Our Family Festival Adventure
This summer we headed to CarFest 2025 for a family day out, and it reminded me exactly why I love family friendly festivals. Although lots of families camp for the whole weekend, we just went for the day—and honestly, it was more than enough to soak up the atmosphere, try new activities, and see what CarFest is all about. This was our third year attending, so the kids were already buzzing with excitement before we even arrived.
CarFest was created back in 2012 by Chris Evans and has raised over £25 million for children’s charities. Knowing that all the fun we were having was also helping to support good causes gave the whole day an extra feel-good factor.
Cars, Cars, and More Cars
The cars are always one of the big highlights for us. We spent ages in the paddock admiring rows of classic cars, supercars, and racing cars—the kids loved spotting their favourites and asking questions. There were plenty of demonstrations and track shows too, with stunts and speed that had the crowd gasping.
It’s such a brilliant way to introduce children to something they might not see every day, and there’s a real buzz about being so close to the action.
KidsFest: The Children’s Favourite Spot
Of course, the area that Elliot and Erin made a beeline for was KidsFest. It’s completely geared towards children, with craft activities, inflatables, character meet-and-greets (the Gruffalo and Bluey were big hits), a book corner (with celebrity authors dropping in) and so much more.
The real highlight was the Young Drivers area. Elliot got behind the wheel of a real car with an instructor (he said it was “fun but a bit stressful!”), and Erin was absolutely thrilled to zip around in a Firefly Sport mini electric car. It made them both feel so grown up.
FoodFest: A Feast for All of Us
FoodFest was a feast for all the senses, with rows of stalls offering everything from wood-fired pizzas and sizzling street food to curries, burgers, and sweet treats. The atmosphere was lively, with the smells of cooking drifting across the festival and chefs giving live demonstrations on stage. Erin loved the hands-on biscuit decorating, while Elliot was drawn to the spicy sauces!
Many of the exhibitor were offering free samples and we particularly liked the Whitworth's stand where we came away with many, many bags of fruit and nuts, plus even some piping hot vegetarian chilli con carne.
Time Out at SpaFest
Festivals can be full-on, so it was nice to take a breather at SpaFest. The yoga sessions, wellness talks, and calmer vibe made it the perfect place to recharge before heading back to the busier parts of the site.
Celebrity Spotting at StarFest
Packed with the sparkle of celebrity, StarFest takes you behind the scenes of the worlds of TV, cinema, music, literature, comedy, and fashion. It’s a space where families can join in celebrating the success of some of the UK's best-loved performers, while also discovering and supporting new talent. We caught a few minutes of Lee Mack's talk and he drew a massive crowd!
RetroFest Fun
Another favourite for our family was RetroFest. Elliot loved the wartime displays and gun demonstrations, while Erin made the most of the retro playground with space hoppers and swingball in the Old Skoolyard. The whole area had such a fun nostalgic feel, and it was a nice mix of history and play.
Music to End the Day
Family Festival Tips from Our Day
If you’re thinking of trying out a family festival day out, here are a few things we found really useful at CarFest:
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Tickets: In 2025, day tickets were £89–£102 for adults and £21–£26 for kids (under-fives free).
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Food & Drink: Stalls were plentiful with options for all diets, but we also packed a cool box of drinks and snacks to keep costs down.
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Facilities: Toilets and family areas were clean and well looked after, with baby change tents and breastfeeding spaces dotted around.
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Prams & Wagons: The site was large but pram-friendly—we saw lots of families pulling wagons too.
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Lost Children: Pick up a wristband at the entrance and write your number on it. We actually lost Erin briefly in the evening, and the Lost Children tent staff were incredible in reuniting us quickly.
What’s Next for CarFest?
CarFest has always been at Laverstoke Park Farm, which gives it a really warm, countryside feel. From 2026, though, it’ll move to Silverstone. It’ll definitely be different, but with bigger grounds and world-class facilities, I’m excited to see how the festival grows and what new things it brings for families.
Why We Love Family Friendly Festivals
By the end of the day, we were exhausted but so happy. CarFest 2025 gave us everything we love about family friendly festivals: exciting activities for the kids, live music for us, plenty of food, and a safe, welcoming atmosphere where families can relax and make memories together.
We’ll definitely be back next year!
To sign up for 2026 pre-sale access, click here and to check out our reel from the festival, click here
