In just one month’s time the grounds of a stately home will be transformed into a rock-tastic mini Glastonbury.

With headliners at Capesthorne Hall including the Charlatans, Johnny Marr from the Smiths and Badly Drawn Boy – May 20-22 will be a Macclesfield weekend to remember.

Guiding the Express round the sheep-speckled site in Siddington, Sam Gardner, 30, is the brains behind the Friends of Mine Festival.

He said: "The main stage will be directly in front of the hall, the whole site will be split in two, with camping and parking either side. It’s getting really exciting. Tickets are selling well and we’ve got a fantastic plan in place."

See Sam explaining more about the festival in the video below ...

Among the acts appearing are Buzzcocks, The Phantom Band, Jim Noir, A Certain Ratio, Joy Division’s Stephen Morris – and the infamous counter-culture icon Howard Marks.

The FOM Festival will feature:

  • Four main stages – the Satellite, named after Jodrell Bank; the Lake Stage where Badly Drawn Boy will headline, the Big Top and the Bowl
  • Four smaller stages
  • A bar to showcase Man-chester pubs
  • A real ale tent
  • The party tent
  • A cinema area and TV room
  • The poetry stage
  • A DJ stage – featuring Riz from Four Lions
  • Manchester Food Festival tent
  • Two huge campsites and parking areas

Sam added: "And we’re really keen for families to come, we’ve got loads on offer for children."

Children will be entertained by a special Kids Zone, a giant paddling pool, a giant ferris wheel and a big sand pits.

He hopes to hold the event again next year – on the same date as Glastonbury, which will be suspended for 2012.

He added: "One of our main objectives is to make sure we look after the site – we want to come back.

"More established events can’t change their dates but we we’re new so we can. We are here to stay."