It was half a decade ago now that we first attended the tucked-away woodland retreat known as Houghton. Five years in and back around we come, ready once again to dive head first into the wondrous world of Houghton.

Music enthusiasts the world over will be familiar with this small pocket of East Anglia. For three days and nights in mid-August, the Norfolk countryside plays host to a smorgasbord of people from up-and-down varying artistic disciplines.

From music, gastronomy and painting, to DJs, chefs and artists. That’s not an exhaustive list by any means, rather a snapshot of the careful thought that goes into curating this special, special weekend.

In many ways, Houghton is unreplicable. The twenty-four-hour licence. The woodland surroundings. The freedom. The uniqueness of each stage. The openness. The curated lineup. The sound quality. The music.

DJs play differently here. They go long. They go deep, winding and meandering with the crowd in a way that harks back to eras gone by. That description may sound a little frilly, but it’s true. Sets really do hit different at Houghton.

Now onto something more tangible – who are we excited to see? From the top… Evan Baggs at Quarry; Margaret Dygas at Warehouse; Fumiya Tanaka at Pavillion and Sonja Moonear at Earthling. That’s not all – far from it – but enough for us to have top of mind for now.

Inevitably though, the real joy of Houghton lies in spontaneity. Wandering. Exploring. Settling. Coming across performances you hadn’t planned to see, when a track turns turns your head or an energy catches your eye.

It’s a special place and a special weekend, so a big thank you to those that organise it. Houghton here we come.

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Photo Credit: Jake Davis.

Houghton Festival 2023 will be taking place at Houghton Hall, Kings Lynn from the 10th – 13th of August. Tickets are on-sale here via the Houghton Festival website.