A MUSIC festival was one of the last events expected to pop up this summer, but Shaftesbury company Club One Eleven managed to pull off a socially distanced version over the bank holiday weekend.

Around 300 people flocked to Edwards Farm Saturday night to what has been described as “a mini festival”, treated to an evening of live music, food and drink.

Three acts made up the line up for the evening, including alt-pop duo The Kind, storyteller soloist Samuel Jack and band and DJ set Bamily.

Sarah Junor, organiser of the event with Alex Gibbs and Dill Hillam, said the group had around seven weeks to make the festival a reality, but she was “chuffed” with the outcome.

As previously reported, and with coronavirus still present in Dorset, safety and social distancing measures were in place throughout the event with 20 marshals onsite, hand sanitiser provided, Covid-19 waiver forms and a one-way system.

The grounds were also mown into patches, labelled by the team as ‘pods’, to ensure a two-metre distance between each group of guests.

“We had done everything we could to make it a safe environment, and while we could have made it bigger and louder it felt respectful to keep it more contained as this mini festival,” explained Sarah.

She added: “We respected what we had to do, we didn’t laugh in the face of Covid-19. We just thought if we’re going to do this we’re going to work with it, that really mattered to us.

“And it showed we can now all get on with our lives. We just need to think.”

Sarah added: “It was just an amazing atmosphere and so lovely to hear live music again - it was when we first heard it and that reality kicked in, I’d forgotten how good [live entertainment] was.

“The ushers did such a great job and really enjoyed themselves, and it made you realise these young people have had their social lives cut in half this year.

“We just wanted to do this for the people - this was something for them to feel happy and joyous about.”

Sarah, Alex and Dill are already planning for a similar event to go ahead in 2021, with Sarah adding: “This time we’ll have a whole year to plan it.”

The proceeds made from the night, which are yet to be confirmed, will be donated to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.