BOLT / Black Deer Festival
Lord knows I like to have a good time, I'm also pretty obsessed about motorcycles. One of the things I try to do with Bolt is look for opportunities to bring together the two wheeled communities in new innovative ways. As such one of my ambitions has been to organise a festival that brought together the culture of motorcycling in all its forms - the music, machines, styles, craft and art together in one all encompassing immersive experience - yeah it always did seem a big task!
late last year I was approached by a new festival to curate a Bolt area dedicated to motorcycle culture. The Black Deer Festival is an authentic advocate of Americana, the music and culture that surrounds it, with humble aims to be true to its roots. What was initially so appealing was the attitude behind the event, it was about the people first and foremost, about having a good time and staying true to the cultures that it represented. To try and shoe horn the culture of motorcycling into an existing festival never felt right, it needed to be curated from a blank canvas, to be produced for the motorcyclist from the outset.
I visited the site this week and was really blown away by the landscape. I went with the idea that a field is basically a field. I was wrong, set in an ancient woodland with lakes, rolling hills and herds of deer running wild it instantly transported you to a timeless sense of natural beauty. The space set aside for Bolt is right in the heart of the festival, backed by a thick woodland and spotted with giant trees. Beyond the Bolt area there'll be three more stages and a host of bands playing everything from country, folk, bluegrass to the blues both contemporary acts and a few of the classics. Our good friend Luke Deverell, who runs Darn and Dusted, is curating the retail area and will bring a host of vintage, artists and crafts people together. The food will be straight from the deep south bringing together the traditional and artisanal BBQ style cooking and the camping offers a number of alternatives if you fancy comfort beyond the traditional tent.
I am still at the early stages of planning, despite the festival being just five months away - so yes get June 22nd-24th in your diaries! What I can say is there will be a music stage, a bar area and a host of other activities and happenings to get lost in. First and foremost I see this as an opportunity to bring together the great and the good in the motorcycle community together for one big party. This is an event built from the ground up, not one at the hand of large sponsors, and as I do with all things with Bolt - it'll be done right, with those people that are committed to the scene. If you would like to be involved and have an idea of something that you think would work please get in touch - no matter how crazy you think it might be! I'll be updating you as things come together, so get excited this is going to be a whole heap of fun!
Interested in being involved? email Boltmotorcycles@gmail.com if so.
You know already that its going to be immense so you can buy your tickets here