Today I am happy to welcome the lovely Karen from That Lancashire Lass, mum of 3 boys blogging about days out, toy reviews and fun adventures with her family. Today she is going to chat yo you all about her Top 5 UK based family festivals, a subject I admit to knowing nothing about at the moment! Dude is only 9 months now so I have yet to experience anything like this, plus I don’t camp…sooo. Over to the expert and I hope you find a new festival to test out with your little ones.
We love going to festivals as a family. We’ve been to quite a few over the last couple of years and want to try lots more in the coming years too. We love smaller festivals, where the children can truly experience that laid back festival aura and yet not be overwhelmed by the sheer madness of it all. We’re nature lovers too so anything based in woodland, to do with bushcraft or foraging gets the thumbs up from us. We look for festivals that cater for all of us, right down to the baby and the dog.
From the ones we have been to and the ones we’re planning on going to, here are our top five alternative family friendly festivals held in the UK.
The Good Life Experience
We went to TGLE for the first time in 2016 and had a properly fantastic time. The whole event has such a feel-good vibe, everyone is cheerful and the entire set up is so laid back, yet so very well organised.
It’s the kind of place where you feel welcome as soon as you arrive. TGLE isn’t a massive festival and nor is it every likely to be, because the organisers seem to go out of their way to make it more about quality than quantity. Live music, excellent food and workshops were dotted about everywhere on the site at Hawarden Estate in Wales. An excellent weekend and one we are returning to again this year.
15th – 17th September
https://www.thegoodlifeexperience.co.uk/
Just So
Just So is a festival we haven’t been to yet but are attending this year. It’s a wonderful mixture of art, music and literature all bundled up and presented in the most amazing setting. Hugely family focused, Just So is a festival I’ve wanted to try ever since I heard of it – hopefully it will meet all of my expectations!
18th – 20th August
http://www.justsofestival.org.uk/
Hedge-U-Cation
Hedge-U-Cation isn’t technically a festival, but I think it deserves its place on this list anyway. It began as a week-long family camp in Devon, run by a not-for-profit organisation. Hedge-U-Cation provide workshops and education camps for young people and adults during one week in May, and from 2017 they are also running a weekender too. Based in Shropshire in August, families can enjoy three days of green woodworking and workshops, horse activities, healing, performance and music-making, felting, copper smithing, circus and more.
18th – 20th August
http://hedgeucation.org/hedge-u-cation-family-camp-august-weekender-2017/
Cloudspotting
Cloudspotting is a festival my husband and son stumbled across last year while out walking in the forest. Held in Gisburn Forest, Lancashire, it is a celebration of live music and family arts, with the addition of excellent regional food and drink to boot. Family theatre, early years activities and a teenage hideaway mean there is something for everyone to enjoy.
28th – 30th July
http://www.cloudspotting-festival.co.uk/
Wychwood Festival
This is a festival I fancy having a look at but haven’t yet been able to juggle it, time-wise. Wychwood is billed as being ‘the UK’s premier family festival’ and offers over 100 artists across 4 stages with a deep breath of music styles, as well as over 100 workshops for all ages, a comedy stage, a kids literature festival, a real ale festival, The Headphone Disco every night, great food, optional idyllic camping plus loads more. Held at Cheltenham Racecourse.
2nd – 4th June
http://wychwoodfestival.com/
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