About

Harpenden's family friendly festival

Festival on the Field

Putting the Fun in Fundraising

Festival on the Field is a volunteer-run fund-raising event, organised by the parents’ organisations of Sir John Lawes School and Manland Primary School in Harpenden.  The schools have a long history together and are adjacent to each other. The Festival runs every other year and to date, has raised over £100,000 for both schools.

Cash Back Scheme for all Harpenden Schools

Any Harpenden school which sells tickets to the Festival will be given cash back of 40% of the value of total tickets sold by them. This scheme runs from the moment the tickets go on sale.

Award Winning Community Festival

In its first year, (2012) the festival won the Gold Star Award for Fundraising Achievement in the South of England, and then went on to become the overall winner for the UK in this category. In 2014 it was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Festival Awards under the categories of best small festival and best family festival.

Our history

2024 is our 6th festival!

Our 1st festival

Held in the Olympics year, 2012, a group of pioneering parents with some background in running large events took quite a risk to stage the first Festival. They needn't have worried - it turned out to be a huge success and made a great profit for the two schools.

2012
Festival on the Field Harpenden
Festival on the Field Sir John Lawes
2014

Building on success

Having won an award and raised a good amount of money in 2012, the second Festival was staged in 2014. We were getting into our stride and upped our game with better acts and amenities. Another great fund-raising success and great family day out.

Here we go again

2016 attracted even more people to what was now becoming a landmark event in Harpenden. Superb tribute acts headlined by Killer Queen entertained a relaxed and energetic audience - and an impressive fair ground kept the younger members of the audience amused between the acts.

2016
Festival on the Field Fun
Football Fever for Festival on the Field
2018

Our Best Ever

2018, was the best so far. Not only did we have almost 3,000 people attending, we had a bigger stage, super acts, great food and drink AND England winning a World Cup match on the Big Screen!

The screen was added last year for the headline act, the Karaoke phenomenon, Massaoke. Now much in demand this live-band-crowd-singalong ended the night on a real high - and will be back again this year.

Worth the Wait!

Despite being delayed for two years, due to COVID, the 2022 event did not disappoint.
With a great range of food and drink concessions, a wide range of fairground attractions and childcare from Fizzbug, it was a family event for all ages.

Performances saw a return from Massaoke, JK as Robbie Williams, 24K Bruno and a new local band Stratton 5.

2022
Let's go!
Let's go!
2024

The Future is Bright

We are very excited to announce the next Festival on the Field will take place on Saturday 6th July 2024.

We will have the same great range of food and drink concessions, attractions and music performances.

Festival on the Field is now a well established and eagerly anticipated event in the Harpenden summer calendar.

Thanks to Our sponsors

Without their generous support, this event could not take place.

Want to join the fun?

Don't delay, buy your tickets today and join us on Sat 4th July for the 5th biennial Festival on the Field!
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