Chickenstock Festival
Moya & Beth Taylor started the adventure with the first Chickenstock in their back garden (close to the present site) in 2018, which grew from them hosting large garden parties ……and the immortal
words from a friend saying “you should put this on for the public!”. So they did! With plenty of help from friends and family, including Simon & Sophie Giles.
Both Moya & Beth had worked in the Entertainment Industry for many years, both on and off stage. Moya has been Assistant Manager of a Cabaret Club, including running the Karaoke stage, has acted in many productions, including a production that toured France, Produced & Directed and worked backstage as Prompt, Props and as a follow-spot operator. She then moved out into business and trained as a Financial Adviser before becoming a Finance Officer for a Multi-Academy School Trust in South-East London. Beth, despite a few brief appearances acting on Stage, prefers the technical aspect of the industry. She worked as Production Manager in the same Cabaret Club as Moya. She also ran her own Sound & Lighting Company in the mid 1990s which including managing bands. So between them they have a considerable amount of experience to run a business, as well as a love of music and music festivals.
The first Chickenstock was really good fun, and everyone had such a great time, they decided to keep going. It was clear that their garden – a good size though it is, – would not accommodate a larger stage and facilities. Moya & Beth’s neighbour kindly offered them one of his paddocks, so in 2019 they moved the Festival to Pett Farm. The larger space meant more people could attend, increasing the number of food and other concessions, and most importantly more music!
2019 was another great event, so they knew 2020 must be planned! Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 outbreak the Festival had to postponed until 2021, but this gave the opportunity to get Simon & Sophie much more involved and to increase the amount of music even more to cover three and a half days.
Moya & Beth met Simon and Sophie, through their daughter, Mila, as she and Simon were Scout leaders together and had become best friends. Sophie and Simon together with Mila and her wife Ella ran the bar for the 2018 and 2019 festivals. However, Simon & Sophie’s knowledge of production gained through their Preforming Arts degrees, meant that they were keen to help in a bigger way, and Moya & Beth were very happy that they joined the main organising team for putting on 2021 and beyond!
They all hope that you will enjoy the friendly atmosphere of Kent’s BIG little festival, being suitable for all ages, and in a spectacularly picturesque location, and that it will become a regular on your festival calendar year after year. The number of tickets available are strictly limited – so get yours early to avoid disappointment!
We also aim to make the festival site as accessible as possible to everyone. Having a son in a wheelchair Moya & Beth understand how limiting festivals can be, and if he is anything to go by, being abled bodied is not a requirement for a love of music. If you have any specific requirements, let us know of these in advance, and we will do what we can to the best of our ability for you, to
make your festival experience as care free, easy and enjoyable as possible. Please see our Accessibility page for more details!
Between the four they have all aspects of the Festival covered, along with the little army of volunteers, who without the wheels of the Festival would not turn.
They looking forward to seeing you in the Paddock!
