Creamfields

53.34°N 2.63°W / 53.34; -2.63

Creamfields
GenreElectronic Dance Music
DatesNorth: August Bank Holiday Weekend
South: Late May Bank Holiday Weekend[upper-alpha 1]
Location(s)Main location UK:[1]
Winchester, Hampshire
(1998)
Liverpool, Merseyside
(1999–2005)
Daresbury, Cheshire
(2006–present)
For spin offs see here
Years active1998–present
Founded byCream
Attendance280,000[2]
Capacity70,000[3]
Organised byLive Nation
WebsiteOfficial website

Creamfields is an electronic dance music festival series founded and organised by British club promoter Cream, with its UK edition taking place on August Bank Holiday weekend, with a number of international editions held across various territories worldwide.

First held in 1998 in Winchester,[4] the festival moved to Cream's home city of Liverpool the following year, taking place on the old Liverpool airport, before moving to its current location on the Daresbury estate in Cheshire.[5] The festival, having initially begun as a one-day event with 25,000 people in attendance, is now a four-day event with camping options hosting 70,000 per day.[6] The festival is the UK's most prestigious electronic dance music festival.[7]

In 2022, Creamfields celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching a second UK-based festival - Creamfields South. Creamfields South took place at Hylands Park, Chelmsford across the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June and is scheduled to return in 2023,[8] with the original Daresbury festival being renamed Creamfields North.[9]

History

Creamfields initially began in 1998 as a one-day annual event run by the Liverpool night club Cream.[1] This first edition was held in Winchester, Hampshire and attracted 25,000 people.[10] The following year Creamfields moved to Liverpool, Merseyside, with the festival being on the old Liverpool Airfield. The move put the festival closer to its parent night club and the new site was able to hold 50,000 people for the festival.[10][11] In 2002, Cream was demolished, however the brand continued to run the festival. 2006 saw the festival move outside the city to its current location in Daresbury, Cheshire.[11] The 10th anniversary of the festival saw it expanded to a two-day event with 50,000 people attending across the weekend.[10] The festival saw its site expand over the next few years after its first sell out in 2009 of 60,000 across in weekend. In 2010, the site was expanded for extra tickets sales and growing demand for campers. In addition to this, the festival sold out 80,000 tickets and again in 2011 with 100,000.[10]

In 2012 the festival ownership changed hands as Cream was bought out by Live Nation who are the current organisers of the event.[12][13] The festival was also set to expand to a three-day event,[10] however, on the final day the festival was abandoned due to heavy rain.[14] The following year a £500,000 investment into the site was made to protect it against bad weather. The three-day event allowed an attendance of 150,000.[10] 2014 saw the edition of a second primary stage, the North and South Stage; and in 2015, the festival was live streamed for the first time seeing 500,000 online attendees.[10] 2016 saw the introduction of the Steel Yard stage which spawned a spinoff mini-festival with events held in Liverpool and London,[15] it also saw the festival become a four-day event with site expansion in 2017 allowing for a maximum attendance of 280,000.[3] In 2019, a £2,000,000 investment was made to improve security and safety as well as reducing environmental impact.[16] The festival itself saw Creamfields host Swedish House Mafia in their Save the World Reunion Tour. The show was the supergroup's first UK show since 2012 and saw the group as the sole occupiers of the festival's iconic Arc Stage on the day of the event.[17]

The 2020 edition of the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[18][19] with a virtual festival taking its place.[20] Following Boris Johnson's announcement on the 22 February regarding the road out of the UK's COVID-19 lockdown, Creamfields announced the 2021 edition would go ahead. Tickets for the event sold out in record time.[21]

2022 saw the introduction of a second UK-based festival - Creamfields South was held at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, hosting headline acts such as David Guetta and Calvin Harris. Organisers added they expect the festival to continue and become 'a solid and regular fixture on the UK festival circuit', with Creamfields South confirmed to be returning for 2023.[8]

Edition's summary

Nb: Artists shown in the table below were headliners for the event. For full line-ups see List of Creamfields line-ups.

Year Venue Dates Attendance[10][upper-alpha 2] Headliners Ref.
1998 Winchester, Hampshire 2 May 25,000[10] Sasha, Paul van Dyk, Daft Punk, Tony De Vit. [22]
1999 Liverpool, Merseyside 28 August 50,000[11] Pet Shop Boys, Basement Jaxx. [22]
2000 26 August 50,000[11] Judge Jules, Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Moloko, Laurent Garnier. [23]
2001 25 August 50,000[11] No artists declared headliners [24]
2002 24 August 50,000[11] Faithless, Underworld, Kosheen. [25]
2003 23 August 50,000[11] Paul Oakenfold, Erick Morillo, Harry Romero, Audio Bullys. [26]
2004 28 August 50,000[11] The Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp, Mylo, Scratch Perverts. [27]
2005 27 August 50,000[11] Basement Jaxx, Faithless, Caged Baby. [28]
2006 Daresbury, Cheshire 26 August 50,000 The Prodigy, Gnarls Barkley, Goldfrapp, The Zutons. [29]
2007 25 August 50,000 The Chemical Brothers, Groove Armada, Kelis, Mark Ronson, Carl Cox. [30]
2008 23 and 24 August 50,000 Fatboy Slim, Ian Brown, Gossip, Paul van Dyk, Kasabian, Tiësto, Paul Oakenfold, David Guetta. [31]
2009 29 and 30 August 60,000 Tiësto, Mylo, Basement Jaxx, Paul van Dyk, Dizzee Rascal. [32]
2010 28 and 29 August 80,000 David Guetta, deadmau5, Leftfield, Tiësto, Calvin Harris, Paul van Dyk, Swedish House Mafia. [33]
2011 27 and 28 August 100,000 The Chemical Brothers, Tiësto, Paul van Dyk, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia [34]
2012 24, 25, and 26 August[upper-alpha 3] 100,000 Avicii, David Guetta, Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello, Skrillex, deadmau5, Tiësto, Calvin Harris, Axwell. [35]
2013 23, 24, and 25 August 150,000 The Prodigy, Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Above & Beyond, Paul van Dyk. [36]
2014 22, 23, and 24 August 150,000 Aly & Fila, Armin van Buuren, Avicii, deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, Hardwell, Paul van Dyk, Tiësto. [37]
2015 28, 29, and 30 August 150,000[38] Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Jamie Jones, Martin Garrix, The Chemical Brothers, Avicii, Knife Party, Alesso. [39]
2016 25, 26, 27, and 28 August 200,000 Armin van Buuren, Chase & Status, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Avicii, Martin Garrix, Calvin Harris. [40]
2017 24, 25, 26, and 27 August 280,000[3] deadmau5, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Armin van Buuren, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Eric Prydz, Tiësto, Martin Garrix, Hardwell [41]
2018 23, 24, 25, and 26 August 280,000 Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, The Chainsmokers, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Giggs, Tiësto, Hardwell, Eric Prydz, Fatboy Slim, Adam Beyer. [42]
2019 22, 23, 24, and 25 August 280,000[43] deadmau5, Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Calvin Harris, The Chemical Brothers, Swedish House Mafia. [44]
2020 27, 28, 29, and 30 August 0
(Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)[18][19]		 Armin van Buuren, Pendulum, CamelPhat, The Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, deadmau5, Charlotte de Witte, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. [45]
2021 26, 27, 28, and 29 August TBA David Guetta, Carl Cox, Eric Prydz, Martin Garrix, Adam Beyer, Tiësto, Laidback Luke [46]
2022 25, 26, 27 and 28 August TBA Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Camelphat, Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Belters Only, Above and Beyond, Scooter, Charlotte de Witte [47]

Album
Main article: Creamfields (2004 album)

On 9 August 2004, British DJ Paul Oakenfold released his fifteenth DJ Mix album entitled Creamfields. The album was released in advance of the sixth edition of the festival in 2004 of which Oakenfold was due to perform. The album itself is third in a series of remix album with the other two being made by other DJs. In 2019, Oakenfold released a further DJ mix album to celebrate the festival's twentieth anniversary.[48]

Creamfields: Steel Yard

The 2016 edition of Creamfields saw the debut of the Steel Yard stage at the main event in Daresbury, Cheshire. The stage is a 15,000 capacity super structure designed and built by Acorn Events.[15]

Steel Yard Liverpool made its debut in 2016 at the city's Clarence Graving Dock, and now occurs annually in late November or early December.[49]

Steel Yard London initially took place in late October at Victoria Park, London in 2017,[50] before moving to Finsbury Park for 2018 and 2019 respectively, with a new date on the late-May bank holiday weekend.[51]

In 2018, Steel Yard Liverpool partnered with Tomorrowland and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike to bring "Garden of Madness" to the UK for a special one-off event.[52]

Creamfields International
Creamfields Brazil, 2013

In addition to the two main UK events, Creamfields also operates a number of international spin offs including:[53]

  • Creamfields Abu Dhabi
  • Creamfields Australia (2010–2012; 2017)
  • Creamfields Brazil
  • Creamfields Buenos Aires (2001–2015)
  • Creamfields Czech Republic (2002)
  • Creamfields Chile (2004-2018; 2022-present)
  • Creamfields China (2018–present)
  • Creamfields Colombia
  • Creamfields Hong Kong (2017–present)
  • Creamfields Ibiza
  • Creamfields Ireland (2000–2002)
  • Creamfields Mallorca
  • Creamfields Malta
  • Creamfields Mexico
  • Creamfields Romania
  • Creamfields Paraguay
  • Creamfields Poland
  • Creamfields Portugal
  • Creamfields Peru
  • Creamfields Spain
  • Creamfields Taiwan (2017–present)
  • Creamfields Thailand (2022–present)[54]
  • Creamfields Turkey
  • Creamfields Ukraine
  • Creamfields Vietnam

Awards and nominations

DJ Awards
See also: DJ Awards
Year Category Work Result Ref.
2014 Special Award – Best International Dance Music Festival Creamfields – UK Won [55]

DJ Magazine's top 50 Festivals
See also: DJ Mag
Year Category Work Result Ref.
2019 World's Best Festival Creamfields – Liverpool, UK 13th [56]

Festicket Awards
Year Category Work Result Ref.
2016 Best EDM/Dance Festival Creamfields 3rd [57]

International Dance Music Awards
See also: International Dance Music Awards
Year Category Work Result Ref.
2011 Best Music Event Creamfields – Liverpool, UK Nominated [58]
2016 Nominated [59]

UK Festival Awards
See also: UK Festival Awards
Year Category Work Result Ref.
2004 Best Dance Festival Creamfields UK Won [60]
2005 Best Dance Festival Won [60]
2008 Best Major Festival Nominated
Best Dance Festival Nominated
2009 Best Dance Festival Won [60]
2010 Best Dance Festival Won [60]
2011 Best Dance Festival Won [60]
2013 Best Dance Festival Won [61][60]
2014 Best Dance Festival Won [62][60]
2015 Best Major Festival Nominated [63][60]
Best Dance Festival Won
2016 Best Major Festival Won [64]
[65][60]

See also

Notes
  1. On its first year in 2022, Creamfields South took place during the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June.
  2. These attendance figures are for the whole weekend, therefore attendees with multi-day passes will be counted per day of their pass.
  3. The festival was abandoned on the 26 August due to heavy rain.[14]

References
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  2. "WE GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT CREAMFIELDS – PART 1". Flowmusic.one. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  3. "Top 10 largest music festivals in the UK". 16 June 2017.
  4. "Flashback: os Flyers usados na divulgação das festas nos anos 90 – Eletro Vibez". Eletro Vibez (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 June 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  5. "Travel to Creamfields".
  6. "Creamfields 2021 | Festival Line up & Info". Ticketmaster.co.uk.
  7. "Top 10: Electronic Music Festivals in the UK 2020 - Festicket Magazine".
  8. Woolston, Hope (7 June 2022). "Creamfields South will return to Chelmsford next year". EssexLive. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  9. Rice, Elle May (17 February 2022). "Calvin Harris joins Creamfields 2022 line up for 25th anniversary". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  10. "Creamfields History". Skiddle.com.
  11. "Creamfields quits Speke airport site". 22 February 2006.
  12. "Live Nation Buys EDM Entertainment Company Cream Holdings LTD, Owner of Creamfields Festivals". Billboard. 9 May 2012.
  13. "Creamfields invests £2m in festival site". 25 September 2019.
  14. "Flooded Creamfields called off". BBC News. 26 August 2012.
  15. "50m Super Structure ⋆ Acorn Events". Acorn Events. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  16. "Creamfields will invest £2 million into site improvements". 24 September 2019.
  17. "Watch Swedish House Mafia at Creamfields UK 2019 [Full set]". 26 August 2019 – via thegroovecartel.com.
  18. "Creamfields cancelled but organisers make huge promise for 2021". 13 May 2020.
  19. "Creamfields 2020 Cancelled but First Artists Announced for 2021 - Festicket Magazine". Festicket.com.
  20. "Creamfields Announces August Virtual Event Featuring Never-Before-Seen Performances". Billboard.com. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  21. "Creamfields sells out and set to go ahead in Daresbury in August to be 'party of summer'". Warrington Guardian.
  22. "A Brief History of the Creamfields Festival". Tvovermind.com. 25 February 2018.
  23. "Creamfields UK 2000". eFestivals.co.uk.
  24. "Creamfields UK 2001". eFestivals.co.uk.
  25. "Creamfields 2002". eFestivals.co.uk.
  26. "Creamfields 2003". eFestivals.co.uk.
  27. "More Added to Creamfields uk 2004 Line-up". Skiddle.com.
  28. "Creamfields 2005 Announced!". Skiddle.com.
  29. "Creamfields 2006 Announced". Skiddle.com.
  30. "Creamfields 2007: Lineup and Tickets". Skiddle.com.
  31. "Creamfields 08' Celebrates 10th Anniversary". Skiddle.com.
  32. "Basement Jaxx + Tiesto Headline Creamfields 2009". Skiddle.com.
  33. "Creamfields 2010 Lineup Released!". Skiddle.com.
  34. "Creamfields 2011 Line-Up Announced". Skiddle.com.
  35. "Creamfields 2012 now on sale with Skiddle!". Skiddle.com.
  36. "Creamfields 2013 lineup announced". Skiddle.com.
  37. "Creamfields 2014". Festicket.com.
  38. Kirsty McHale (26 February 2015). "From Nation to Daresbury: A history of Creamfields festival". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  39. "Creamfields 2015". Festicket.com.
  40. "Creamfields 2016". Festicket.com.
  41. "Creamfields 2017". Festicket.com.
  42. "Creamfields 2018". Festicket.com.
  43. "ERIC PRYDZ TO UNVEIL V O I D STAGE SHOW AT CREAMFIELDS 2019".
  44. "Creamfields 2019". Festicket.com.
  45. "Creamfields 2020". Festicket.com.
  46. "Creamfields 2021". Festicket.com.
  47. "The latest additions to Creamfields North 2022 line-up". Knutsford Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  48. "Paul Oakenfold's Mix for Creamfield's 20th Year: Listen | Billboard". Billboard. 18 December 2019.
  49. "Creamfields Steel Yard comes to Central Docks". September 2016.
  50. "Creamfields' Steel Yard to Make its London Debut - Festicket Magazine".
  51. "Steel Yard London — Creamfields 2019". Creamfields 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  52. "Tomorrowland & Creamfields Join Forces for Steel Yard Event This December".
  53. "Creamfields International widens its reach". 22 August 2017.
  54. "Eventpop | Creamfields Thailand 2022".
  55. "2014: 17th Edition (Love)".
  56. "DJ Mag's Top 50 festivals 2019". 16 May 2019.
  57. "Festicket Awards 2016 Winners: Tomorrowland, Martin Garrix, Radiohead and More - Festicket Magazine".
  58. "31st Annual International Dance Music Awards - Winter Music Conference 2018 - WMC 2018". Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  59. "31st Annual International Dance Music Awards - Winter Music Conference 2018 - WMC 2018". Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  60. "Creamfields Home". Creamfields.com.
  61. "Creamfields gets nominated for four UK Festival Awards". Bbc.co.uk. 11 June 2013.
  62. "Creamfields and Glastonbury win at UK Festival Awards". Bbc.co.uk. 12 January 2014.
  63. Insights, Festival (30 October 2015). "UK Festival Awards 2015 – The Shortlists".
  64. "All the winners from the 2016 UK Festival Awards". Musicweek.com.
  65. "Creamfields and Download amongst winners at UK Festival Awards 2016". Skiddle.com.
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