THE Mighty Boof promotion and events, the creator of the festival, said it was born out of frustration of the lack of live music in the area. Their dream was to not only get the local live music back on track but also give talented locals a chance to perform.

When At the Playground was first announced in 2011, it gave music lovers a chance to listen to some of their favourite artists in their hometown. It was one of the first big music festivals in Whitehaven that locals were able to enjoy without having to travel long distances.

The festival instantly had success in its first year as many flocked down alongside their friends with a 1,000 ticket sell out.

Some of the images show the mud from the 2013 year, and as you can see on the faces of many, the weather did not dampen the mood at all. The 2013 year included popular group, ‘The Enemy’ and ‘The View’.

The festival was always known as ‘At the Playground’ or ‘The Mighty Boof’, and eventually, the ‘Boxing Day Boof’ was born. The event took place at the Civic Hall in Whitehaven and the event sold out, with 600 fans enjoying a full day of live music.

Artists from the day included The Lottery Winners and local artists including Shore, Gavin McKew, House of Three Hands, Life in a Glass House and I Am Spartacus.

However, the festival took a six-year hiatus. That is until 2021, when the Mighty Boof was back. The event was hosted at the Copeland Stadium. Artists included festival favourites The Lottery Winners and local talents such as The Northern Threads.

The festival has announced a 2022 festival and has some huge names on the bill such as Miles Kane.