FIVE YEARS OF THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL...

It’s an important time for organisers of the Social, as the boutique festival celebrates five years this weekend. The brainchild of West Malling DJ Nic Fanciulli, the Social started in Mote Park in Maidstone and since 2013 has been bringing the finest line-ups in electronic music to west Kent including Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Joseph Capriati, Adam Beyer, Seth Troxler, Richy Ahmed and Guy Gerber. Last year saw Sasha and John Digweed playing back-to-back for the first time in six years. Last year saw the move to the Kent Showground with camping, funfair rides and market stalls. The festival has won DJ Mag’s Best Boutique Festival 2015 and Best Dance Festival 2016. The king of Ibiza, DJ Carl Cox, who has played the festival several times and returns again this year, said: “What was really amazing at the Social was that you had nearly all the best DJS from all over the world playing all different styles of music.”

This year will have four arenas – the Meadow, the Barn, the Stables and a special extra fourth arena to showcase fast-rising talent and industry legends alike. Among the line-up will be a Social debut for New York Dj-duo, the Martinez Brothers, French trio Apollonia, South African superstar Black Coffee and Acid Mondays and the return of Sasha and John Digweed, Guy Gerber and Jackmaster.

The Social will be back for its fifth year

Picture: Tony TK Smith More than 8,000 people went to the first Social festival in Mote Park, Maidstone, where DJS Carl Cox, left, and Nic Fanciulli, right, closed the event