Creamfields South returns to Hylands
After a spectacular debut at Hylands Park in 2022, Chelmsford is getting ready for the return of Creamfields South this month.
The renowned festival, which stems from the award-winning global festival promoters Cream, will take place at Hylands Estate in Chelmsford, 26–28 May. Earlier in the year, Cream announced an incredible line-up for Creamfields South, plus the arrival of the legendary 100-metre-wide Arc stage and award-winning Runway stage.
Preparations are now underway at Hylands Park for the arrival of the festival. It’s not too late to book tickets, with both day and camping options still available.
You can also enter our competition for a chance to win a pair of three-day standard camping tickets. Ten lucky winners will be randomly chosen after the prize draw closes on Monday 16 May.
Cllr Marie Goldman says the return of the festival highlights the region’s flourishing music and festival scene:
“"I’m delighted to see Creamfields South return to Hylands Estate this year. The major festival brings a brilliant line-up of globally renowned artists to Chelmsford this year, pulling people together from all over the country to celebrate music, and contributing significantly to our local economy.
Cllr Marie Goldman
Vitally, it also inspires our own city’s talented amateur and professional musicians, cementing Chelmsford’s position as a creative and culturally connected city."
Arc stage makes trip south to host exceptional acts
Since 2016, the legendary Arc stage has been celebrated as one of the largest outdoor stages in the world, with a first-rate sound system. At over 100 metres wide and 15 metres tall, the Arc is a colossal and impressive curved structure.
It has appeared at eight Creamfields North events, where it has played host to some of the world’s hottest electronic acts. This year, the mighty centrepiece will be making its debut appearance at Creamfields South.
Some outstanding acts will be performing on the Arc stage, including Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, Tiësto, Becky Hill, Joel Corry, Example & MK.
Jaw-dropping Runway stage presented by SHEIN to make first appearance
The award-winning Runway stage also makes its Creamfields South debut this year. Unleashed at Creamfields North in 2022, it has undoubtedly become another fixed set-piece of the UK festival scene.
The outdoor structure combines art and engineering on an industrial scale, featuring jaw-dropping lighting, a bespoke sound system, and a suspended 50m video screen centrepiece. The stage gives festival fans a full 360˚ immersive experience and will this year be hosted by Trick, Paradise and ABODE.
Epic line-up in store
An incredible line-up was announced earlier in the year for Creamfields South, featuring some of the biggest names in music, including:
- Eric Prydz
- Patrick Topping
- Carl Cox (Hybrid Live)
- Camelphat
- Fatboy Slim
- Andy C
- Chase & Status (DJ Set)
- Kölsch
- Nina Kraviz
- Jamie Jones
- Wilkinson
- Sam Divine
- Sonny Fodera
- Hannah Laing
A Creamfields spokesperson says this year’s South festival raises the game following a triumphant debut in 2022:
“"After the outstanding inaugural Creamfields South in 2022, we’re thrilled to be upping the stakes this year with another fantastic line-up that brings the world’s top electronic artists to Chelmsford.
Creamfields spokesperson
The addition of the legendary Arc stage and award-winning Runway stage this year further elevates the festival, giving our fans experiences which will truly ignite all their senses."
Final phase of tickets on sale
With just 16 days to go, festival goers are urged to book their Creamfields South tickets now – before they sell out!
Tickets for both day and camping options are still available. Campers can choose between a standard ticket and a VIP Gold option which includes free parking, a hospitality arena, and campsite pamper parlour.
Gold campers will also have exclusive access to showers and proper toilets. All Gold customers, including Gold day ticket holders, have access the Hospitality arena which will be hosted by The Garden Party. Gold customers will even be served up a complimentary meal each day. There’ll be dedicated bars in the Gold zone too, serving cocktails and prosecco, with indoor and outdoor seating areas.
For those with standard tickets, various refreshment stalls will be available with options to suit all dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
To book your Creamfields South tickets and find out more information, visit the Creamfields South website. And don’t forget to enter our competition for your chance to win free tickets!
Setup now underway at Hylands Park
The setup of Creamfields South at Hylands Park has now begun. To keep park visitors safe while the site is under construction, access to some areas will be restricted from 12 May until 6 June. Areas unavailable during this time include the Adventure Playground, public toilets and Writtle end car park. Visit the Hylands Estate website and check the map below for full details of the restrictions.
The entire park will close from 25–29 May. Only Creamfields ticket holders and authorised guests – such as Hylands House wedding guests – will have access to the estate during this time.
Hylands House Manager, Lorraine Thorne, highlights the plentiful acres of green space in Hylands Park for everyone to enjoy over the coming weeks:
“"Here at Hylands Estate, we’re really excited to be hosting one of the UK’s biggest music festivals once again this year. We’ve been working closely with Cream HQ to ensure Creamfields South 2023 delivers a fantastic experience for festival goers, with minimal disruption to our regular park visitors.
Lorraine Thorne, Hylands House Manager
There are 574 acres of parkland and gardens in Hylands Park and much of this will remain available to our regular customers throughout May, except for just a few days when the park will close for the festival to take place.
We really appreciate and thank Chelmsford’s residents and park visitors for their patience as we welcome this much-loved festival."
Chelmsford has 17 Green Flag parks, green spaces, and many recreation and play areas in addition to Hylands Estate. To find out more about alternative places to visit while Hylands Park is closed for Creamfields, visit www.loveyourchelmsford.co.uk.
Cherelle writes about Chelmsford Theatre, Hylands Estate, Chelmsford Museum, the Mayor of Chelmsford and culture and events in the city.