The Best Family Friendly Festivals To Book For 2024
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11 months ago
From Camp Bestival to Cornbury
Making summer plans for 2024? Add a family friendly festival to your list, offering plentiful activities for parents and little ones alike, from delicious food to great music to fun pop-up activities. Here are our favourite family friendly festivals for 2024, from Latitude to Camp Bestival to CarFest.
Best Family-Friendly Festivals 2024
© Andrew Allcock
Timber Festival
This joyfully optimistic festival turns to nature to inspire a one-of-a-kind weekend full of art, music, talks, dancing, campfires and activism at the heart of the National Forest. Expect everything we’ve come to expect from festivals – sunrise yoga, DJ sets, world-class talks – with an added communal 20-mile supper drawing everyone together, sunsets at the festival’s very own Stone Circle, plus a fanciful Human Flower Show where everyone gets dressed up in their best flora and fauna outfits – perfect for the woodland setting.
Details: Timber Festival will take place from 5–7 July 2024 at Feanedock Woodland, The National Forest, Derbyshire. timberfestival.org.uk
Tunes On The Sands
This new-ish family-friendly festival arrived at Blackpool Sands beach for the first time in 2021. While the 2024 line-up is yet to be announced, there are plenty of draws without the big names, including beach activities, kayaking, art installations and silent discos.
Details: Tunes on the Sands will return from 12–13 July 2024 at Blackpool Sands Beach in South Devon. tunesonthesands.com
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Sarah Koury
Latitude Festival
The award-winning Latitude festival has activities for kids, teens and families alike, all spread across three areas. Think pond dipping, star gazing, pizza making, a dedicated In Betweeners area for teens and a magical Enchanted Garden with a family-friendly programme for under-13s. The line-up is looking stellar, too, with Duran Duran leading the pack, with Kasabian, Keane, London Grammar and Rick Astley also on the bill.
Details: Latitude Festival will take place from 25–28 July 2024 at Henham Park, Suffolk. latitudefestival.com
© Photography by Fernando Bonenfant for Here & Now (www.wearehereandnow.net)
Standon Calling
Hertfordshire’s hottest boutique festival ensures a family line-up your kids will be excited about; the highlights of festivals past have included Horrible Histories and Andy & the Odd Socks, with Years & Years, Self Esteem, Bloc Party and The Human League all performing last year. Stay tuned for 2024 details, released in the New Year.
Details: Standon Calling will take place from 25–28 July 2024 in Hertfordshire. standon-calling.com
Camp Bestival, Dorset
In our opinion, the very best of child-friendly festivals, Camp Bestival is a wonderland for little ones. It has been taking place in Dorset for a number of years – and there’s also a second event in Shropshire that was added to the mix last year (see below). Not to be confused with more grown up sister-festival Bestival, Camp Bestival vetoes the beer sludge and raving all-nighters for more child-friendly pursuits like bouncy castles, go-carts, fairgrounds, face painting, sandpits and glitter – the list goes on. In fact, most of the festival is dedicated to little party people, including a roller disco, circus, skate ramps, and family shows and entertainment from Mr Tumble and Horrible Histories. What’s in it for the parents? Oldies can enjoy all day yoga and meditation, hot tubs and ice baths, and music from the likes of Grace Jones, Craig David, The Kooks, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Ella Henderson, Sam Ryder, and the always fun Scouting For Girls – at least, that’s who performed last year. Stay tuned for fresh details in the New Year.
Details: Camp Bestival will take place from 25–28 July 2024 at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. dorset.campbestival.net
Deer Shed Festival
Started by a group of music loving parents, dissatisfied with paying over the odds for below average music, the founders of Deer Shed know what makes a good family festival. Their success is in not regarding children as second-class citizens, but also not over compromising for that ‘family friendly’ experience. Music, spoken word, theatre, cinema and workshops are all top notch – and The Coral, Bombay Bicycle Club and CMAT will all be performing in 2024. Under-fives activities include a sensory tent and soft play. Boom Chikka Boom baby rave anyone?
BOOK IT: Deer Shed Festival will take place from 26–29 July 2024 at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire. deershedfestival.com
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Camp Bestival, Shropshire
As above, Camp Bestival truly is the best in the game when it comes to family-friendly festivals. If you can’t make the Dorset weekend (or you can’t get enough), head to Shropshire for Camp Bestival #2. The circus area remains (with farmyard circus and wall of death), as does the roller disco, the skate ramps and comedy club – but there’s also the Temple Wood area, featuring wild swims, paddleboarding, raft building, a nature trail, tree climbing, wild runs… The list goes on. As for music, get excited for a brand new line up, to be announced in 2024.
BOOK IT: Camp Bestival will take place from 15–18 August 2024 in Weston Park, Shropshire. shropshire.campbestival.net
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CarFest
Previous headliners of CarFest – an event in aid of children’s charities – have included Jools Holland, The Jacksons and The Human League. This year, Olly Murs, UB40, Sam Ryder and always-fun Scouting For Girls will all be performing, while Rob Brydon, Ben Miller, Tim Peake and many more host inspiring talks. There’s plenty on offer for kids and families, including The Sports Zone to release some energy and try a new sport, plus action packed entertainment from some of the biggest names from CBBC and CBeebies at Pudsey’s Spot. There’s also the Vintage Village, where visitors can step back in time and visit the vintage market, tea rooms and sweet shops, and discover cars from across the eras.
Details: CarFest will take place from 23–25 August 2024 at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire. carfest.org
Big Feastival
Held on founder and Blur star Alex James’ farm in Kingham, the Big Feastival is a music/food festival with plenty on offer for everyone. With festival fun for all the family, little ones can enjoy the Little Dudes’ Den, pop along to the Farm Park and enjoy entertainment from children’s TV favourites. Anne-Marie, The Human League and Stereophonics headlined last year, so watch this space for 2024’s headliners.
Details: 23–25 August 2024 in Kingham, the Cotswolds. thebigfeastival.com
