Dutch Uncles, Josephine, Craig Charles, & more for Standon Calling

Dutch Uncles, Josephine, Craig Charles' Funk & Soul Show, lead the latest acts revealed for the 'circus' themed Standon Calling.

Also confirmed are Treetop Flyers, Autoheart, Smoove & Turrell Sound System, Carnival of Souls, Silver Moths, Silver Darter, and Maddox.

They join headliners Digitalism, De La Soul, and Band of Skulls, are joined by Bastille, AlunaGeorge, King Charles, The Correspondents, The Joy Formidable, The D.O.T., Toy, DJ Yoda & The Transiberian Marching Band, The Skints, Public Service Broadcasting, Shields, Lazarus & The Plane Crash, Rotten Hill Gang, London Afrobeat Collective, A Band of Buriers, Trenton & Free Radical, Gentleman's Dub Club, Revere, Belakiss, Bibelots, New Groove Formation, Stills, and Annie Dale, for the 13th independent music festival and themed summer party, returns to the grounds of a 16th Century Hertfordshire manor house for the weekend of Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th August 2013.

The theme for 2013 has been announced as 'Running Away From The Circus'. The theme will take over the festival site with interactive theatre, art installations and costumes.

Festival-goers can actually become part of the circus and perform at Standon Calling in front of friends, family and fellow festival-goers. Skills on offer include juggling, slack rope and stilt walking, clowning, and more.

Ticket holders can purchase an add-on ticket priced at £50 entitling them to join Standon People's Circus and gain entry to the festival site two days early (Wednesday 31st July) for professional circus skill training and a special Thursday night crew dinner ahead of performances to the public.

Friends and family of budding performers can also gain early access to the site to support loved ones by purchasing an add-on ticket at £20.

At the helm of this experience is circus world star Gerald Barclay-Balding whose credits include 10 years touring the US with 'Circus Flora', seven years at 'Gifford's Circus' as co-founder and ringmaster, plus a stint with 'Cirque du Soleil'.

Those attending during the weekend itself also have a chances to experience circus life first-hand courtesy of Gorilla Circus' flying trapeze classes. Running Friday, Saturday and Sunday festival ticket holders can pre-book at a price of £30 a 90 minute class which will see them taking to the air. For the more sensitive stomached attendees each day will also feature two short slots for 'try and fly' at £6 each with no pre-booking necessary.

During the day Standon Callers can also enjoy a drink in the on-site pub, The Strongman's Arms, which will host sessions including the Science of Building a Human Pyramid, the Art of Whipping, Conquer Your Fear of Clowns, Art Macabre Life Drawing and a Circus Smell Safari.

Late at night the Forest of Freaks will be the place to be. Here the dark underbelly of the circus is revealed as the lunatics that entertain during the day let their collective hair down, indulge in their dreams and offer a variety of nocturnal entertainment."

Tier one weekend tickets are priced at £99, children under 13 are free and don't require a ticket. To buy tickets, click here.

There are still many more live acts, DJs, art, theatre and fringe entertainment, family-friendly activities, micro-venues and other attractions still to be announced.

There are numerous stages and the odd unexpected stage appearing from nowhere. The festival boasts a number of bars, one of which is hewn out of an enormous oak tree, secret areas, interactive theatre, swimming pool (with underwater dance area), boutique camping (beach huts, yurts and tipis), kids area, and festival food.

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