CARFEST - THE BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL IN THE UK?!

 We love taking our kids to festivals and we usually try and book one in every Summer. Over the years, our favourites have been Camp Bestival, Gone Wild and Lamer Tree Festival but this year we wanted to try something different. 

Step forward...Carfest! Billed as the UK's biggest family fundraising festival, Carfest successfully blends motor shows with live music and entertainment for the whole family. It was founded by radio DJ Chris Evans and has raised millions of pounds for children's charities. It ticked all our boxes - lots of fast cars for Elliot to see, a huge kids area for Erin, plenty of yummy food and drink for my husband and an amazing line up of live music for me. We were excited to experience it all! 

Day 1 - Saturday

We had weekend tickets but decided to stay in a local hotel rather than camp. It just meant having to take way less stuff and who doesn't love a comfy bed after a busy day at a festival! We left bright and early from Poole and arrived at the festival site around 9am. We found it nice and straightforward to find the carpark and it was well sign posted from the main roads into Overton. Unlike Camp Bestival, the walk from the carpark wasn't too bad and it probably only took us around 10-15 minutes. 

We were soon picking up our weekend wristbands and deciding where to explore first. The festival is split into different areas including Starfest, Spafest, Adventurefest, Kidsfest, Foodfest, Retrofest and then of course the card and music! 

Our first port of call was the Costa area - Costa are one of Carfest's sponsors and we had heard great things about the giveaways! Paul was happy - coffee for him whilst the kids tried their luck on the digital spin the wheel. We didn't win the Nintendo switch but we did come away with bubbles, lots of coffee, brownies, biscuits and even a really nice travel mug. I'd definitely recommend visiting this bit with kids! 

One thing about the music/stage area at Carfest that we quickly realised was people pitch up in the morning with their chairs/wagons/flags etc and just leave their stuff for the day. This seemed to be a bit of a contentious subject on the Carfest Buddies FB group but for us, it made sense to leave our festival wagon. It gave us a central base to return to throughout the day if we needed to and saved lugging everything around! It also meant we were guaranteed a good spot for the evening music. 

We spent the next few hours exploring the cars and there was so much to see. We caught some fantastic displays and the roar of the engines and being up close to the race track was something else! Elliot is car mad so he was in his element. We even bumped into Richard Hammond at the Smallest Cog workshop which was exciting although Elliot got confused and thought it was Ricky Gervais 😁

Richard Hammond - The Smallest Cog Workshop

When we're at a festival we don't like to be too strict about timings and prefer to explore and see what we stumble upon but one of our must sees was kids favourite Andy and The Odd Socks in the Kidsfest area. We've been fans of Andy's since Elliot was a toddler and it's always great to see his band and their live show. And of course we had to get some selfies after the show 😎 

Andy and The Odd Socks - Carfest

The Kidsfest area was home to Pudsey's Spot and there were lots of chances to meet some familiar faces there over the weekend. We met Bluey and Bingo and I'm not sure who was more excited, me or Erin!

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the food festival area and there was something for every taste bud at the Farmers Market. Packed full of stalls selling everything from gourmet brownies to spicy sauces, we managed to pick up lots of yummy treats including some amazing scotch eggs. We also caught a few demos by Candice and Bryony from GBBO which was really interesting. There seemed to be a lot going on in this area such as foodie workshops, book signings, chef talks, cocktail making - even a pop up pub with live music. We could have spent lots more time here and feel like we only scratched the surface but there was so much more to see...

We spent some time checking out the cars - there are regular track shows through out the day and it's nice and easy to find a good viewing spot along the side. Even for a non car-fanatic like me, it was exciting seeing some gorgeous cars up close and the kids loved the theatrics of the skids and hand brake 360s! There are lots of car brands at the festival and many opportunies to pick up freebies...which, lets face it, who doesn't love a freebie. The kids were buzzing to win hats, air freshners, tote bags, mints and even a few pens along the way. 

Soon it was time to head back to the main stage for the evenings musical entertainment. There are plenty of food stalls near the stage for when you get hungry and although it was busy, we never really had to spend long queueing. Prices were quite steep however (think it was almost £30 for two lots of burger and chips) but it's a festival and you do expect this. We shared a couple of meals between us, plus I took lots of snacks to keep the kids happy. I did get talked into a very expensive milkshake though! 

The music for the evening was brilliant, kicking off with the Bootleg Beatles. I loved hearing the crowd singalong to Hey Jude! The star of the evening for us though was undoubtedly Rick Astley. Never realised just how talented he is - he doesn't just sing but plays a multitude of instruments. Elliot really likes his songs so he was so excited to see him live and Rick didn't disappoint! It was such a great atmosphere with the lit up funfair behind us, and families of all ages singing along. 

We headed back to the car after a long day of festival fun but couldn't wait to do it all again in the morning. 

Day 2 - Sunday

After a quick charge of the car and a Mcdonalds brekkie at nearby services, we were heading back to Overton and looking forward to seeing what was in store for the day. We had no set plans but did want to explore the areas that we didn't visit yesterday. 

Our first port of call was to set up our chairs and area in front of the main stage. We then spent a bit of time exploring the Retrofest area. You can find all sorts here, like retro clothing stalls, cars, games and we even stumbled upon some energetic aerobics displays featuring lots of lycra! Some of the highlights of Retrofest included an area set up with old war vehicles and weapons. The kids were allowed to sit in the landrovers and even hold the guns, Elliot was living his best Fortnite life! We also found The Deloreon which was pretty impressive - the owner was so knowledgeable and we loved all the little bits of memorabilia inside such as a hoverboard and hologram photo.

We caught a few car displays and especially loved seeing the Ghostbusters car doing the laps! The track winds throughout the festival so it's not hard to find a spot to watch the live shows. 

We found ourselves in the Adventurefest field and this was probably one of our favourite areas. There was a large scouting section run by Hampshire scouts and the kids made a bee line for the climbing wall - rather than than me! We had a go at archery, and the kids added their Beaver/Scout troop to the Scouting map. 

We were also very fortunate to catch Tim Peake who was chatting to the scouts - Elliot managed to say hello and shake his hand which made his day! My husband was rather envious that he missed him but he did get to watch a Q&A with Tim later on in the afternoon at the Discovery Hub stage. 

Meeting Tim Peake at Carfest

Adventurefest was also home to Bugfest which as the name suggests, was a great place to get up and close to lots of creepy crawlies. This was one of the few paid for activities we did, and I think it was £5 per person to enter the Bugfest tent but the kids loved it and it was money well spent. There was no time limit and they were able to hold a tarantula, millipede, stick insect and many more. 

BugFest

We dipped back into the Kidsfest for a quick bounce on the giant bouncy castle and we made sure to pick up some freebies from the Capri Sun and Pip Organic stalls. We also headed back to the farmers market where we couldn't resist another scotch egg! 

With the afternoon almost over, we decided to spend some time exploring the Motorsport Paddock where Elliot was in his absolute element! It was a chance to get up close to some of his favourite cars and he thoroughly enjoyed spotting lots of Aston Martins. Aside from seeing Rick Astley, I think this was probably his favourite part of the weekend. 

Back at the main stage, we grabbed some food and settled in for the evening. There was a real variety of acts including Alex Horne's Horne section, Ricky Wilson from Kaiser Chiefs, The Feeling and The Village People. Unsure of how many of the original Village People line up were left but it was entertaining nonetheless! (Even if they did take an awful long time to start their performance)

The Village People - Carfest

Texas were the headliner for the Sunday night and I would have loved to have stayed to see their entire set but we decided to call it a night a few songs in with some very tired children in tow. We did  however stumble across a silent disco at the Bp Pulse tent so of course we had to stop and have a little boogie! 

We had such a brilliant weekend at Carfest and there were so many memories made - too many to mention in this blog. Highlights included meeting Tim Peake, dancing to Rick Astley, and hearing the roar of the engines on the track. 

Carfest certainly lived up to it's reputation and I feel like we only scratched the surface of the activities on offer. The kids are already asking if we're going again this year. We might even be brave enough to camp 😃

Ticket are already on sale for Carfest 2024 and can be found here

*Disclaimer - We were gifted weekend tickets for Carfest but all thoughts and opinions are honest and we genuinely had a fantastic time! 

UK's Top 5 Family-Friendly Festivals: Unforgettable Fun at CarFest, Camp Bestival, Gone Wild, Gloworm and More!

The UK, renowned for its vibrant festival scene, offers a multitude of family-friendly events throughout the year. These festivals are perfect for making memories, with an array of children's activities, gourmet food, and exciting musical performances. Let's explore five top-notch festivals in the UK: CarFest, Camp Bestival, Gone Wild, Gloworm, and The Big Feastival.

CarFest - Hampshire

A Family Festival Celebrating Cars and Music

Brought to life by the popular radio presenter Chris Evans, CarFest is a must-visit for car enthusiasts. Hosted annually at Laverstock Park Farm, Carfest successfully blends motor shows with live music and entertainment for the whole family. With popular acts such as Andy and The Odd Socks (our fave!), Rick Astley, Craig David and many more, there is something for everyone. Plus, with a dedicated food fair, your culinary cravings are well covered. Not only that, each year it raises millions of pounds for children's charities! 

Photo Credit - CarFest

Camp Bestival - Dorset

A Medley of Music, Art, and Adventure

Held at the enchanting Lulworth Castle in Dorset, Camp Bestival is more than just a music festival. Amidst a variety of live performances, theatre, comedy, and literature, kids can engage in numerous creative workshops and exciting outdoor adventures. Adults can relax at the wellness retreat or dance to the beats of some of the UK's top artists. With the beautifully lit castle serving as a backdrop, you'll feel as though you've stepped into a magical realm. 

Elliot and Erin at Camp Bestival 

Gone Wild Festival - Devon

Adventure in the Heart of Nature

The Gone Wild Festival, backed by Bear Grylls and his team, is an exhilarating outdoor adventure suitable for all ages. Situated amidst the stunning scenery of the Devon countryside, this festival gives you the chance to learn survival skills, participate in archery, build rafts, and even try rock climbing. Evenings are spent enjoying delicious food, live music, and campfire stories in the gorgeous surroundings of Powderham Castle.

Gone Wild Festival - Powderham Castle Devon

Gloworm Festival - Nottingham

A World of Joy and Imagination for Children

The Gloworm Festival, set in Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire, is a child-centric event encouraging creativity and play. It features popular TV and film characters, a variety of interactive workshops, games, and performances. Parents also have their share of entertainment, alongside an array of mouth-watering food and drink options. 

The Davies family having lots of fun at Gloworm (Photo Credit: Sue Davies)

The Big Feastival - The Cotswolds

Where Culinary Delights Meet Live Music

Completing our list, The Big Feastival at Alex James' Farm in the Cotswolds is a unique fusion of top-class food, live music, and an assortment of children's attractions. With demonstrations from Michelin star chefs and a diverse line-up of musicians, the festival offers an unforgettable experience. For the little ones, cooking classes, circus workshops, and meet-and-greets with children's TV characters are all part of the fun.

Photo Credit - The Big Feastival

Embarking on a family adventure at any of these festivals is sure to create lasting memories. Secure your tickets, pack your tents, and prepare for an unforgettable journey at the UK's top family-friendly festivals. Don't forget your wellies! 

Elliot at a VERY muddy Camp Bestival :)

Andy & The Band Launch Party - Live on CBeebies!

Last weekend the kids and I headed into London for a very very exciting event - the Andy and the Band show live launch!

Regular readers of this blog will know that we have been fans of Andy's since Elliot was small and have followed his Odd Socks music career since the beginning. We love going to their live shows but the children were really excited to hear about a brand new show on CBBC featuring Andy and the Odd Socks. And they were even more excited to get an invite to the launch!

Saturday morning arrived and we were on the road by 6am...a little bleary eyed but raring to go. We parked at Richmond and hopped on the tube which was a massive novelty - the kids haven't really been into central London properly before so the tube was a totally new experience for them!

The launch was being hosted at the Royal Institution in Mayfair and when we arrived, the children were given an Andy and The Band lanyard which they immediately put on. We headed upstairs where everyone else seemed to be and waited to be let into the auditorium. In typical Elliot style, he was in the right place at the right time and managed to get high 5's when the band walked past!

It was soon time to head into the auditorium and excitement started to build as we spotted all the cameras and equipment! We found a seat and played a game of "who can we spot off the telly!" - the first being Dodge from CBeebies.

It was fascinating watching him - obviously he's a puppet but the man that moves him round and talks is just so funny! Elliot was really chuffed to get a selfie :)

Elliot also spotted Ed and Naomi from Marrying Mum and Dad - it's one of his favourite shows on CBBC so he literally ran over to them to say hello, it made his day!

Soon it was time begin and Andy and the band came in to rapturous applause - the audience seemed to be made up of mostly family/friends and fans so they got a brilliant welcome!

It was really exciting to hear that they would be playing live on CBeebies - apparently CBeebies has only been live once before so this was a real treat - it's not often we get to watch TV absolutely live.

The band had a few rehearsals, and they played some songs (including some new ones!) and soon it was time to GO LIVE!

After that we were able to watch two of the episodes of the new show and the episodes got a great reaction from the audience. Elliot and Erin were certainly transfixed.

Once the filming had been completed and the episodes watched, everyone headed out to have photos with Andy and the band. As always, Elliot was greeted like an old friend and even Erin was all smiles! Previously at meet and greets she has cried or screamed but this was the first time that she was not only keen to say hello, but actually smiled for the picture :)

We also caught up with some of the other Odd Sock families - we bump into each other at lots of gigs so it was nice to say hello.

Odd Sock Superfans!

Soon it was time to say our goodbyes and head back to Dorset after our whistle stop visit to London. We had a brilliant morning and it was amazing to be part of the launch. Andy and the band work so hard and it's brilliant to see all the hard work paying off. I think it's fantastic for children to have such positive and talented role models to look up to and I'm sure the Odd Socks are going to get a massive influx of new fans this year!

Andy and The Band is now streaming on iPlayer and you can catch them playing live all over the Country this year. 

**A BIG thank you to Odd Socks HQ for inviting us along to this - see you soon :)

Larmer Tree Festival 2019 - A Chilled, Family Festival

Before kids, my experience with festivals was one very very wet and muddy weekend at Glastonbury. I can't say I enjoyed it much and I decided that it was much easier to watch festivals from the comfort of my own home - with a clean toilet and no mud!

It wasn't until Elliot came along that we started to dip our toes into the festival world again. I realised that family festivals were a completely different ball game and you didn't even have to camp!!

This year we were invited to check out the Larmer Tree Festival which is located at the beautiful Larmer Tree Gardens on the Dorset-Wiltshire border. We weren't able to camp for the entire weekend due to prior commitments so a day ticket was perfect for us. I love the fact you can get day tickets for these type of festivals, it's a perfect way to get a taste of everything without having to do without your creature comforts back at home.

We chose to go along on Sunday and it just so happened that this coincided with a performance from Elliot's idol, Andy Day and his band the Odd Socks! The kids are big fans (you might even say superfans!) so we were excited to see them live again.

We arrived at the festival site bright and early and were directed into the carpark by some very friendly stewards. This was something I noticed throughout the day, all the staff we encountered were very helpful and very friendly!

The festival site isn't overly huge so the carpark was only a short walk to the entrance (nothing like the mammoth walk at Camp Bestival!) and we were soon swapping our e-tickets for wristbands.

The first thing we spotted was the impressive Larmer Tree which is located in the Village area. Whilst we got our bearings, we decided that we'd start the day by sampling some of the many food offerings dotted around the festival. Paul and I had a lovely bacon sandwich and the kids shared a healthy smoothie and flaxjack.

Andy & The Odd Socks were due on the main stage at 11am so we decided to head for the main lawn and nab our favourite front row spot. Things were very calm on the main lawn however as there was a mass yoga session going on - it was very quiet, and very chilled out and it did make me giggle thinking how different the atmosphere would be in about half an hour when dinosaurs and giant footballs would be bouncing around!! It also made me giggle when eagle eye Elliot broke the quietness with a very loud "Andy!!!!!!" as he spotted his idol getting things ready on the stage!

Once the yoga had finished the lawn was quickly filled with families waiting to enjoy the show - and what a show it was! We have been to quite a few Odd Socks shows over the last couple of years but this one had such a great atmosphere from start to finish. Even a bit of rain didn't dampen the spirits!

Elliot and Erin had a fantastic time and it was lovely to see Erin getting so involved. After the show, we heard on the grapevine that the band would be coming out so we headed over to the side of the stage to see.

I always say this but the band are so lovely to their young fans - they always greet Elliot like an old friend and you can see from the photos below how happy this makes him! Erin also surprised us by not crying like she has done at every other Odd Socks meet & greet...I think they were starting to think it was something personal ;)

After that bit of excitement, we wanted to explore a bit more so we headed away from the main lawn and followed the nearest pathway. The brilliant thing about Larmer Tree Festival is that there are things to see around every corner, and there are lots of nooks and crannies and little paths to explore. Perfect for inquisitive children!

We ended up in the Lostwood area - a series of woodland pathways filled with art installations, secret spaces, a campfire and a whole host of musical instruments hanging from the branches. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before and was certainly popular with the children who could play the instruments to their heart's content. Elliot was quite taken with the guitars whilst Erin preferred the drums!

Although the festival is highly popular with families, it still felt intimate and not overcrowded at all. Walking through the Lostwood was busy but we never felt rushed along and there were plenty of instruments for everyone.

There were also lots of fantastic art installations - we stumbled upon some animal skulls that were decorated with beautiful bright designs. It's a pity we weren't there to see them at night time because I imagine they looked even cooler lit up.

Lostwood was also home to the Peachick Play Area and Baby Changing area - we didn't use this but it's great that there was an area dedicated to the little ones.

The Wilds area was a short hop from Lostwood and here we found the cinema showing a variety of classic films throughout the day and night. I'm sure if we had been staying the whole weekend, we would have ended up here! It looked very cosy and a great way to relax and take a break from the festival madness.

Woodland Crafts was a popular area in the Wilds with a huge array of workshops and crafts for the kids to get stuck into. The tents did look fairly busy when we popped our head in so we didn't get around to making anything for ourselves but I did see lots of homemade decorations dotted around the festival that had been created by mini festival-goers over the weekend!

We spent the next few hours exploring the woods and gardens and time just seemed to fly by - there were so many things to see, even just stopping to do a bit of people watching kept us busy!

The Museums area was great - Erin fell asleep at this point so whilst she was snoozing Elliot did some colouring and we learnt lots about the history of Larmer Tree Gardens from the Salisbury Museum. They also had lots of interesting artefacts on display including items that had been found at the Larmer Tree Gardens site over the years. 

One thing I love about festivals is the random and wacky things you can see when you're not expecting it! We certainly had a few of those moments including some really unique looking puppets that wouldn't have looked out of place in the Labyrinth!

We also caught a pop-up theatre company next to the Larmer Tree - I'm not totally sure what it was about but there were pirates...and the kids were transfixed!

Throughout the weekend, the many stage areas played host to a huge variety of acts including KT Tunstall, The Shires, Kate Tempest and Tom Odell who was a late addition to the line up after Jack Savoretti cancelled due to tonsillitis. The music side of things isn't a priority for us, aside from the family bands such as Andy's, the kids aren't really into bands yet but we managed to fill the entire day without actually seeing anyone else sing! We were happy just exploring the festival and taking in the atmosphere however we did see lots of families enjoying the live music.

One thing we did catch, however, was the carnival procession in the late afternoon sunshine. Winding its way up from the Lostwood, we heard it before we saw it and it was fantastic to see so many families taking part!

The Southampton Ukulele Jam caught my ear - they were a band of very enthusiastic ukulele players belting out some very familiar songs and I only wished we'd managed to catch another of their performances.

Of course, I can't review a festival and not talk more about the food - and there was so much on offer at Larmer Tree. Throughout the day we grazed on very very cheesy mac & cheese, lovely homemade icecreams, churros (is it even a festival without churros?!) and we might have made multiple trips to the Saint Valentine Liquorice stall! There were plenty of healthy options to be had and the smell of some of the stalls was just so tempting. Prices were a little steep but it's to be expected when you're at a festival and I don't mind paying when the food is really good!

We had a lovely day and it really is the perfect family festival. I feel like we only scratched the surface of what Larmer Tree had to offer for families and I hope we can return next year to experience more. 

*Disclaimer - We were provided with press tickets in return for an honest review - all words are my own and I think you can tell we had a lovely day by the big smiles in the photos :)