The UK Family Friendly Festivals Bucket List

26th July 2017

Summer is here finally, which means festival season is upon us. For the first time ever we are actually going to a couple of family friendly festivals this year and we can’t wait.

Summer is here, which means festival season is upon us - if you fancy having a fun time outdoors, check out this list of family friendly festivals.

We’re going to be going to Gloworm Festival (on behalf of Travelodge) in August, as well as The Big Feastival in the Cotswolds the weekend after! We’re going to be pretty exhausted after that but I really can’t wait. We’ll be camping at The Big Feastival which we’ve never done as a family before, and I’m sure it will make us bloody grumpy the next day but it will still hopefully be fun!

I camped quite a bit as a child but the boy has always been dead against it, as he didn’t grow up with it, but he’s suddenly changed his mind so hopefully it will allow us to have a few more weekends away pretty cheaply. We shall see!

I’ve wanted to go to a family-oriented festival for years now, but it’s never happened. I’ve always wanted to go to Camp Bestival as it looks like so much fun, but these festivals all seem to have so much to see and do for kids. So many of them have lots of things for families to enjoy even if they aren’t predominantly for kids, which is nice.

Here are some of the festivals still to happen this year and the ones I’d love to take my family to:

Camp Bestival – 27-30th July, Lulworth Castle, Dorset

Camp Bestival always looks like brilliant family fun, with music, loads of family entertainment and lovely food. I’d love to see Kate Nash and All Saints, and I’m sure Ava would enjoy Mr Tumble, The Kids’ Cookery Canopy, and the Gigantic Bubble Show! Camp Bestival prides itself on blending kids’ and adults’ experiences through spoken word, live theatre and a diverse musical line-up.

I know loads of bloggers always go every year, and they always seem to have so much fun. The camping options look amazing too! Have a look at this post from Louise at My Gorgeous Boys blog to see what their highlights of Camp Bestival were: Camp Bestival 2017.

The Big Feastival – 25th-27th August, The Cotswolds

This is one of the ones we’re going to and I can’t wait. We are a proper foodie family and The Big Feastival has street food, a cookery school, and most exciting for me – a cheese hub! I really want to take Ava to the Neff Little Kitchen, which allows kids to select fresh ingredients from the allotment and make child-friendly dishes. They’ll get the opportunity to try new foods, get their hands dirty and really get into the food festival spirit, and I think she would love that.

The Big Feastival is hosted by Blur bassist, Alex James on his farm in the Cotswolds, to raise money for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, a charity which teaches essential food skills to help people make choices for a healthier lifestyle.

There will be gourmet food from Rick Stein, Antonio Carluccio and GBBO’s Candice Brown. I can’t wait!

Summer is here, which means festival season is upon us - if you fancy having a fun time outdoors, check out this list of family friendly festivals.

Gloworm Festival – 19th-20th August, Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire

Another that we are going to but not camping at as it is quite close to us at Clumber Park. They say it is the one true family friendly festival, and it looks brilliant. My sister-in-law and her family went last year and they loved it and are coming with us this year, and I know the kids will have such a great time together.

It is a 2 day event especially created for humans and their little people. It launched last year, and was nominated for 4 awards in ‘The UK Festival Awards! It brings music, arts, theatre and entertainment to the East Midlands. The Gloworm festival is aimed at families with children of all ages.

There are fairground rides, White Post Farm will be there with a miniature petting farm, musicians, children’s TV characters as well as games and workshops. I’m really looking forward to this weekend in August.

Just So, 19–21 August, Rode Hall, Cheshire

Just So festival sounds brilliant for kids. Despite being in its eighth year I had never actually heard of it before, but it sounds perfect for families. It is described as ‘an imaginative outdoor family adventure like no other’.

“Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into a wonderland of world class literature, arts, theatre, dance, music, comedy and creative pursuits together. Underpinned by the Tribal Tournament, the most bonkers competition in the land, it takes audiences (from bumps to great grandparents) on a unique expedition of mischief and mayhem, to lands full of magical midnight feasts, curious creatures, raucous pillow fights, hidden retreats, top notch food, drink and boutique camping options and breathtaking beauty.”

Sounds pretty cool doesn’t it?! Have a read of this post from the Yorkshire Tots to Teens blog to find out all about it: Just So Festival Review.

Travelodge have used some fancy schmancy technical wizardry to come up with a pretty cool tool to work out what your family’s festival personality is. And it’s pretty accurate too!

We came out as a family of foodies (quelle surprise) and so the tool suggested that Jimmy’s Festival or The Big Feastival would be perfect for us – and that’s great because it’s Big Feastival that we’re going to!

“Mealtimes bring you and your family together, and you all love nothing more that chowing down on delicious home cooking. Preparing dishes together is another way to have fun as a family, so food plays a big role in the household. This summer, keep everyone’s appetite satisfied at Jimmy’s Festival, where there will be a camp-wide barbecue, chef talks and a sausage eating competition; or at Big Feastival, where there’ll be cookery workshops, a fresh produce market, indulgent banquets and an array of delectable street food.”

I’m excited! Find out what your family’s festival personality is here, and let me know in the comments!

There are loads more family friendly festivals in the UK, some have been and gone already, but there are lots still to come. These are just a few of the ones I’d love to go to one year. If you’ve been to any festivals as a family and can recommend any in particular, then please do let me know!

Travelodge are sending us to Gloworm Festival but all words and opinions are my own. See my full disclosure policy here.

One response to “The UK Family Friendly Festivals Bucket List”

  1. Stuart says:

    Going to Just So this year! You should check out DeerShed too – near York

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