Bearded Theory 2013 Parent Review

bearded theory 2013Review by Joanne Murphy:

Bearded Theory 2013 was my 2nd ever festival.

Sitting near a river, listening to a waterfall (all very safely fenced off), whilst the kids play under a huge ancient tree, was a million miles away from anything I expected my first Bearded experience to be.

Read more…

Wood Festival 2013 Parent Review

Kids love WOOD and happy kids mean happy parents.

The intimate site feels incredibly safe and our gang of children aged between 7 and 12 were entirely free range for the weekend, returning to us only for food, or a few pounds to spend on gang uniform of hair braids and temporary tattoos. Or to tell us about how they had all been stuck in an incredibly tall tree and couldn’t get down and it was really scary and they were off to do it again! They loved the freedom, the paths through the woods, the woodland play park and we loved the fact that they were able to be an independent little gang. One of many independent little gangs roaming the site all weekend, it was like Lord of the Flies gone good.

Read more…

Kendal Calling 2012 Parent Review

Kendal Calling 2012 reviewed by: Nic, Rob, Lily, and Evan (aged 5 and 7)

Weather: Warm during the day, cold at night, mostly dry.

Setting up and Arriving:  We arrived eagerly at 9am with two very excited children. The queue was enormous, almost like they weren’t expecting any guests! Finally got into site three and a half hours later – the organisation was really bad, not enough gates, not enough stewards.  Read more…

Kaya 2013 Parent Review

This review has been removed at the request of the author.

Fairyland Trust Fairy Fair 2013 Parent Review

How wonderful to wake up to a beautifully sunny day for the 12th Fairy Fair, I just knew it was going to make it even better.  After all this grotty weather we have been having we deserve a bit of sun for festival season don’t we?

Read more…

Land of Kids 2013 Parent Review

Emerging from Dalston Junction station on 6th May into blazing sunshine I had high hopes for our first festival of the summer, Land of Kids, the new children’s festival by the same artistic people that brought us the well-established Land of Kings (an annual music, theatre and arts event). It was an unusually bright and hot sunny bank holiday, perfect festival weather.

Scooter painting!
Scooter painting!

Read more…

Norfolk and Norwich Festival – 2013 Parent Review

Baby Disco Dance Hall, Little Universe and Little Artist: Big Painting

Children’s events held over weekend of 18/19 May 2013 at Norfolk and Norwich Festival

Monski Mouse

We woke up to a bright, sunny day which was great for our adventure to the children’s events that were taking place at Chapelfield Gardens for the Norwich and Norfolk Festival this year.

My daughter and I had been very excited about the Baby Disco Dance Hall event DJed by Monski Mouse.  As there was only one performance a day over this weekend there was great demand so understandably the tickets for this event sold out quickly and as it was inside The Adnams Spiegeltent there was a limit on capacity.

Read more…

The Real Halloween (Fairyland Trust) Parent Review

Who said the festival season ends in September? The Fairyland Trust‘s second jaunt of the year, The Real Halloween was held once again in the beautiful surroundings of Holt Hall, North Norfolk.

The Real Halloween celebrates the magic of Halloween and late Autumn, without the plastic, the horror and the trick or treating and is designed to enchant and not to scare. Read more…

Shambala 2012 Parent Review

Shambala 2012 reviewed by Momof2MK (with 2 kids aged 10 and 4)

Parking and Setting Up: There was no queue for the car park, it was well signposted and the postcode (satnav) on the ticket info actually took us to the right field. We had to park very far from where we were camping as we were with friends who were in a camper which was the other side of the site, this could have been better explained as we would happily have paid the extra to have our car closer if we had known.  Read more…

Jersey Live 2012 Review

Jersey Live 2012
Jersey Live 2012

You may recall my piece on ‘destination’ festivals earlier in the year, with thoughts on combining a family holiday with a festival – well we bit the bullet and did it!  Read more…

Bearded Theory 2013 Parent Review

bearded theory 2013Review by Joanne Murphy:

Bearded Theory 2013 was my 2nd ever festival.

Sitting near a river, listening to a waterfall (all very safely fenced off), whilst the kids play under a huge ancient tree, was a million miles away from anything I expected my first Bearded experience to be.

Read more…

Kendal Calling 2012 Parent Review

Kendal Calling 2012 reviewed by: Nic, Rob, Lily, and Evan (aged 5 and 7)

Weather: Warm during the day, cold at night, mostly dry.

Setting up and Arriving:  We arrived eagerly at 9am with two very excited children. The queue was enormous, almost like they weren’t expecting any guests! Finally got into site three and a half hours later – the organisation was really bad, not enough gates, not enough stewards.  Read more…

Fairyland Trust Fairy Fair 2013 Parent Review

How wonderful to wake up to a beautifully sunny day for the 12th Fairy Fair, I just knew it was going to make it even better.  After all this grotty weather we have been having we deserve a bit of sun for festival season don’t we?

Read more…

Norfolk and Norwich Festival – 2013 Parent Review

Baby Disco Dance Hall, Little Universe and Little Artist: Big Painting

Children’s events held over weekend of 18/19 May 2013 at Norfolk and Norwich Festival

Monski Mouse

We woke up to a bright, sunny day which was great for our adventure to the children’s events that were taking place at Chapelfield Gardens for the Norwich and Norfolk Festival this year.

My daughter and I had been very excited about the Baby Disco Dance Hall event DJed by Monski Mouse.  As there was only one performance a day over this weekend there was great demand so understandably the tickets for this event sold out quickly and as it was inside The Adnams Spiegeltent there was a limit on capacity.

Read more…

Shambala 2012 Parent Review

Shambala 2012 reviewed by Momof2MK (with 2 kids aged 10 and 4)

Parking and Setting Up: There was no queue for the car park, it was well signposted and the postcode (satnav) on the ticket info actually took us to the right field. We had to park very far from where we were camping as we were with friends who were in a camper which was the other side of the site, this could have been better explained as we would happily have paid the extra to have our car closer if we had known.  Read more…

Wood Festival 2013 Parent Review

Kids love WOOD and happy kids mean happy parents.

The intimate site feels incredibly safe and our gang of children aged between 7 and 12 were entirely free range for the weekend, returning to us only for food, or a few pounds to spend on gang uniform of hair braids and temporary tattoos. Or to tell us about how they had all been stuck in an incredibly tall tree and couldn’t get down and it was really scary and they were off to do it again! They loved the freedom, the paths through the woods, the woodland play park and we loved the fact that they were able to be an independent little gang. One of many independent little gangs roaming the site all weekend, it was like Lord of the Flies gone good.

Read more…

Kaya 2013 Parent Review

This review has been removed at the request of the author.

Land of Kids 2013 Parent Review

Emerging from Dalston Junction station on 6th May into blazing sunshine I had high hopes for our first festival of the summer, Land of Kids, the new children’s festival by the same artistic people that brought us the well-established Land of Kings (an annual music, theatre and arts event). It was an unusually bright and hot sunny bank holiday, perfect festival weather.

Scooter painting!
Scooter painting!

Read more…

The Real Halloween (Fairyland Trust) Parent Review

Who said the festival season ends in September? The Fairyland Trust‘s second jaunt of the year, The Real Halloween was held once again in the beautiful surroundings of Holt Hall, North Norfolk.

The Real Halloween celebrates the magic of Halloween and late Autumn, without the plastic, the horror and the trick or treating and is designed to enchant and not to scare. Read more…

Jersey Live 2012 Review

Jersey Live 2012
Jersey Live 2012

You may recall my piece on ‘destination’ festivals earlier in the year, with thoughts on combining a family holiday with a festival – well we bit the bullet and did it!  Read more…