FAMILY FRIENDLY FESTIVALS ACROSS THE POND
So this is a list of very upcoming family festivals in the UK (which I find to be far more fam-friendly than the U.S.) but can you name one family-focused festival in the States? Just one?
More than Coachella for kids, festivals like Dorset’s upcoming Camp Bestival offer a hybrid camping-with-entertainment experience including the world’s largest bouncy castle, dedicated “breastival” spots for new moms, an epic feast and plenty of art and entertainment for grownups and kids. Accommodations range from humble tents to more deluxe glamping options—all set against the backdrop of a romantic 17th Century castle. Then there’s Latitude in Suffolk headined by the likes of Stereophonics and Lana Del Rey but alongside a dedicated enchanted forest (a real one) for kids to explore, that is if they don’t want to try a breakdancing workshop, connect with family yoga or hone their CIRCUS SKILLS instead. Seriously!
Perhaps August’s,The Big Feastival, is most enduring and endearing. In its 8th year and held on an actual rock star’s actual farm (Blur’s bassist, Alex James) where else could you hear performances by Elbow followed by Peppa Pig, all whilst savoring gourmet bites served in the beautiful Cotswalds? I’m just saying: These kinds of events aren’t happening here, even in Brooklyn or Portlandia.
With the pound-to-dollar exchange being better than ever why not book a cheap, last-minute flight on Norwegian and go on an adventure? I may not be a camp or crowd person but the fact that these bona fide family festivals exist, and are well-attended, says something significant about English culture vs. American. It’s one that frequently integrates kids, thoughtfully, and doesn’t treat them, or those who have them, like second-class citizens at the fair.