One of my fondest memories of attending Glastonbury in my 20s has nothing to do with the Pyramid Stage headliners, or 2 a.m. at Shangri-La. It doesn’t involve the outfits that I meticulously planned for months ahead of time. It’s of seeing parents with their kids in tow. As the festival takes place during school term time, it was only ever very young children, too—there was barely a teenager in sight. To me, it was the most wholesome thing in the world: seeing entire families together enjoying the music and the atmosphere at Worthy Farm, a place like no other.
Now, as a 36-year-old mum of one, I’m toying with the idea of taking my own daughter to a festival this year (though Glastonbury, due to its endurance test of a ticket sales system, is off the cards). And I’m not alone. The influencer Jessie Bush took her daughter to Wilderness before she turned one, writing on Instagram, “Baby girl’s first festival… Call us brave or crazy!” Meanwhile, DJ Jamz Supernova took her baby to no fewer than six festivals last summer—including Glasto. One of my friends is taking her daughters, aged four and one, this year.
The poet Greta Bellamacina is a seasoned pro when it comes to festivals en famille, having taken her sons with her to various literary and music festivals over the years. The key, she says, is to choose your event wisely. “Sometimes it can be about smaller, less bewildering festivals where there are small stages with child-friendly moments,” she shares. “We’ve had wonderful times taking our children to smaller festivals like the Idler Festival, which is at Fenton House in Hampstead. It has a really informal atmosphere. They have one main stage in the garden so it’s not too hectic, and you don’t find yourself exhausted going between stages. Instead, you can find your spot on the grass and enjoy the full line-up in a slower way, where you can dance or lie down with your eyes closed. That way the children are rooted but they can explore as they please.”
But bigger festivals in the United Kingdom are becoming ever more family-friendly too. Glastonbury is free for children under 12, with two dedicated family campsites and a Kidzfield, which has a full line-up of children’s entertainment. Camp Bestival is designed with families in mind, with a huge kids’ field with specific areas for babies, under-fives, and older kids, as well as a forest school, a soft play area, and a roller disco. Anyone attending Big Feastival can avail of baby-changing areas, quiet feeding zones, and even microwaves to warm up baby food.
Wilderness is perhaps the most popular with parents, offering a dedicated Family Field, swimming and boating lakes, and cricket matches. “This year, guests will be able to enjoy a family theater show in the woods (The Fabularium presents The Hare and The Moon) as well as storytelling sessions out in nature, ‘Music in the Wild,’ and guided walks through the forest exploring bioluminescence, aromatics in nature, and microscopic marvels,” say organizers. “When the daytime fun has been had and parents want to let loose, there are bookable babysitting services on site provided by Mortimer Nannies. We very much welcome children and families, but we know that the grown-ups also appreciate being able to get stuck into all our after-dark program has to offer.”
“We went to Wilderness with my eldest when he was a toddler, and it was a great success,” recalls writer Milly Kenny-Ryder. “Rather than the £200-ish ticket fee, it was a reasonable £10-ish (for under-fives). The variety of music and events kept him more than entertained and the ample space allowed him to roam free. The food was very kid-friendly and satisfying for adults too. More expensive than soft play, but definitely more palatable for the whole family.”
If the idea of camping with children in tow sends shivers down your spine, you could always pick somewhere where you can make a swift exit. “It’s definitely worth finding festivals close to where you live, or a place you don’t have to sleep,” according to Bellamacina. “That way you can curate your day and not feel the pressure to stay on too late.” It also means that you can arrive early, before the crowds, when your kids will likely have the most energy too.
Or, swerve camping in favor of a hotel or Airbnb. “We stayed in a lovely warm (and dry!) Airbnb nearby which was ideal,” says Kenny-Ryder. “We avoided the drunken evening mayhem, and got some much-needed rest before day two of the festival. I can’t imagine navigating the shower lines with an impatient two-year-old!”
Of course, it’s not for everyone, and some parents understandably prefer to go child-free and take the opportunity to let their hair down. “Parents fall into two categories: those that keep their kids in a routine and those that don’t, and there are pros and cons to both,” explains Kenny-Ryder. “My two boys have always had a lack of strict routine, which has mostly been a selfish decision so that they can fit around my sporadic freelancer lifestyle. I think the festival-goer lifestyle suits the non-routine parenting style well. Snacks and music on demand—what more do kids want and need?”