From Idea to Iconic: The Doncaster Festival Story with Andy O’Grady and Martin Semple

Most people go to festivals. Andy O’Grady and Martin Semple built one from scratch. No big sponsors, no safety net, just two mates with a vision and the sheer determination to make it happen.

From the very start, they were at the heart of it all, two lads from Doncaster who wanted to create something special. The first event was held in a field with a couple of hundred people. No one knew if it would work. Nearly a decade later, Donny Fest has grown into something massive, with thousands of tickets flying out and big-name headliners joining the lineup.

It sounds like a dream, but behind the scenes, it’s been an absolute rollercoaster.

Sky-high financial risks, last-minute disasters, bands missing their sets, and moments where everything could have collapsed.

Yet, somehow, they’ve built something extraordinary.

This isn’t just about music. It’s about what happens when you bet on yourself. The resilience it takes to build something from the ground up when no one hands you the blueprint. The pressure of going bigger every year when the stakes keep rising. The sleepless nights, the screw-ups, the relentless belief that failure is never the final chapter.

Andy O’Grady and Martin Semple have been through it all, and they’re telling the full story on On a Mission.

Because whether it’s building a festival, launching a business, or making an impact, the truth is the same, the ones who make it are the ones who refuse to quit.

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Key Takeaways:
• How Andy O’Grady and Martin Semple turned a field party into a major festival
• The brutal reality of festival finances, high risks, high stakes
• Behind-the-scenes chaos, what really happens when artists don’t show up
• Why betting on yourself is the only way to build something that lasts
• The moments where it nearly all fell apart and how they pulled through

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Connect & Follow

🔗 Get your tickets for Donny Fest – https://tickets.donnyfest.co.uk/amf/donny-music-festival-2025/

Follow Donny Fest –

🔗 Website: https://donnyfest.co.uk

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnymusicfest?igsh=MTllOHU0Yzh6bGp6bA==

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16GQioG3uS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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Follow me on social media for more behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests:
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_mckay_official/?hl=en-gb

🔗 On a Mission Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onamissionpodcast2.0/?hl=en-gb