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IF THE word ‘festival’ conjures up visions of misbehaving teenagers sliding around in mud, throwing pints around or overturning portaloos, it’s time to recalibrate.
These days, the UK hosts literally 100s of weekend festivals and an ever-increasing number are family-friendly with dedicated kids areas and a diverse range of activities beyond live music.
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Festivals are simply a great way to unplug and unwind, and an opportunity to bring the family together – and maybe family friends too – in the great outdoors.
Below are 12 of our favourite family-oriented festivals due to be held in the school holidays, in chronological order (tickets are available for all, at the time of writing).
Prices can look expensive, but keep in mind that they include accommodation (okay, a patch in a field for your tent!) and daily entertainment.
If you can afford the extra, most sites have glamping options (yurts, bell tents and suchlike), sometimes with proper beds, and often with access to upgraded showers and even flushing toilets.
There’s also the option of taking a campervan or mobile home, although spots are often snapped up early.
Many festivals offer day tickets, and/or weekend tickets without the camping, and that’s great if you live nearby and want a taster.
But it obviously won’t give you the true, late night/early morning festival experience.
We say: Dive in! Get involved! Just don’t forget your wellies…
(Prices quoted are subject to change. Additional booking fees may apply.)
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Latitude Festival
Where: Henham Park, nr Southwold, Suffolk
When: 25-28 July, 2024
Headliners: Duran Duran, Keane, Kasabian, London Grammar
Prices: £308 (adult); £190 (teen); £28 (child)
Website: www.latitudefestival.com
With an extensive line-up of music, comedy, theatre, dance, circus acts and more, this well-established festival can legitimately claim to be a ‘mini-Glastonbury’.
Latitude is not exclusively aimed at families, but there’s a well-positioned family camping area, and plenty of activities in dedicated areas for kids.
The headliners are blatantly aimed at ‘oldies’ (bill-paying mums and dads), but teenagers will find plenty of cool acts further down the bill, including Caity Baser, Myles Smith and the ace (but unfortunately named) Jockstrap.
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Camp Bestival Dorset
Where: Lulworth Castle, Dorset
When: 25-28 July, 2024
Headliners: McFly, Paloma Faith, Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics
Prices: £232 (adult); £161 (teen); £133 (10-12yo); £113 (5-9yo); £91 (2-4yo)
Website: dorset.campbestival.net
Now in its fifteenth year at Lulworth Castle, Camp Bestival is unashamedly aimed at very young children and party-loving parents, with fancy dress definitely encouraged.
Contemporary and retro pop stars share the bill with instantly recognisable kids’ entertainers such as CBeebies’ Mr Tumble and Mister Maker.
Beyond the main stage there’s a range of free activities, but beware the wallet-hammering fairground rides! This year, all food vendors will offer £6 kids’ portions – a welcome move.
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Womad
Where: Charlton Park Estate, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
When: 25-28 July, 2024
Headliners: Young Fathers, Sampa The Great, Alison Goldfrapp
Prices: £210 (adult); £100 (14-17yo); younger kids free
Website: www.womad.co.uk
World music not really your thing? Well, maybe it’s time to broaden your horizons!
Established by Peter Gabriel and friends way back in 1980, Womad returns to Charlton Park with more than 150 diverse acts playing across six stages.
It’s an extremely child-friendly festival, with a programme of 200+ music and arts workshops, and a dedicated area with climbing walls, rides and more.
What’s more, kids aged 13 and under go absolutely free. Sweet!
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Deer Shed Festival
Where: Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire
When: 26-29 July, 2024
Headliners: The Coral, Bombay Bicycle Club, CMAT
Prices: £189 (adult); £100 (16-17yo); £75 (6-15yo); £50 (4-5yo)
Website: www.deershedfestival.com
Deer Shed’s credible music and comedy line-up has made it popular with the ‘cool kids’ down the years – but there’s plenty here for actual kids to get excited about too.
A science area offers rocket building, retro gaming, virtual reality, music production, a laser maze and more. Meanwhile, sporty types can learn skills such as skateboarding, wrestling or how to play American Football.
There’s a dedicated programme for under 5s, plus crafting, nature workshops, theatre and much more.
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Kendal Calling
Where: Lowther Deer Park, Lake District
When: 1-4 August, 2024
Headliners: Noel Gallagher, The Streets, Paolo Nutini, Paul Heaton
Prices: £199 (adult); £95 (11-15yo); £25 (6-10yo); £10 (5 and under)
Website: www.kendalcalling.co.uk
With a lengthy line-up of music acts and comedians across multiple stages, Kendal Calling is a sizeable festival set in beautiful grounds in the Lake District (but actually some 23 miles from Kendal).
Whilst not solely aimed at families, there’s a dedicated camping site and a ‘Kids Calling’ area for pre-teens, which hosts theatre shows, craft workshops and giant inflatables.
You’ll also find a cinema, a silent disco and an arts trail. A giant parade will take place on the Sunday, with a ‘Take to the high seas’ theme. Pirates ahoy!
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Gone Wild with Bear Grylls (Norfolk)
Where: Holkham Hall, Norfolk
When: 8-11 August, 2024
Headliners: Example, Sam Ryder, McFly
Prices: £205 (adult); £85 (11-17yo); £75 (5-10yo); £40 (2-4yo)
Website: norfolk.gonewildfestival.com
TV survival expert Bear Grylls is bringing his four-day weekender to Norfolk for the first time, with dozens of inclusive activities such as skateboarding, open-water swimming and a challenging commando assault course.
There’s a healthy music-line-up too, and all at a reasonable price – a special family ticket is just £499 for two adults and two kids.
For those willing to slash the cash, premium activities include a quad-bike adventure, a high-ropes course and even sniper shoot coaching. You don’t get that at Glastonbury!
Deva Fest
Where: Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Cheshire
When: 8-11 August, 2024
Headliners: The Human League, Ocean Colour Scene, The Coral
Prices: £170.50 (adult); £79.50 (teen); £63 (5-12)
Website: devafest.co.uk
Set in the picturesque grounds of Cholmondeley Castle, this boutique family festival has a bit of a village fete vibe – and that’s no bad thing.
Kids’ entertainment includes a completely free funfair, circus workshops, science shows and a new field with inflatables, Nerf battles, a water slide and more.
The mostly retro music line-up at Deva Fest is decent given the size, and there’s DJs and comedy on the bill too. This year’s Saturday night fancy dress theme is ‘The 80s’. We’re in!
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Camp Bestival Shropshire
Where: Weston Park, Shropshire
When: 15-18 August, 2024
Headliners: Faithless, Paloma Faith, Rick Astley, McFly
Prices: £210 (adult); £155 (teen); £128 (10-12yo); £108 (5-9yo); £85 (2-4yo)
Website: shropshire.campbestival.net
The sister event of Camp Bestival Devon (see above) is now in its third year at the old V Festival site, on the Staffordshire/Shropshire borders.
It offers the same proven mix of live acts aimed at the old and very young (in fact, the line-up here is arguably better) and family activities.
Weston Park has a few neat permanent features including a miniature railway, a playground and a lake which hosts wild swimming, kayaking… and mermaid lessons!
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Camp Kindling
Where: Heritage Pine Forest, Sevenoaks, Kent
When: 16-19 August, 2024
Headliners: TBA
Prices: £295 (adult); £265 (12-17yo); £225 (6-11yo); £145 (3-5yo)
Website: campkindling.co.uk
More of a cool scouts jamboree than a music fest, Camp Kindling offers around 100 activities, including axe-throwing, zorbing, quad-biking and circus stunts, most of which need to be booked in advance using a credit system.
Families are encouraged to play together, but in late afternoons kids can compete in team games in a makeshift arena – an opportunity for parents to start edging to the bars.
Music typically comes from cover bands, with turns from celebrity DJs (previous guests have included Rylan and Gok Wan) but you may be too cream crackered for late-night partying!
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Gone Wild with Bear Grylls (Devon)
Where: Powderham Castle, Devon
When: 22-24 August, 2024
Headliners: Sam Ryder, James, Ocean Colour Scene
Prices: £205 (adult); £85 (11-17yo); £75 (5-10yo); £40 (2-4yo)
Website: devon.gonewildfestival.com
Bear Grylls’ adventure and music weekender returns to the banks of the River Exe for a fourth year and, after a faltering start in the Covid years, seems to have really found its feet.
New, free drop-in activities include archery, medieval sword fighting and rollerskating.
Bookable ‘Premium’ activities include quad-biking, mountain boarding and firewalking. There’s even caving (£55) and scuba-diving (£105) – both held off-site.
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CarFest 2024
Where: Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire
When: 23-25 August, 2024
Headliners: Olly Murs, Sam Ryder, Deacon Blue, Richard Ashcroft
Prices: £228 (adult); £65 (6-16yo); Younger kids free
Website: carfest.org
This fundraising weekend – set-up by Virgin Radio’s Chris Evans back in 2012 – can truly claim to have something for everyone.
As the name suggests, there’s a strong motoring theme at CarFest with live displays and exhibits, but also a decent music line-up and celebrity guests, plus areas devoted to wellbeing, food, outdoor adventure and more.
It’s now exclusively held at Laverstoke Park Farm, near Overton in Hampshire – the ‘North’ version ended in 2022.
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The Big Feastival
Where: Kingham, Oxfordshire
When: 23-25 August, 2024
Headliners: Becky Hill, Ministry of Sound Classical, Snow Patrol
Prices: £229 (adult); £138 (13-17yo); £60 (1-12yo)
Website: thebigfeastival.com
Organisers promise “Good music, good food and good times” at The Big Feastival, the upmarket weekender held annually at a Cotswolds farm owned by Blur bassist Alex James.
Live music and scrummy food are clearly top of the menu here, with posh grub served up by Michelin star chefs and award-winning street food vendors.
Kids are well catered for too, with cooking lessons at the M&S Little Cooks Kitchen, animal petting, a circus school, drawing classes, crafting, a talent show and more.
