For 51 weeks of the year, Hill Farm is a typical corner of Oxfordshire, remarkable only for its cattle, wheat and barley, and the grand old trees which stand sentinel over its gently rolling acres.

But for one weekend the scene is transformed – with thousands of music-lovers and more than 150 bands and artists descending on farmer Alan Binning’s 500 acres of pasture and arable land, on the edge of Steventon, for one of the country’s freshest and best-loved festivals –Truck.

This will be the 17th instalment of the festival, which was set up by musician brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, who lived in the village, as a way of celebrating Robin’s birthday.

Since then it has been transformed from a gathering of largely local bands using the flat bed of a truck as a stage, into one of the county’s largest music events.

And, says organiser Ralph Broadbent, it’s about to get even bigger.

“This is the largest yet,” he said, talking from the site – which is rapidly being transformed with tents, stages and lights. “We are selling 2,000 more tickets – taking us up to 6,000 people. And with more budget to play around with, there’ll be bigger bands, more things going on and more variety. It’s the biggest line-up ever with an amazing range of bands.” The two-day event, which starts on Friday, will be headlined by indie-rockers The Charlatans and electronic-dance act Basement Jaxx. They will be joined by an eclectic line-up including Clean Bandit, Temples, Augustines, Public Service Broadcasting, Darwin Deez, New Order’s Peter Hook, Ghostpoet and Lucy Rose.

New and largely local talent comes in the shape of Maiians, Polly & The Billets Doux Balloon Ascents, Little Brother ELi, Rainbow Reservoir, Will Joseph Cook, Orange Vision, Death of Hi Fi, and Truck veterans Piney Gir, The Epstein, The Loose Salute, Co – Pilgrim, Alphabet Backwards, Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou, Flowers Of Hell, Shape and Decovo.

Also playing will be festival-founders Robin and Joe Bennett’s band The Dreaming Spires. The pair will also be making appearances throughout the weekend with other bands. “I’m really looking forward to it,” said Ralph. Among the quirkier offerings are a bar themed as a Wild West saloon, a paint fight, and a Christmas grotto hosting a programme of rock music. “I love the saloon,” says Ralph. “The grotto will also be a nice surprise for people,” says Ralph. “It will be cool. I hope people bring their cheesy Christmas jumpers!”

He added: “Truck has really got the wind in its sails at the moment. We have got lots of new ideas and it’s going to get bigger and bigger. I hope to go to 10,000 next year.”

But he assured fans the festival would not lose its independent spirit. “We are not planning to go down the corporate route,” he said. “It is never going to be a major festival, with 40,000 people, and our independent identity is really important to us, and that comes across in our passion and planning – and into making sure everyone enjoys themselves. Truck couldn’t get further from the corporate world. Ultimately all we care about is our customers having a good time.”

* Truck is at Hill Farm, Steventon. Tickets at truckfestival.com