Family friendly UK festival guide 2023!
As the summer sun casts its warm glow upon the UK, lots of families are keen to make the most of it and enjoy some of the upcoming festivals on offer this year! With a multitude of options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect child-friendly festival to let your hair down with your little ones.
Fear not! We've curated a list of family friendly festivals that promise wholesome entertainment, music, activities and an unforgettable summer experience for the whole family. From music and arts to adventure and imagination and everything in between, get ready to explore the top family friendly festivals happening in the UK this summer!
Lulworth Castle, Dorset
Dates: 27th - 30th July
Known as the "Greatest Family Show on Earth," Camp Bestival is a must-visit festival for families seeking an all-encompassing experience. Nestled in the enchanting grounds of Lulworth Castle, this festival offers a diverse range of activities, including live music, comedy shows, circus performances, and interactive workshops.
Headline acts this year include The Kooks, Grace Jones, Ella Henderson, Sam Ryder and so many more! From soft play areas for toddlers to an enormous kids' garden and fairground rides for older children, Camp Bestival caters to all age groups. Don't forget the fancy dress parade and the magnificent firework finale to conclude a magical weekend!
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Weston Park, Shropshire
Dates: 17th - 20th August
Headline acts at Weston Park this year include Rudimental, Sophie Ellis Better, Primal Scream, The Human League and Groove Armada plus many many more!
Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire
Dates: 18th - 20th August
Prepare for a weekend of extraordinary adventures and surprises at the Just So Festival. Set amidst the picturesque Rode Hall Estate, this immersive festival celebrates art, music, and literature in a charming natural setting. This year's line up boasts a DJ set from Mother Pukka plus entertainment from Mr Tea and the Minions, The Sandpipers plus so many more, not forgetting of course the children's silent disco!
Designed to ignite the imaginations of both young and old, Just So Festival invites families to participate in interactive storytelling sessions, theatre performances, creative workshops, and a variety of games and activities. Be sure to explore the intriguing Tribal Tournament, where families can compete in challenges and earn golden pebbles to crown the winning tribe!
Henham Park, Suffolk
Dates: 20th - 23rd July
Latitude Festival, known for its diverse cultural offerings, provides a unique and family-friendly experience in a picturesque setting. The festival features an extensive children's program, the Kids Area, where children can explore their creative side through arts and crafts, storytelling, and interactive workshops.
The Inbetweeners' Teen Area caters specifically to teenagers, offering a range of activities and live performances. Additionally, families can enjoy a variety of music genres, theatre productions, and breathtaking performances throughout the weekend. This year's headlining acts include Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra and so many more!
Wollaton Hall & Deer Park, Nottingham
Dates: 22nd - 23rd July
Splendour Festival is Nottinghamshire’s biggest festival. Set in the beautiful surroundings of Wollaton Hall & Deer Park, attendees can enjoy 5 stages of music that spans all genres; from fast-rising stars to world-class performers, and musical icons, Splendour line-ups are always a wonderful mix of acts that can be enjoyed by the whole family. This year's highlights include music from Madness, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, The Kooks and Rudimental to name just a few.
Alongside the music, you can expect comedy, a funfair, a silent disco, independent market stalls, an array of gourmet food and drink, a dedicated kids’ area, and fringe activities too.
Baldersby Park, North Yorkshire
Dates: 28th - 31st July
According to one review 'Deer Shed is a joyful, clean, safe family festival which just happens to have the most incredible music line up too! Children of all ages and abilities are made welcome, including sporty kids, creative kids, nerdy kids, adventurous kids and musical kids alike'. And here's what NME had to say about it...'Deer Shed is simply a great music festival. It just so happens to be ideally designed for taking your kids too.'
This family focused festival also boasts a children's sports field, a science and a comedy tent, arts and crafts activities and even a baby tent as well as a vast array of food and drink. The camping is not too shabby either with a broad array of options including glamping, electric hook up and large, pre-reserved pitches.
Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire
Dates: 10th - 13th August
Set in the sublimely picturesque Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Hereford, LakeFest prides itself on creating a hugely enjoyable, family friendly festival where music, entertainment, family activities, fairground rides and creativity collide to produce an unmeasured Festival that will capture hearts and minds of attendees, regardless of age.
With an array of stages including the ever-popular Mainstage you can enjoy a plethora of music that means regardless of tastes, there will be something for everyone. Based on the ethos of being “all inclusive and family friendly” there is a whole program of activities, music and entertainment set in the secure confines of a stunning natural valley, which is overlooked by the exquisite Eastnor Castle. Whether a festival ‘virgin’ or ‘pro’ Lakefest will deliver a truly unforgettable festival experience you’ll want to rediscover year after year!
Powderham Castel, Devon
Dates: 24th - 27th August
This fledgling Devon festival is a clever mash up of plentiful outdoor activities and challenges, workshops for inquisitive minds and great music. It’s aimed solely at families and 10 percent of ticket sales go to the Royal Marines Charity.
Bear Grylls is a co-founder so expect to see him pop up during the event. You can buy tickets for a day or for the whole four day weekend, but we’d recommend the latter so you get the most from the whole experience. Consider it an activity holiday with excellent evening entertainment! This year's acts include Feeder, Sugababes and Ella Henderson plus many many more.
Alex James' Farm, The Cotswolds
Dates: 25th - 27th August
Taking place on Alex James' idyllic Cotswolds farm, Big Feastival brings together music from the UK’s biggest artists, Michelin star chefs, award-winning street food and an exciting array of family activities in an action packed weekend with an unrivalled programme of entertainment!
Expect to sing along at the top of your voice to the first class musical line up and dance the night away at the family silent disco. You'll be spoilt for choice for food too... street food, rustic dining and delicious pop-ups mean there is something for everyone! You'll also get to see award-winning chefs and culinary talent across the kitchen stages where you’ll find live demos with world-famous foodies. For little ones there's interactive cookery sessions as well as enchanting performances, wild workshops, crafting, meet & greets with some of their favourite characters and so much more!
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