Black Deer festival: Iron & Wine to headline new Americana event

Jason Isbell, Ward Thomas and Eric Bibb join first wave of acts on the lineup

Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit In Concert - New Orleans, Louisiana (Getty)

Iron & Wine and Passenger have been announced as the first headliners for a brand new Americana and country music festival in the UK.

Black Deer is set in Eridge Park, Britain’s oldest deer park, on the Kent/east Sussex border near Tunbridge Wells.

Along with a stellar lineup of established and new Americana, country, blues, folk and bluegrass artists, the event will offer festival-goers some classic American BBQ, whiskey, story-telling and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Grammy Award winner Jason Isbell will appear on the lineup with his brilliant band The 400 Unit, along with country duo Ward Thomas, blues singer Eric Bibb, Juanita Stein, John Moreland and CC Smugglers.

The festival will use a modern cashless system where festival-goers can upload money directly onto their wristbands - either at booths onsite or online - with any money left over refunded.

Black Deer promoter Gill Tee said: “Having been in the music industry for many years, producing events for other people, I am proud to finally take a giant step to having a festival of my own.

"Set in a beautiful part of the world, that I know and love, with a genre of music that holds so many memories for me, is really exciting as well as extremely challenging.”

Black Deer festival takes place between 22-24 June 2018, tickets are on sale now.