Bluedot, Cheshire’s newest festival, was a huge hit and has been dubbed ‘The Thinking Person’s Festival’

In the shadow of the Lovell telescope, deep in the Cheshire countryside, (writes Joel Taylor) revellers gathered for a festival promising weird and wonderful talks, experiments and workshops, all anchored by a stellar artist line-up and a very British sense of charm.

Bluedot fostered an inviting atmosphere with stages boasting electronic music heavyweights such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Caribou and Underworld and expositions featuring specialists like Professor Brian Cox and Jodrell Bank royalty Professor Tim O’Brien, to representatives from the ground-breaking CERN project.

Taking cue from its Observe Explore Experiment motto, space was created for up and coming talents such as Rhain, Let’s Eat Grandma and Formation alongside daring endeavours such as Wolfgang Buttress’s Be One. However, sensational nightlife was delivered by acts ranging from respected DJ Ben UFO, snooker legend Steve Davis and the downright bizarre Henge.

The thread of education is what sets Bluedot apart from the debauchery of this summer’s festivals like Parklife and Glastonbury, as well as the almost constant sunshine and clear skies. Punters enjoyed camping under the stars on the Holmes Chapel site and exploring the breath-taking Jodrell Bank arboretum that was decked out with mind-bending installations at night.

Overall, Bluedot’s innovation and impressive line-up combined education and music to deliver a weekend packed with wonderment and relaxation for the diverse, peaceful crowd.