audition evenings to select performers. The full line ups for each stage can be found on the Youth Beatz website, through e-Newsletters sent to all ticket holding email addresses, and on our social media platforms.
Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, Councillor Ian Blake commented on the final preparations for Youth Beatz 2023, saying: “I would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers who were involved in the planning and delivery of the event, without whose effort and commitment we could not have pulled off another successful Youth Beatz event. Our Council is proud to host the UK’s largest free youth music event, and I look forward to welcoming everyone to Park Farm on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July.”
Vice-Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, Councillor Jackie McCamon said: “I am looking forward to seeing this fantastic event back for 2023, not just for the high-quality music headliners, but for the experiences it gives to our young people. Youth Beatz has helped give young people a real-life taste of working in events management, performing through the immersive youth led drama production The Toon and the opportunity to undertake their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award through the festival.”
Now in its thirteenth year, the award-winning youth event is managed through a partnership led by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Young Peoples 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, Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Magnox and Cashback for Communities.
Mark Molloy, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Manager for Young People’s Services said: “This year, we have seen a really strong demand for tickets for Youth Beatz 2023, with all of the festival tickets being allocated in 48 hours of the launch. We would strongly advise people who do not have tickets, not to turn up at the event days as no further tickets are available. All successful ticket applications have been processed and distributed by the event organisers. We would also ask that people arrive early, as there will be no admission into the event after 8.30pm on both the Saturday and the Sunday. Attendees can bring in packed lunches and food, but there are no liquids permitted into Park Farm, and searches will be carried out upon entry. We would also encourage people to follow all traffic directions which will be in place across Dumfries, and to respect the parking restrictions that are in place.”
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. Youth Beatz’s success over the last 12 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.
