Inside ‘game-changing’ music festival in woods with plans for ‘hot tub village’
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Warm Up Festival is a “game-changer” for lovers of house music, claim ticket holders – and its DJ founders hope to take it to the next level in coming years.
DJs and festival founders Amy Moffat and Aiden Doherty met at fine art school before becoming close friends and deciding to create their own independent festival just an hour outside of London.
The pair have thrown popular monthly club nights for the last 10 years, but the peak of their year is the three day dance music paradise they set up in a Hertfordshire pine forest.
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Amy told Daily Star: “We have a great thriving community of people that have joined us, and still continue to come to our party since day one.
“We just felt like it would be great to take this to a festival and spend three or four days together in nature, kind of amping up the production, inviting more artists to play and creating something special and unique on the independent festival scene.”
The event is a glowing, light-filled festival that helps you do discover “incredible new” artists before they make it big.
Amy commented: “Without these events, those artists don't get the opportunity to play.
“Like all of these big headliners across the world, they all have to start somewhere.
“They all played an independent festival somewhere in their early career.
“It's an exciting place to be to get to experience up-and-coming talents while they're on the way up.”
You’re more than likely to discover new artists who you’ll fall in love with too as the entire festival is musically curated for the ultimate experience.
Aiden noted: “I think we would encourage people to embrace the fact that they don't know some of the acts.
“If they like house to house techno electronic room progressive, then they're in very safe hands.
“Bringing incredible artists to our festival is our speciality.
“I put a lot of effort into is hand picking the right artists and putting them in order so that people start the day as a certain kind of energy and sound.
“And as we progress into night, that energy rises and the more heavy acts come on. So each day is very much a journey in itself!”
He added: “We want to make the experience as magical as possible.
“The Warm Up brand as a whole is is generally put it under the umbrella of house and techno and electronica – we're also quite known for progressive music styles and also very known for melodic techno and house.
“Our focus has always been on the more emotive side of music – the soulful sounds really help people release their emotions.”
It’s not just through music acts like Booka Shade, Acid Pauli and Township Rebellion as well as residents Aiden, Jorge Martins and Muther that will keep you entertained at the “immaculately staged” event.
On top of the music there’s a whole programme of popular “wellness” activities in the day from yoga to Brazilian Capoeira dance lessons, totem and headband craft sessions and sound journeys.
Amy said: “They’ve been super popular and valuable”.
So you can connect with your fellow festival goers in a relaxing space before dancing your feet off until 4am.
Plus, the festival sits in a woodland space filled with hammocks for relaxing, incredible art installations that "change the space" at night and, for those who hate tents, there’s a luxury glamping option for you and all your pals.
Amy added: “A festival experience is more than just music for us – we want to create pieces where people can gather around and it encourages a sense of a sense of connection.”
Last year, there was even a costume party where the winner snagged a free ticket!
A major benefit of the festival’s size – Amy and Aiden hope to attract 3,500 people this year – is that it’s safe as houses thanks to the big community vibe.
Amy explained: “It's a small site to cover. So in terms of security, like if anything does happen, people are there within seconds.
“There's so many security around medical staff around, but because we are a tight community, there is a kind of self policing, caring nature to the whole event."
Unfortunately, the independent festival scene is struggling this year without enough people buying tickets to fund the ground work.
Warm up festival sold out of tickets in its first year, but in 2023 they need to sell more to throw their incredible event.
The festival cost £700,000 to throw last year up from £540,000 the year before and prices are only climbing in the cost-of-living crisis.
Aiden noted: “All of our suppliers increased their prices, but we couldn’t really increase ticket prices that much.
“The cost of living crisis came into play and then that's when our ticket sales started dropping off – people started really struggling.”
Amy and Aiden have tried to keep their tickets affordable at £177.50 for three days – and you can pay in instalments each month up until the festival at warmupfestival.co.uk.
Though if they do manage to get ticket sales up Amy and Aiden have some magical ideas.
Aiden said: “We had lots of plans, including a hot tub village.
“We wanted to build a sunset terrace, which looked over the whole campsite where there'll be a cocktail bar and a DJ
“We wanted to build this multi level tree house and middle of the woods, we had loads of plans.”
For now, the DJs are campaigning to sell at least another 800 to 1000 tickets by next week to ensure the incredible festival goes forward.
Amy noted: “We've definitely noticed a big cultural shift since the pandemic whereby people don't tend to commit to events.
“We can only run our operations based on ticket sales.”
Aiden added: “This is a festival worth saving and independent festivals need to be in the world. "
Former attendees told the Travel team why they’re so keen to ensure Warm Up Festival goes forwards this summer.
Hamza Sheikh explained: “It’s everything you hope for from a festival.
“It’s immaculately staged with a well-curated line-up that celebrates underground artists.
“It’s full of love, silliness and togetherness. It encourages openness and provides a safe environment that’s accepting of people of all colours, shapes, faiths and ages.”
"Warm up festival is a game changer," commented festival-goer Adam Williams.
"I don't think there's any other festival where you can wake up, do some yoga, learn a Brazilian fighting dance, make a headdress, gaze at an art installation and then dance with your mates in the forest listening to amazing music.
"It's such a community, you get to know everyone around the site.
"One night you'll see a DJ on the main stage, the next day they'll be dancing next to you, it's really got that sense of love and community."
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