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By Steven Hesketh

Cheshire’s Deva Fest celebrates Record Numbers, New Investment & Prepares for its Fifth Birthday & Biggest Show Yet in 2025!

Deva Fest, The North West’s Favourite family-friendly festival, is set to reach new heights with the announcement that Steven Hesketh, a renowned figure in the North West's hospitality industry, has joined the team as joint owner.

Deva Fest, The North West’s Favourite family-friendly festival, is set to reach new heights with the announcement that Steven Hesketh, a renowned figure in the North West’s hospitality industry, has joined the team as joint owner.

This strategic partnership comes on the heels of the festival’s most successful year. 2024 saw recent record numbers attend the family friendly event at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire in August headlined by The Human League and Ocean Colour Scene. The festival is on track for further growth with a fifth birthday celebration show announced for the weekend of the 7-10th August in 2025.

Steven Hesketh, aka The Hospitality Hero, is well-known in the North West’s hospitality sector with deep ties to the Liverpool and Chester Hospitality Associations. He brings a wealth of experience to Deva Fest, which has always had customer service and guest experience at the heart of its offering.

Deva Fest first caught Steven’s attention in 2023 when he attended the event with his family. Impressed by the festival’s vibrant atmosphere and potential, Steven quickly became interested in becoming more involved. Fast forward to today, and he now shares ownership with Phil Marston, the founder of Deva Fest.

Phil Marston explains; “Our growth has been phenomenal, and we are so proud of the love and appreciation we deliver for our festival goers. This year specifically has been outstanding. Steven joining us on our journey only but adds to our ambitions to make us a leading national destination within the family orientated festival market.”

Reflecting on his experience at Deva Fest 2024, Steven described it as an “awesome experience” and expressed his enthusiasm for the future. “We have so many exciting plans for next year, including even bigger artists, as we strive to surpass this year’s ticket sales, I am keen to really develop strategic partners and sponsors for the years ahead, as this event fits perfectly as an experience that corporate clients and alike could be delivering such unique experiences for their team and clients” Steven shared.

This isn’t Steven’s only venture this year, and he recently was part of the team that acquired Holt Lodge Hotel in Wrexham, which has recently rebranded to Hotel Wrexham and is soon to launch a new offering – The Savvy Fox Pub.

His diverse portfolio of businesses, including Hotels, a Consultancy Firm, Prosecco and an AI / Content Software Company. He has a passion for supporting local businesses and this makes him an ideal partner to help propel Deva Fest to new levels of success.

With Steven’s expertise joining Phil, Deva Fest is poised to enhance its offering and continue its trajectory as one of the country’s leading festivals. The team is eagerly looking forward to the journey ahead and to welcoming even larger crowds in 2025.

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