Rachel Horne gets the low-down on the Something To Smile About festival. Something To Smile About Festival, or Smile as it’s known in the local lingo, is a three-day art and music festival based at Hatfield Outdoor Activity Centre, which is getting a reputation for offering one of the most affordable line-ups on the grassroots festival circuit. It’s co-ordinators, Peter Sullivan and Becky Hunt, started with a dream of bringing amazing music to their home town of Thorne. Thorne Charity Events grew out of this and has continuously brought brilliant live music to the local area. With the first year of Smile under their belts, they are now bringing music lovers from across the country to the Donx. That’s not an easy task, but this event boasts amazing camping facilities and a bargain entry fee. It’s something Doncastrians should feel super proud of. We asked Peter how it all came about. Peter Sullivan of Thorne, you’ve got a big beard and clearly a big heart. What got you into the music and charity work game? I have always loved music and was lucky enough to have the influence of my old man, who listened to a little bit of everything. He is a bit of a hippy at heart and had me at festivals from the age of 12, including my first Glastonbury at
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the age of 13. I was definitely blessed to have that experience. The connection to charities came a few years ago. We volunteered to help a friend by getting some bands involved in a charity night. Admittedly we took over the event a little bit - not intentionally, but because I like to do a job to the best of my abilities. The event went great and afterwards we were left asking ‘what next?’ And here we are now. Who’s ‘we’? Who’s the crew? ‘We’ refers to myself and my partner, Becky. Between us we manage almost every aspect of what we do. You base most of your events in the Thorne area, which is not really known for original live music. Why do you want to bring live music to Thorne? When I moved to Thorne, I saw a glimpse of an old-style community still clinging on in an age where everyone is too busy to say ‘hello’ as they pass each other by. I love this way of life and greatly dislike the way the world is becoming a less friendly place. I realised, doing the live music and the charity together, I could drag in two crowds and hopefully open more people’s eyes to the way things should
be. People need to be dragged from their armchairs and TVs by something. Why not music? Also, Thorne has a great history with music and art, just not in more recent years. The longer I live here, the more I realise this. We’re singing from the same hymn sheet. I organised two festivals and set up an open mic in Denaby and Conisbrough. It was a catalyst for so much. I think, for our generation, we feel that sense of community and connectness at festivals. I hope they can help revive that feeling. It isn’t easy. Communities are often divided in opinion. I try my best to stay above this and be someone who anyone can work with. The community is very much affected by the pits, but I sense in Thorne it is the reason the community spirit is still there. Smile is bringing some major grassroots artists to Hatfield. How did the festival come about and what makes it unique compared with other local festivals? Something To Smile About was the name given to the first event we did. At that same event someone suggested a festival in Thorne, in their words ‘a proper festival’. I laughed that off, yet the seed was planted. That year saw me return to the festival fields as a punter