We're just a couple of days away from seeing the usually quiet Old Park Farm in Margam, Neath Port Talbot filled with thousands of people as "Wales' biggest festival" returns for its second year. The In It Together Festival - an independent family-friendly music event - had its debut in 2022 on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Weekend.
Organisers have promised the 2023 event will be even bigger with performances from an eclectic mix of stars of different genres - and several top names from the UK charts - as well as dozens of food and drink vans, countless independent stalls selling merchandise, clothing and accessories, and a wide range of FREE family-friendly activities and entertainment.
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Last year, more than 40,000 people turned out for the inaugural event. This year the main stage, known as Parc Stage, will see The Kooks, Jake Bugg and James Bay headlining on the Friday, Anne-Marie and The Vamps headlining on the Saturday, and James and UB40 headlining on the Sunday.
There will also be performances by Kelis, Toploader, Vengaboys, Melanie C, Saint Raymond and Diversity on the Parc Stage over the course of the weekend, and several big names and up-and-coming performers including Groove Armada, Lovely Laura and Ben Santiago, Hedex, So Solid Crew and Louis across the other five stages and smaller entertainment areas. Plus, Natalie Imbruglia is set to perform at the Thursday Campers Party for those who've pre-booked to arrive at the festival a day early. Scroll down for the full line-up.
We've put together this handy guide to share with you everything you need to know about this year's event. You can keep up to date with all the latest What's On news on our website here and by signing up to our newsletter here.
What is In It Together Festival and when and where is it taking place?
In It Together Festival is a weekend-long family-friendly festival held at Old Park Farm, Margam, Neath Port Talbot. It was founded by the people behind Escape Records, a collective which organises many other music events in Wales including Colour Clash, Escape Festival, Inside Out and Party at The Park, and first launched last June. This year's festival will be the second In It Together Festival.
The music festival will see hundreds of performers taking to stages and entertainment areas around the site and there will also be plenty of food and drink stalls, bars, merchandise stalls and clothing and accessories stalls to peruse throughout the days and well into the evenings. Camping is encouraged - but not compulsory - and thousands of people are set to bring their tents, caravans and motorhomes to stay at the festival for the whole weekend, whilst others will attend for one, two or three days (but not stay at the site overnight).
The 2023 event is taking place from Friday, May 26 to Sunday, May 28 with an extra event on Thursday, May 25 for those who have purchased Thursday Campers Party tickets to extend their weekend. The majority of people attending for the full weekend will arrive on Friday afternoon/evening and stay until the morning of Monday, May 29.
Who is performing?
In short, a lot of people. In It Together Festival 2023 will have six main stages/arenas and several smaller pop-up performance spaces too. Alongside Parc Stage headliners The Kooks, Jake Bugg, James Bay, Anne-Marie, The Vamps, James and UB40, Groove Armada, Circus and Chase & Status (DJ set) will headline Panchaia stage, Hedex, Friction and Kettama will headline Steelworks stage, and Dream State, The Joy Formidable and The Goa Express will headline The Paddock stage.
And if you fancy a bit of a throwback, head over to the Rewind Stage to see So Solid Crew, DJ Sammy, Louise, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv and a whole host of other popular noughties bands. Whilst you''ll find Barrioke, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club, The Marley Experience and more on the Wonky Lizard stage, and Ieuan Haile, Long Cai, Domz and Jonny Lovejet among the performers at Club Miami VIP.
Here's the full line-up of the performers playing on each of the three days - and the times they'll be taking to the stage:
Thursday, May 25
Thursday Campers Party tickets only: Natalie Imbruglia, Flash: A Tribute to Queen, Jaguar Skills, Josh Hicks, Sandi Thom, Welsh Rock Choir, Year of the Dog
Friday, May 26
Parc Stage: The Kooks, Jake Bugg, James Bay, Kelis, Toploader, Twin Atlantic, Vengaboys
Panchaia: Groove Armada DJ Set, Friend Within, Lovely Laura & Ben Santiago, Mark Knight, Simon Field, Spiller, The Shapeshifters
Steelworks: Hedex, A Little Sound, BSearl B2B James Hiraeth, Cryptik, Monroee & Emily Makis, NISS B2B GIBBO, Pola & Bryson w/Duskee, SMG B2B DRZ, Vibe Chemistry
The Paddock: Dream State, Epileptic Lizards, Hana Lili, Himalayas, Jackson Lucitt, Kanadia, Millie Blooms, Murkage, Otto, Thelixx, Tom A Smith, Tom Auton & The Bottle Breakers, Tom Jenkins
Rewind Stage: So Solid Crew (Lisa Maffia, Romeo & Twin MCS), Artful Dodger, DJ Luck & Neat, Oxide and Neutrino, Pied Piper, Sweet Female Attitude, Bibs, Hilly, Monique
Wonky Lizard: Barrioke, Bingo, Black Lace, Connor Burns, Daliso Chaponda, Disney Quiz, Mark Watson, Moulin Rouge Cabaret, The Greatest Showman Circus, Story telling
Club Miami VIP: A/J-72, Callum Bristow, Litchy & Smiley and special guests
Saturday, May 27
Parc Stage: Anne-Marie, The Vamps, Goldie Looking Chain, Melanie C, Retro Video Club, Saint Raymond, The Reytons, Tom Zanetti
Panchaia: Circus, Fleur Shore, Hannah Laing, Lucas Alexander, Mason Collective, Nic Fancuilli, Sosa, Yousef
Steelworks: Friction, Back to Bassix, Cauzier B2B Spectral w/Pabz, Double 0 B2B Mantra B2B DWARDE B2B Tim Reaper w/Blackeye MC, Frenetic B2B Double A Side B2B Ransom w/XL, Incurzion Audio w/Comma Dee, S.P.Y w/Lowqui, Skeptical B2B DLR w/SP:MC
The Paddock: The Joy Formidable, Ani Glass, Band Pres Llareggub, Cerys Hafana, Gallops, HMS Morris, Kidsmoke, Kizzy Crawford, Mace The Great, Red Telephone, Tom Emlyn
Rewind Stage: DJ Sammy, Flip & Fill, Ian Van Dahl, N Trance, Ultrabeat, Disson, Reaper Steve Lomas
Wonky Lizard: Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club, Circus of Lost Souls, Experimental Science, Junkoactive Wastemen, Lost Voice Guy, Mama D Rock & Roll Dancing, Mr T. Rick Magic Show, Noise Next Door, Old Time Sailors, Steve Royle
Club Miami VIP: Domz, Jonny Lovejet, Katy Harriz and special guests
Sunday, May 28
Parc Stage: James, UB40, Bjorn Again, Diversity, Symphonic Ibiza, The KS, The Royston Club, Tyrone
Panchaia: Chase & Status DJ Set, BOU, David Rodigan, Goddard, Harriet Jaxxon, Hype & Eksman, K Motionz
Steelworks: Kettama, Bklava, Cromie, Jaguar, Sass & Vibes, Viewpoints, Woof Collective, Yung Singh B2B Interplanetary Criminal
The Paddock: The Goa Express, Aleighcia Scott, Campfire Social, Chroma, Foxglove, Grubb & Eedens, Rona Mac, Sage Todz, Skunkadelic, Tara Bandito, Who's Molly
Rewind Stage: Louise, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, Ironik, Lolly, Phats & Small, Giggsy, Greg Colman, Skwellz
Wonky Lizard: The Marley Experience, Area 51 Cabaret, Circus, 90s Bingo, Disney Singalong, Family Quiz, Hal Cruttenden, Milton Jones, Silent Disco hosted by Junior Jungle
Club Miami VIP: Ieuan Haile, Long Cai, Tyzack and Special Guests
How do I get there and where can I park?
If you're driving to the festival, the postcode you need for your SatNav or phone map app is SA14 2TG. Drivers are permitted to park at a carpark next to the festival site - but you need to pre-book your parking pass and pay in advance. There will be two carparks - one for day visitors and weekend non-camping visitors and one for weekend camping visitors.
Organisers have confirmed the weekend camping car park will be open from 9am on Friday, May 26 and will close at midday on Monday, May 29. This car park will also open earlier from 12pm on Thursday, May 25 for people with Thursday Campers Party tickets. Parking passes are £20 per vehicle and are available on a first come, first serve basis.
If you're travelling by train, the nearest train station is Port Talbot Parkway. From there, you can get a taxi or an In It Together shuttle bus to the site.
If you're planning to travel by coach, In It Together Festival has partnered with National Express to provide transfers from 13 towns and cities across the UK, including Tenby, Carmarthen, Margam, Cardiff, Newport, Gloucester and Chepstow to the festival site. You can book your journey here.
The festival is also running daily shuttles from Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Bridgend, Merthyr, Neath, and Port Talbot to and from the festival on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are available on a first come first serve basis.
What you need to know
Safety is a key priority for organisers and staff. With this in mind, there are rules festivalgoers must follow to be permitted entry to the festival site and into the main arena area (where the stages, stalls and bars are). You can read all the rules and answers to FAQs on the festival's website here - but below, you'll find the most important things you need to know:
Your own food and drink is only allowed in the campsites - and the amount of alcohol you can bring is limited
Organisers say: "Campers are welcome to bring food to the campsites, although there will also be concessions here serving coffee and breakfasts each morning and throughout the day. A wide selection of food and drink will be available for purchase in the Main Arena, where festival-goers will not be permitted to bring their own items for consumption with the exception of baby food for the littlest ones."
And whilst festivalgoers are welcome to bring unlimited water, soft drinks and food into the camping area, the amount of alcohol they can bring is limited.
Each adult is permitted to bring: 10 cans of beer OR 10 cans of lager OR 10 cans of cider OR 10 premixed spirit cans (max 250ml) OR one bottle of wine decanted into a plastic bottle.
No spirits or hard liquor is permitted and no glass is permitted on site either. Ticketholders - and their bags - will be searched on entry and any alcohol above the allocation will be confiscated. Alcohol people bring in to the site may only be consumed within the camping areas.
Banned items
People are not permitted to bring any of these items: glass items, candles, gas canisters, flares, knives, illegal substances, drugs, ‘legal highs’, laser equipment/pens, megaphones, nitrous oxide, animals, fireworks, smoke canisters, poles, drones and "any items which in the absolute discretion of the promoter are considered to be a risk to the safety of the audience and/or affect the enjoyment of the audience and/or the running of the festival".
Everyone attending the festival will be searched on entry and management reserve the right to confiscate prohibited items.
Campfires are not permitted
Organisers say: "For safety reasons, In It Together does not permit campfires or open gas fires in the campsite. There will however, be a designated BBQ area alongside lots of delicious food stalls on site to ensure you're well-fed across the weekend. Any festivalgoer found starting a fire will be asked to leave the festival immediately."
Dogs are not permitted
Dogs are not permitted at the festival, with the exception of guide and assistant dogs.
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