Reviews
The good bits, the bad bits; all the fun and frolics of a festival brought to you by Festival Kidz reviews… and don’t forget the mud!
Blissfields 2014 Review
4th-5th July 2014
Blissfields (or ‘the one with the hammocks’ as my eldest calls it) secured its place in our festival calendar last year, with its perfect blend of great music and small friendly vibe. This year it did not disappoint, improving on its facilities and offering even more for families.
Truck Festival 2014 Review
Starting Truck Festival 2014 on the last day of school before the summer holidays was a genius idea. The kids finished early at midday and we made our way straight over to set up camp.
One thing that’s amazing at this festival is you’re allowed to take in your own alcohol. As long as you have no glass, you can take whatever drink you like.
As we made our way through the local village it seemed everyone was making great use of the nearby Co-op to stock up.
Although of course, there was a superb selection of drinks available inside the festival. Roughly £4 would get you a pint of cider/ beer or a glass of wine, and £5 would get you a cocktail at the beach bar – yes a beach bar, with a sand floor and even a surf board! Read more…
Guilfest 2014 Review
Guilfest 18th to 20th July 2014
Great to see Guilfest back for 2014.
Very much a music festival there’s lots of variety with a mix of main stream, rock and punk.
Flummoxed 2014 Review
The Flummoxed Festival was tiny. Teeny weeny tiny. Previously I had thought a festival with under 5000 people was small, but this one had 150 people, including the kids.
So I’m not sure whether the Flummoxed Festival is a festival or not, or just a lovely family friendly camping event with lots of live music and activities added for good measure.
But this was actually what made it a very enjoyable, friendly, relaxing experience and one that my whole family would readily do again next year.
This is a fledgling festival which appears to offer something quite different for families, a bit of a middle ground between staying on a normal camp site and going to a large, noisy festival.
Beverley Folk Festival 2014 Review
20th to 22nd June 2014
Website: www.beverleyfestival.com
Reviewed by Lisa Morris and family
Every small festival calls itself “friendly” but with Beverley Folk Festival they don’t have to apply that label to themselves. Before you even pull off the road to Beverly Racecourse, where the festival is held, you are greeted by the friendliest stewards imaginable. We must have stopped for a quick chat three times on the way to our campsite parking space. The campsite itself was on ancient pasture land (hayfever sufferers beware!) and had plenty of space. My husband, our 11 month old daughter and myself headed towards the “quiet” area and parked up. The parking area was right next to the camping field making it very easy to unload and we selected the perfect spot away from other tents who might not appreciate an early morning wake up call from a baby. Our neighbours were a field of sheep and cows who were definitely the noisiest things down this end of the site.
3foot People Festival 2014 Review
24th to 26th June 2014
24th to 26th June 2014Website: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/3foot
Reviewed by Katy Barton and family
3foot people festival is in its 9th year and is the only festival exclusively aimed at under 6s. This one’s not about the big names on the main stage, instead you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of farmyard animals, soft play and puppet shows.
Nibley 2014 Review
Nibley Festival Sat 5th July 2014 – North Nibley, Gloucestershire
Nibley Festival
Reviewed by Anna Waldron and family
Nibley Festival is a one day festival with camping set in the pretty village of North Nibley on the edge of the Cotswolds.
This festival is clearly well supported, appreciated by and benefitting the local people and community groups. As such the marshals are friendly and pleased to welcome you into the festival site. Read more…
Cornbury 2014 Review
Cornbury Music Festival 2014
Review by Ellie Allen and family
“Are we nearly there yet?”
My husband and I, along with our two boys (ages seven and eight) have been looking forward to this festival for weeks! Finally the day arrived and after a busy day at work and school, we were on our way.
We’d been watching the weather forecast all week and for once it was right. Read more…
Lunar Festival 2014 Review
Lunar Festival (6th-8th June 2014)
Umberslade Estate, Tanworth, Warwickshire.
Reviewed by Lisa Morris, husband Joe and 2 children, aged 4 and 9.
Psychedelic, bonkers, imaginative and uplifting! That’s how I would sum up the Lunar Festival.
This is the first year that the Lunar Festival has taken place at Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, although apparently they had a “practice” event a couple of years ago.
As we live close by, my husband was able to go ahead and set up camp and we joined him once school had finished. Our travelling time to the festival was under an hour, much less than usual. This was less tiring for everyone involved and has made me think about the value of attending local events, especially during school term time.
Wychwood 2014 Review
A Lovely 10th Birthday Party
Looking back through past line ups, Wychwood appears very impressive for one of the smaller festivals, and for their tenth birthday celebrations, they pulled out all the stops!
This is definitely an extremely family orientated festival, almost exclusively attended by young families. A massive focal point of the festival was The Parade, which everything stopped for on the Sunday afternoon. The huge kids’ field boasted countless opportunities among the impressive array of various craft activity stalls for making treasures to exhibit in the Sunday Parade, which was a beautiful procession of activity organisers and children – so proud of their achievements.
Read more…
Blissfields 2014 Review
4th-5th July 2014
Blissfields (or ‘the one with the hammocks’ as my eldest calls it) secured its place in our festival calendar last year, with its perfect blend of great music and small friendly vibe. This year it did not disappoint, improving on its facilities and offering even more for families.
Guilfest 2014 Review
Guilfest 18th to 20th July 2014
Great to see Guilfest back for 2014.
Very much a music festival there’s lots of variety with a mix of main stream, rock and punk.
Beverley Folk Festival 2014 Review
20th to 22nd June 2014
Website: www.beverleyfestival.com
Reviewed by Lisa Morris and family
Every small festival calls itself “friendly” but with Beverley Folk Festival they don’t have to apply that label to themselves. Before you even pull off the road to Beverly Racecourse, where the festival is held, you are greeted by the friendliest stewards imaginable. We must have stopped for a quick chat three times on the way to our campsite parking space. The campsite itself was on ancient pasture land (hayfever sufferers beware!) and had plenty of space. My husband, our 11 month old daughter and myself headed towards the “quiet” area and parked up. The parking area was right next to the camping field making it very easy to unload and we selected the perfect spot away from other tents who might not appreciate an early morning wake up call from a baby. Our neighbours were a field of sheep and cows who were definitely the noisiest things down this end of the site.
Nibley 2014 Review
Nibley Festival Sat 5th July 2014 – North Nibley, Gloucestershire
Reviewed by Anna Waldron and family
Nibley Festival is a one day festival with camping set in the pretty village of North Nibley on the edge of the Cotswolds.
This festival is clearly well supported, appreciated by and benefitting the local people and community groups. As such the marshals are friendly and pleased to welcome you into the festival site. Read more…
Lunar Festival 2014 Review
Lunar Festival (6th-8th June 2014)
Umberslade Estate, Tanworth, Warwickshire.
Reviewed by Lisa Morris, husband Joe and 2 children, aged 4 and 9.
Psychedelic, bonkers, imaginative and uplifting! That’s how I would sum up the Lunar Festival.
This is the first year that the Lunar Festival has taken place at Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, although apparently they had a “practice” event a couple of years ago.
As we live close by, my husband was able to go ahead and set up camp and we joined him once school had finished. Our travelling time to the festival was under an hour, much less than usual. This was less tiring for everyone involved and has made me think about the value of attending local events, especially during school term time.
Truck Festival 2014 Review
Starting Truck Festival 2014 on the last day of school before the summer holidays was a genius idea. The kids finished early at midday and we made our way straight over to set up camp.
One thing that’s amazing at this festival is you’re allowed to take in your own alcohol. As long as you have no glass, you can take whatever drink you like.
As we made our way through the local village it seemed everyone was making great use of the nearby Co-op to stock up.
Although of course, there was a superb selection of drinks available inside the festival. Roughly £4 would get you a pint of cider/ beer or a glass of wine, and £5 would get you a cocktail at the beach bar – yes a beach bar, with a sand floor and even a surf board! Read more…
Flummoxed 2014 Review
The Flummoxed Festival was tiny. Teeny weeny tiny. Previously I had thought a festival with under 5000 people was small, but this one had 150 people, including the kids.
So I’m not sure whether the Flummoxed Festival is a festival or not, or just a lovely family friendly camping event with lots of live music and activities added for good measure.
But this was actually what made it a very enjoyable, friendly, relaxing experience and one that my whole family would readily do again next year.
This is a fledgling festival which appears to offer something quite different for families, a bit of a middle ground between staying on a normal camp site and going to a large, noisy festival.
3foot People Festival 2014 Review
24th to 26th June 2014
Website: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/3foot
Reviewed by Katy Barton and family
3foot people festival is in its 9th year and is the only festival exclusively aimed at under 6s. This one’s not about the big names on the main stage, instead you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of farmyard animals, soft play and puppet shows.
Cornbury 2014 Review
Cornbury Music Festival 2014
Review by Ellie Allen and family
“Are we nearly there yet?”
My husband and I, along with our two boys (ages seven and eight) have been looking forward to this festival for weeks! Finally the day arrived and after a busy day at work and school, we were on our way.
We’d been watching the weather forecast all week and for once it was right. Read more…
Wychwood 2014 Review
A Lovely 10th Birthday Party
Looking back through past line ups, Wychwood appears very impressive for one of the smaller festivals, and for their tenth birthday celebrations, they pulled out all the stops!
This is definitely an extremely family orientated festival, almost exclusively attended by young families. A massive focal point of the festival was The Parade, which everything stopped for on the Sunday afternoon. The huge kids’ field boasted countless opportunities among the impressive array of various craft activity stalls for making treasures to exhibit in the Sunday Parade, which was a beautiful procession of activity organisers and children – so proud of their achievements.
Read more…