Y Not Festival 2022 in Derbyshire: line up, tickets, dates

Originating in 2005, Y Not Festival has been taking place in Pikehall every year since then – except 2020, when it was cancelled due to fears concerning COVID-19. This year, it’s expected to attract up to 30,000 people and will take place from July 28th to July 31st.

Conceptualised and realised by Ralph Broadbent, Y Not Festival began life as Big Gin Festival, before being given its current name in 2006. A predominantly rock festival (though it has featured famous hip-hop artists in the past, such as Snoop Dogg), it plays host to all branches of the genre, from indie pop to heavy metal.

Who is playing at Y Not Festival 2022?

Y Not Festival will begin on Thursday, July 28. This day will be headlined by The Kooks, alongside other acts such as The Hunna and Lucy Spraggan.

At the top of the bill on Friday is a Welsh double header – Stereophonics are the headline band, with a co-headline act courtesy of Manic Street Preachers (who have played at Y Not Festival before, back in 2018). Sundara Karma, The Snuts and Gabrielle will also be playing on this day.

Saturday will see the arrival of The Courteeners, who are the headline act for this day, backed up by Nothing But Thieves. Alongside them, Sea Girls, The Lancashire Hotpots and The Futureheads will also be playing as part of Saturday’s line up.

On Sunday, we will see the arrival of Blossoms, who will be the headline act on this day. As well as this, The Vaccines, Jake Bugg and Amy MacDonald will be taking the stage on the final day of Y Not Festival 2022.

Elsewhere, on The Quarry stage, Pale Waves, The Reytons and Sports Team will be playing on Friday, while Kelis will be occupying this slot on Saturday. Sleaford Mods will be the main act on The Quarry Stage on Sunday, backed up by Jade Bird and The Big Moon.

The Giant Squid is another stage at Y Not Festival, which is home to heavier, more rock-based bands and artists. Dinosaur Pile Up, We Are Scientists and Black Honey are the three main acts on this stage for 2022.

Finally, there’s also Flamingo Jacks, which advertises tribute acts and karaoke, alongside some scheduled live music. It’s generally considered to be the most “alternative” section of Y Not Festival – who knows what you might find here? It is part of Y Not’s “Gold City” which also contains Club Malibu (an 80s themed area) and Nighthawk Cinema.

How can I purchase tickets?

Tickets for this year’s Y Not Festival can be purchased on its website. As of right now, only Tier four tickets are available, as Tiers one, two and three have all sold out. A Tier four ticket costs £134.50 at the time of writing, plus a booking fee (which amounts to £8).

Parking at the event will cost £20, plus a 50p postage fee for the parking ticket.