Festival season is upon us and if you haven’t booked early to nab those Early Bird discounts, or have no idea which festivals are good for kids, then here is our yearly guide to help you find the festival for your family.
The festivals for families, or that offer family friendly fun, are getting cooler and cooler every year. There is so much to choose from that I wish you the best of luck in making your decision.
Lollibop
The first of these, the one that I am particularly impressed with, is the Lollibop Festival that is completely and utterly and totally about the kids. It’s called the big bash for little people and will be held at Regent’s Park on 5, 6, and 7th of August 2011.
The line-up includes Rastamouse and da Easy Crew, Zingzillas, Charlie and Lola, Horrible Histories, Roald Dahl, Waybuloo, DJ Dick & Dom, Peppa Pig and loads more. You will also find an Enchanted Forest, Imagination Stations, a craft market, special areas for tiny tots and babies, food stalls and even LolliSports.
Camp Bestival
This is one festival that will really knock your socks off! Held on 28,29,30 and 31 July at Lulworth Castle in Dorset, this festival has a programme of events designed to make your drool with delight. This year you’ll find acts like Blondie, Mark Ronson, Mr Tumble, Miss Dynamite, Labrinth, House of Pain and loads more.
They have a garden for the kids and a circus field, loads of arts and crafts for kids, a fairground and loads more. You can even have a professional babysitting service watch the kids while you relax with one of the main acts.
Vintage at Goodwood
Now I hadn’t heard of this before and then some online research threw this up as a family friendly festival option and I was coloured impressed. What you have here is a festival that highlights the vintage and the wonderful, offering music, fashion, film, art and design into the mix. It is eclectic and beautiful, and a definite must for any crafty types out there.
If you have a hankering for the 50s and the 60s, want to boogie on down to roller disco or wail away with some soul, then this is the party for you. They even have 80s inspired toys like Space Hoppers for kids to enjoy, old toys used by kids from the 50s and 60s, and loads more. With baby sitting on offer you may even find yourself throwing some shapes on the dance floor.
WOMAD
Running from 29-31 July in Wiltshire, WOMAD is a stunning place to take the kids. With plenty of activities and crafts, children are encouraged to make amazing works of art with artists from across the world. And, at the end of the festival, they take their hard work into the final celebratory procession and carry them with pride. It is a stunning event that offers parents and kids a wonderful opportunity to relax, have fun, and make something special.
I am rather taken with the Human Library – which looks genius – and the WOMAD Spa. Who doesn’t like getting pampered while on a holiday? WOMAD offers up a very relaxed and easy going atmosphere and you’ll find yourself happily making friends with other families while you amble around the plentiful activities on offer.
Underage Festival
This festival is only for teens and you, dear parent, are not allowed to come. Kids get to escape their parents (and you get to escape your kids, grin) for a day. Fantastic bands like Devli N, Dutch Uncles, Encore, Bombay Bicycle and Brother head up the acts and kids are allowed to roam free.
The Underage Festival takes place on August 05 at Victoria Park in London and runs from 11am to 8pm with tickets costing £31.50. It isn’t a huge expense and the kids will thank you for it, boy will they thank you for it.
Latitude
Based in Suffolk, Latitude is a small scale festival that is also very much about families and kids. They have an excellent line-up for children of all ages including wildlife trails, hunts, crafts, toys, drumming and parades. Parents can relax with their kids in the Parent & Baby Chillout Tent and the Baby and Toddler Tent has bounce and rock sessions.
You can get Family Camping tickets that pop you in an area free from mad young humans without kids and that has a ton of facilities just for the family festival goer. The tickets are reasonably priced for a three-day event and there are still several available.
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