The Green Gathering 2014 Review

31st July – 3rd August 2014

Review by Tim Kaye accompanied by Caroline Gilbert and Hazel (4) and Gwilym (2)

Ready for bedI don’t think we have ever been to a festival that is as welcoming and warm as it is at this one. The organisers have tried to make a community feel to the gathering and this was certainly in evidence.

Although I wouldn’t like to start off on a negative note that’s the situation we were plunged into on Thursday afternoon trying to get into the festival. It’s a bit of an odd set up when you arrive; you wait in your vehicle in a ‘holding area’ before moving onto to the box office area to drop all your kit off and collect your wrist bands before parking up again. Since we have a trolley we decided to plod over from the car park with all our kit before queuing for our bands. Unfortunately that queue was quite substantial, we overheard one little boy ask his mum ‘Is the Green Gathering one big queue?’ but after quite some time got our treasured bands… We could finally join the world of magic and adventure up the long track beyond. We got split up at one point but with help from the loveliest stewards, info tent and the guys from Assisted Camping we eventually got reunited – just one of many examples of the genuine friendliness of the Green Gathering.

Read more…

Chilled in a Field 2014 Review

CIAF 2014 - 59It’s easy to define what makes a good festival (organisation, facilities, activities and entertainment) but much harder to define what makes an exceptional one.

It’s just something about the atmosphere, the mix of people and the imagination of its creators. You get this right and you see magic happen, and that’s what Chilled in a Field manages to do every year.

I believe the main reason for this is because it is currently a non profit venture and run purely for the love of it – much like Festival Kidz in fact!

Read more…

BoomTown 2014 Review

7-11th August 2014

One CRAZY pop-up city!

Review by Sarah, Jeff, Ash (aged 15) and Poppy (aged 8)

We drove from Brighton on Thursday the 7th excited and looking forward to our very first Boomtown Fair experience with our two children Ash (15) and Poppy (8). The sun shone, radio played and we set off. Winchester here we come. The festival is set in the beautiful surroundings of the Matterley Bowl.

Read more…

Wilderness 2014 Review

wilderness17th to 10th August 2014

Sit back, relax, and savour the delights of a quintessentially English weekend.

Don’t mind if I do!

We have been to a lot of festivals as a family and Wilderness has certainly topped the most idyllic setting for us.

Just gorgeous. You can’t help but relax.

Read more…

Little Monsters Bash Review

9th August 2014

Reviewed by Catherine Prescott and her family

A Fun Day Out for our Little Monsters

Read more…

Lollibop 2014 Review

image

August 15-17 2014

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
I’ve always been intrigued about Lollibop and its ambition to be the “big bash for little people”. But having been held in London for the last few years I’ve been put off from travelling down and negotiating the Underground with small people, so was pretty happy to see that the new venue was in the grounds of Hatfield House. As my husband had a prior commitment my dad came with me and Evan stayed with my mum for the day.
Read more…

Nozstock 2014 Review

IMG_20140810_213254

Friday 1st August – 3rd August – Nozstock the Hidden Valley 

It was a short but incredibly fun packed day for us at Nozstock this year. We only managed to get to the hidden valley full of dinosaurs and cave folk for the day this year but still had a brilliant time. Keeping myself and Dylan company was my sister in law and my niece, both experienced festival ladies who jumped at the chance of spending the day with us.

Arrival to Nozstock is simply and painless. Lots of stewards to guide you into parking and the entrance onto sight was quick and queue free when we arrived. As we were not camping we did not have all the kit to carry but did hear about a horse and cart service for carrying kit onto site for people, quite a novel way to help with all your kit if you needed it. Although we did not camp I did look at the family camping area and it looked to have plenty of space and far enough away to have some peace at night if needed with children. The general camping does have a lot of younger people in it and I think at night could get quite hectic so I would recommend only camping in the family area.
Read more…

Camp Bestival 2014 Review

31st July- 3rd August

Luworth Castle, Dorset.

For many festival goers Glastonbury is their spiritual home, but for me and my daughter it is Camp Bestival.

It was our second visit to Camp Bestival, set in the amazingly beautiful setting of Lulworth Castle, Dorset. First time was our first festival with our daughter and I was pregnant, this time was very different with the children being of the age where they could immerse themselves in things much more.

Read more…

Starry Skies 2014 Review

Rope swingReviewed by Romany and her family.

When you go to as many festivals as I do, it can become a bit of a chore. For me, it’s work – I spend my time wandering the arena with a critical eye, ready to report back on what it offers for families, always being aware of my ‘job’…  Unfortunately I forgot to ‘work’ at Starry Skies! I was so busy having a good time, enjoying and immersing myself in all it offered that I thought I was on holiday!!  In a way – that says it all.

When we were invited to review Starry Skies I had to do a lot of persuading to get my husband to agree to come. In fact, despite the masses of activities described on the website, even the kids seemed unenthusiastic. Having done 4 weekend festivals in the last 6 weeks was clearly taking its toll.

But persuade them I did, so as soon as school broke up on the Wednesday we loaded the car and set off for Herefordshire.  Read more…

Larmer Tree Festival 2014 Review

Larmer Tree Festival 2014: 16th-20th July 2014

Review by Amy Battle and 3 children, aged between 9 and 12.

There comes a moment at any Festival where the adults want to collapse/drink beer/listen to their type of music/visit their inner hippie and the kids don’t. The younger generation wants to roam and wade in mud and buzz around doing their own thing in their own time. And it’s just this balance that the Larmer Tree Festival has cracked.  There’s something for everyone and then there still is somewhere to sit and chill when you just don’t want to be doing any stuff at all.
Read more…

The Green Gathering 2014 Review

31st July – 3rd August 2014

Review by Tim Kaye accompanied by Caroline Gilbert and Hazel (4) and Gwilym (2)

Ready for bedI don’t think we have ever been to a festival that is as welcoming and warm as it is at this one. The organisers have tried to make a community feel to the gathering and this was certainly in evidence.

Although I wouldn’t like to start off on a negative note that’s the situation we were plunged into on Thursday afternoon trying to get into the festival. It’s a bit of an odd set up when you arrive; you wait in your vehicle in a ‘holding area’ before moving onto to the box office area to drop all your kit off and collect your wrist bands before parking up again. Since we have a trolley we decided to plod over from the car park with all our kit before queuing for our bands. Unfortunately that queue was quite substantial, we overheard one little boy ask his mum ‘Is the Green Gathering one big queue?’ but after quite some time got our treasured bands… We could finally join the world of magic and adventure up the long track beyond. We got split up at one point but with help from the loveliest stewards, info tent and the guys from Assisted Camping we eventually got reunited – just one of many examples of the genuine friendliness of the Green Gathering.

Read more…

BoomTown 2014 Review

7-11th August 2014

One CRAZY pop-up city!

Review by Sarah, Jeff, Ash (aged 15) and Poppy (aged 8)

We drove from Brighton on Thursday the 7th excited and looking forward to our very first Boomtown Fair experience with our two children Ash (15) and Poppy (8). The sun shone, radio played and we set off. Winchester here we come. The festival is set in the beautiful surroundings of the Matterley Bowl.

Read more…

Little Monsters Bash Review

9th August 2014

Reviewed by Catherine Prescott and her family

A Fun Day Out for our Little Monsters

Read more…

Nozstock 2014 Review

IMG_20140810_213254

Friday 1st August – 3rd August – Nozstock the Hidden Valley 

It was a short but incredibly fun packed day for us at Nozstock this year. We only managed to get to the hidden valley full of dinosaurs and cave folk for the day this year but still had a brilliant time. Keeping myself and Dylan company was my sister in law and my niece, both experienced festival ladies who jumped at the chance of spending the day with us.

Arrival to Nozstock is simply and painless. Lots of stewards to guide you into parking and the entrance onto sight was quick and queue free when we arrived. As we were not camping we did not have all the kit to carry but did hear about a horse and cart service for carrying kit onto site for people, quite a novel way to help with all your kit if you needed it. Although we did not camp I did look at the family camping area and it looked to have plenty of space and far enough away to have some peace at night if needed with children. The general camping does have a lot of younger people in it and I think at night could get quite hectic so I would recommend only camping in the family area.
Read more…

Starry Skies 2014 Review

Rope swingReviewed by Romany and her family.

When you go to as many festivals as I do, it can become a bit of a chore. For me, it’s work – I spend my time wandering the arena with a critical eye, ready to report back on what it offers for families, always being aware of my ‘job’…  Unfortunately I forgot to ‘work’ at Starry Skies! I was so busy having a good time, enjoying and immersing myself in all it offered that I thought I was on holiday!!  In a way – that says it all.

When we were invited to review Starry Skies I had to do a lot of persuading to get my husband to agree to come. In fact, despite the masses of activities described on the website, even the kids seemed unenthusiastic. Having done 4 weekend festivals in the last 6 weeks was clearly taking its toll.

But persuade them I did, so as soon as school broke up on the Wednesday we loaded the car and set off for Herefordshire.  Read more…

Chilled in a Field 2014 Review

CIAF 2014 - 59It’s easy to define what makes a good festival (organisation, facilities, activities and entertainment) but much harder to define what makes an exceptional one.

It’s just something about the atmosphere, the mix of people and the imagination of its creators. You get this right and you see magic happen, and that’s what Chilled in a Field manages to do every year.

I believe the main reason for this is because it is currently a non profit venture and run purely for the love of it – much like Festival Kidz in fact!

Read more…

Wilderness 2014 Review

wilderness17th to 10th August 2014

Sit back, relax, and savour the delights of a quintessentially English weekend.

Don’t mind if I do!

We have been to a lot of festivals as a family and Wilderness has certainly topped the most idyllic setting for us.

Just gorgeous. You can’t help but relax.

Read more…

Lollibop 2014 Review

image

August 15-17 2014

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
I’ve always been intrigued about Lollibop and its ambition to be the “big bash for little people”. But having been held in London for the last few years I’ve been put off from travelling down and negotiating the Underground with small people, so was pretty happy to see that the new venue was in the grounds of Hatfield House. As my husband had a prior commitment my dad came with me and Evan stayed with my mum for the day.
Read more…

Camp Bestival 2014 Review

31st July- 3rd August

Luworth Castle, Dorset.

For many festival goers Glastonbury is their spiritual home, but for me and my daughter it is Camp Bestival.

It was our second visit to Camp Bestival, set in the amazingly beautiful setting of Lulworth Castle, Dorset. First time was our first festival with our daughter and I was pregnant, this time was very different with the children being of the age where they could immerse themselves in things much more.

Read more…

Larmer Tree Festival 2014 Review

Larmer Tree Festival 2014: 16th-20th July 2014

Review by Amy Battle and 3 children, aged between 9 and 12.

There comes a moment at any Festival where the adults want to collapse/drink beer/listen to their type of music/visit their inner hippie and the kids don’t. The younger generation wants to roam and wade in mud and buzz around doing their own thing in their own time. And it’s just this balance that the Larmer Tree Festival has cracked.  There’s something for everyone and then there still is somewhere to sit and chill when you just don’t want to be doing any stuff at all.
Read more…