Hijacked Festival

Hijacked Festival is an electronic music event in South West England that began in 2013, growing from Thick as Thieves, a student club night founded at Exeter University in 2011 by Harry Horsfall, Will Millner, Laurence Mulchrone, Freddie Sparrow and Will Wadham. Thick as Thieves held parties at Cellar Door, later renamed Move, with a focus on underground music, creativity and eclecticism. Gorgon City and Bondax featured in Hijacked Festival’s launch lineup, and Hold It Down, an Exeter event collective, became a co-host in 2015.

Conceived as an outdoor festival that changed location around Devon, it has taken place at Powderham Castle, Double Locks in Exeter and Exeter Phoenix. The 2015 event at Powderham Castle drew 5,000 attendees. Its programming has ranged across music and arts, including cinematography, spoken word, fashion, decor, dance and fine arts. Artists booked have included Shy FX, Sigma, Kettama and Anz. Hijacked Festival was in its eighth year in 2022, when it returned to Double Locks in Exeter.