End of the Road Festival 2013 Parent Review

IMG_8037

Parent Review by Lisa Rabone

We’ve been attending festivals with our children for the past seven years, so it takes a lot for them to be genuinely entranced by what is on offer. But End of the Road is entrancing, magical, relaxed and effortlessly cool at the same time. Read more…

Bewilderwood 2013 Review

The Curious Treehouse Adventure

I’ve bumped in to a number of the Twiggle Team over the course of the summer as they were out on tour with their marquee of wonder at various events. They were a godsend at Latitude in family camping where we spent every morning before going into the main arena and were extremely supportive of me and my family when I injured my knee in their marquee on the last day of the festival. They also made Eila’s day at North Norfolk Food Festival as she thought she was back at Latitude!

Twiggle House in the tree.
Twiggle House in the tree.

Read more…

Real Halloween 2013 Review

26th & 27th October 2013

Holt Hall, Norfolk.

So it was back to Holt Hall for the magical Real Halloween run by the Fairyland Trust charity. This year Eila and I left Daddy and Evan at home and took fellow FK mum Heather and her son Noah, 3.

We arrived at 11am on the Sunday (due to the clock changes the timing is different on Sunday) so were there from the off. A short queue and we were in. There were musicians entertaining the crowd on the way in which really set the mood for me: a fun, chilled day was waiting for us.
Read more…

Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival 2013 Review

27th September-13th October

photo 6These days many music festivals have a “foodie” section. Camp Bestival has a farmers market, Young British Foodies and the River Cottage chefs with their wonderful workshops and gorgeous food. CarFest has dedicated marquees with local producers, Wilderness has chefs such as Valentine Warner doing cooking demos and this year Latitude had Gizzi Erskine hosting a cookery caberet stage where there were chefs such as Neil Rankin, Carl Clarke and Jack Stein doing demonstrations.

Music and food go together and at Aldeburgh food and drink festival, held within the beautiful setting of Snape Maltings where many music events take place they marry the two with a strong emphasis on the best food and drink that the county offers. Read more…

Big Fish Little Fish 2013 Review

As the weather gets colder even festival kids need to head indoors sometimes. Which leads me to the subject of ‘soft play’. The very mention of which induces a panic attack in someone like me – a festival-loving, easy going, more hands off parent.

The last time I went to soft play I was shouted at by a stressed out mother for the crime of sitting in an empty chair (which was hers, apparently, although I didn’t see a name on it). I was forced to crawl through tiny tunnels of sweaty, sick covered plastic in order to rescue one of my crying toddlers who’d yet to learn that getting down from somewhere is a lot tougher than climbing up. At that point I was dirty-looked by another mother who was coddling her (presumably only) child for apparently ‘abandoning’ my poor distressed baby.

Ah yes soft play. I would rather cut off my own feet with a pair of child proof scissors. Read more…

Lakefest 2013 Review

hearts for Lakefest 2013

From the very first moment I was offered a weekend at Lakefest in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, I just knew we were in for a treat!

Beautiful surroundings, awesome music lineup, fab festi-fun activities for the kids and a lake with watersports thrown in… Who could want for more?! Oh, and erm… how about sunshine everyday?… and a lovely little chalet for four?!!

Perfect!!

Read more…

Festival Kidz Awards 2013

Announcing the first ever Festival Kidz Gold and Silver Awards!

Festival Kidz is run by parents for parents. We want to be able to recommend the best festivals for people to take their children to.

Voting is now closed – see the winners!

Read more…

LolliBop 2013 Parent Review

Lollibop 2013

LolliBop 2013 – Parent Review

Review and pictures by Karon Bell

My boy ‘LOLLIBOP’s extra special birthday treat!!!

My little cutey couldn’t control his excitement when told of his extra special birthday treat:  we were the lucky owners of 5 VIP tickets to the LolliBop Festival, Sunday 18th August 2013 courtesy of Festival Kidz!

Read more…

Shambala 2013 Review

Shambala 2013

SHHHHambala! The secret’s out…

One of the more exciting but less well known festivals in the UK is gaining fans year on year. This year it sold out weeks in advance, and I would advise anyone wanting to go next year to get tickets early.

I only hope that it doesn’t grow any larger because this year it was the perfect size to create a fantastic atmosphere without feeling too crowded.

Read more…

Willowman 2013 Parent Review

    Willowman-2013-(c)Joanne-Murphy-07 Parent Review: Willowman Festival 2013

Review and pictures by Joanne Murphy

Willowman was carefully chosen as one of our festivals for 2013 based on its fantastic value for money (£50 per adult for 4 days and the 2 year old went free) location, line up, and last but most definitely not least… the kids’ activities on offer in Willow Wonderland.

We set off very excited and hopeful  we’d have a lovely balanced weekend with something for everyone.

Read more…

End of the Road Festival 2013 Parent Review

IMG_8037

Parent Review by Lisa Rabone

We’ve been attending festivals with our children for the past seven years, so it takes a lot for them to be genuinely entranced by what is on offer. But End of the Road is entrancing, magical, relaxed and effortlessly cool at the same time. Read more…

Real Halloween 2013 Review

26th & 27th October 2013

Holt Hall, Norfolk.

So it was back to Holt Hall for the magical Real Halloween run by the Fairyland Trust charity. This year Eila and I left Daddy and Evan at home and took fellow FK mum Heather and her son Noah, 3.

We arrived at 11am on the Sunday (due to the clock changes the timing is different on Sunday) so were there from the off. A short queue and we were in. There were musicians entertaining the crowd on the way in which really set the mood for me: a fun, chilled day was waiting for us.
Read more…

Big Fish Little Fish 2013 Review

As the weather gets colder even festival kids need to head indoors sometimes. Which leads me to the subject of ‘soft play’. The very mention of which induces a panic attack in someone like me – a festival-loving, easy going, more hands off parent.

The last time I went to soft play I was shouted at by a stressed out mother for the crime of sitting in an empty chair (which was hers, apparently, although I didn’t see a name on it). I was forced to crawl through tiny tunnels of sweaty, sick covered plastic in order to rescue one of my crying toddlers who’d yet to learn that getting down from somewhere is a lot tougher than climbing up. At that point I was dirty-looked by another mother who was coddling her (presumably only) child for apparently ‘abandoning’ my poor distressed baby.

Ah yes soft play. I would rather cut off my own feet with a pair of child proof scissors. Read more…

Festival Kidz Awards 2013

Announcing the first ever Festival Kidz Gold and Silver Awards!

Festival Kidz is run by parents for parents. We want to be able to recommend the best festivals for people to take their children to.

Voting is now closed – see the winners!

Read more…

Shambala 2013 Review

Shambala 2013

SHHHHambala! The secret’s out…

One of the more exciting but less well known festivals in the UK is gaining fans year on year. This year it sold out weeks in advance, and I would advise anyone wanting to go next year to get tickets early.

I only hope that it doesn’t grow any larger because this year it was the perfect size to create a fantastic atmosphere without feeling too crowded.

Read more…

Bewilderwood 2013 Review

The Curious Treehouse Adventure

I’ve bumped in to a number of the Twiggle Team over the course of the summer as they were out on tour with their marquee of wonder at various events. They were a godsend at Latitude in family camping where we spent every morning before going into the main arena and were extremely supportive of me and my family when I injured my knee in their marquee on the last day of the festival. They also made Eila’s day at North Norfolk Food Festival as she thought she was back at Latitude!

Twiggle House in the tree.
Twiggle House in the tree.

Read more…

Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival 2013 Review

27th September-13th October

photo 6These days many music festivals have a “foodie” section. Camp Bestival has a farmers market, Young British Foodies and the River Cottage chefs with their wonderful workshops and gorgeous food. CarFest has dedicated marquees with local producers, Wilderness has chefs such as Valentine Warner doing cooking demos and this year Latitude had Gizzi Erskine hosting a cookery caberet stage where there were chefs such as Neil Rankin, Carl Clarke and Jack Stein doing demonstrations.

Music and food go together and at Aldeburgh food and drink festival, held within the beautiful setting of Snape Maltings where many music events take place they marry the two with a strong emphasis on the best food and drink that the county offers. Read more…

Lakefest 2013 Review

hearts for Lakefest 2013

From the very first moment I was offered a weekend at Lakefest in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, I just knew we were in for a treat!

Beautiful surroundings, awesome music lineup, fab festi-fun activities for the kids and a lake with watersports thrown in… Who could want for more?! Oh, and erm… how about sunshine everyday?… and a lovely little chalet for four?!!

Perfect!!

Read more…

LolliBop 2013 Parent Review

Lollibop 2013

LolliBop 2013 – Parent Review

Review and pictures by Karon Bell

My boy ‘LOLLIBOP’s extra special birthday treat!!!

My little cutey couldn’t control his excitement when told of his extra special birthday treat:  we were the lucky owners of 5 VIP tickets to the LolliBop Festival, Sunday 18th August 2013 courtesy of Festival Kidz!

Read more…

Willowman 2013 Parent Review

    Willowman-2013-(c)Joanne-Murphy-07 Parent Review: Willowman Festival 2013

Review and pictures by Joanne Murphy

Willowman was carefully chosen as one of our festivals for 2013 based on its fantastic value for money (£50 per adult for 4 days and the 2 year old went free) location, line up, and last but most definitely not least… the kids’ activities on offer in Willow Wonderland.

We set off very excited and hopeful  we’d have a lovely balanced weekend with something for everyone.

Read more…