Cityscape Cinema ©Jake Thompson/LWImages

Working on the inside for the last couple of years, first in organising the kit sale and this year repeating the kit sale and adding both the photo exhibitions and Single Shot competition, has given a great insight into not only the amount of organisation that goes into such an event but the reasons why ShAFF is so popular.  It's no accident that the festival has the enviable claim of 100% of visitors would return again. Even with an experienced team and a regular venue the meetings for this year's festival started in July of 2012 and by early January there were upwards of 20 emails a day doing the rounds. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, by the time the weekend itself came around Matt himself and Lissa were freed up to spend time with the film makers and the speakers, chat with the book authors and share a beer with the musicians. The commercial exhibitors were consulted over stand placement and the volunteers were openly thanked and made to feel valued. Where Kendal feels turbo charged and impersonal ShAFF feels relaxed and keeps a community feel that's hard to achieve with an event of this scale. In the past this has been understandable with the difference in size and scale but with the expansion into the Workstation and the stunning CityScape amphitheatre ShAFF has moved into the same league but still retained that friendly touch.

 ShAFF 2013 audience ©Jake Thompson/LWImages

With 80+ films selected from a list of hundreds the organisers proved again that the feedback forms issued each year are taken note of with packed houses at most screenings and additional showings arranged as ticket sales soared. With the whole of the Showroom at the festival's disposal you'd be excused for thinking that ShAFF had gone as far as it could, but the addition of the stunning amphitheatre behind Sheffield railway station and the expansion in the Workstation made all the difference. The Red Bull sponsored Cityscape played host to a pair of films as darkness fell on the Saturday night, bringing 300+ people out to enjoy a world premiere in a unique opeen-air setting. Meanwhile the Workstation gave a new home to the annual kit sale while also hosting both the commercial exhibitors and photo exhibitions along with overflow theatres for extra screenings.

Alex Ekins photo exhibition in the Workstation © MyOutdoors

Whether it's the Sheffield connection or the growing reputation of ShAFF the weekend always brings out the stars of the outdoor world and for some reason they're always more approachable at Sheffield. Whether it was Lukasz Warzecha or Alex Ekins with their amazing photographic exhibitions or Pete Whittaker or Nick Bullock with their inspiring talks the stars always seemed to have a smile on their faces and time for the inevitable barrage of questions and requests. With around 800 visitors in the lead up to the weekend and a further 2500 through the doors bewteen Friday and Sunday nights the photo exhibitions were a fantastic new addition to the festival, complementing the film programme and helping make the Workstation and Showroom feel like a single venue. With Lukasz giving a talk and showing films and Wide Boyz not only on show but scooping multiple prizes, the two top-name exhibitions added to the screenings in a way we've not seen at any other festival. Upstairs the five exhibiting photographers helped bring the venue to life and brought admiring comments and more than a few sales from the stream of visitors. In its new home the kit sale also broke all records and at last the message of reuse before recycling seemed to be getting through with buyers on one day returning the next with unused kit for sale from their own wardrobes.

ShAFF Kit Sale and photo exhibitions in the Workstation © MyOutdoors

While films dominate at ShAFF the festival has grown to be far more than just a series of screenings. The link up with CWIF for the climbing competition over the same weekend is established and works well with visitors going between the two events on a regular basis and live screening of the action in the Workstation. The live music has gained a reputation as a highlight in its own right, packing the Showroom beyond "standing room" only and with the dedicated children's activities in the Creative Lounge ShAFF has organically grown its own "something for everyone" feel. The addition of a bar and layout of the stands downstairs at the Workstation gave an alternative to the sometimes overcrowded bar in the Showroom, relieving the pressure ever growing ticket sales inevitably impose and proving a great meeting place throughout the weekend.

ShAFF 2013 Workstation ©Jake Thompson/LWImages

Last year ShAFF was good, this year it was in a totally different league. You expect great films, it's in the name, but with the takeover of the Workstation and the addition of the open-air cinema it achieved the kind of feel you get at Kendal that this is something BIG, feeling as though the whole city centre is ShAFF. Unlike the stressed out faces you see at some festivals as queues fight to get through sardine packed foyers the faces at Sheffield are more relaxed, the screenings timed to allow unhurried breaks and time to move from screen to screen and somehow life feeling a little slower and more friendly. ShAFF is social but in a different way to Kendal. Where Kendal is the place to be seen at ShAFF is the the film festival to be at.

Note: This article was restored from the archives. It's published creation date is inaccurate.