Kaleidoscope
When? June 28-30, 2024
Where? County Wicklow, Ireland
What? Kaleidoscope is a much-loved family-friendly festival in Ireland, which you can reach with a scenic drive south from Belfast. This year’s mainstage headliners include The Kooks and The Waterboys, meaning that parents of all generations can likely be transported back to some stage of their youth. Meanwhile, TikTok sensations the KK Sisters are likely to impress the younger crowd with their festival debut. In the family area you’ll find workshops covering anything from music to robotics to fitness, plus activities from the National Gallery of Ireland to teach kids about utilising salvaged materials. See, festivals can be educational and fun at the same time.
kaleidoscopefestival.ie
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Timber Festival
Channel some naturey vibes at Timber Festival / Image: Leyla Guler
When? July 5-7, 2024
Where? Leicestershire, England
What? Putting a big emphasis on relationships with trees, Timber Festival takes place in the National Forest in Feanedock, a 70-acre woodland tucked away in the Midlands (only a 30-minute drive from Birmingham Airport and also reachable from London Luton and Manchester), making an ideal setting for budding eco-warriors and their fams. Alongside separate daytime and night-time music stages, festivalgoers can explore the Fire in your Belly activism area or stretch their bodies and minds in the Shivelight tent. Don’t miss the ultra-kooky fun on offer in the Craftivism zone, the highlight of which has to be a banana art workshop, or perhaps the ‘Think like a tree’ workshop if you’re feeling more existential. Still want more to entertain those brilliant young minds? A woodland playground, library, wonkiest veg competition and the Be More Mushroom immersive musical should do the trick – because, really, shouldn’t we all be a little more mushroom most of the time?
timberfestival.org.uk
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Wonderfeel
When? July 19-21
Where? ’s-Graveland, North Holland, Netherlands
What? Set in a pretty village just over 30 minutes from Amsterdam by car (and also reachable via public transport), Wonderfeel is one for the more classically minded amongst you. Across four main stages, music-loving parents can enjoy jazz, classical, electronica, bossa nova and even solo organists if you want inspiration for that prog-rock album you’ve secretly been planning. Young people will love roaming around The Town, an area dedicated to youth exploration, learning and creativity, while a separate programme for younger children includes a workshop on creating a musical score, an interactive puppet show and cooking classes. Kids can also check out a sound-based fairytale performed (in Dutch) or an interactive percussion show and accompanying lesson.
wonderfeel.nl/en
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Starry Village
Yoga for the little'uns at Starry Village / Image: Louise Roberts
When? July 25-28 July, 2024
Where? Herefordshire, England
What? From the people behind the long-running Shambala festival, Starry Village (set on the grand Kentchurch Estate, reachable from airports in Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham) is a cosy, camping-focused retreat, where kids can freely roam around, enjoying a programme that focuses on nature and sustainability, also providing lots of opportunities for “intergenerational play”. Younger ones can enjoy baby yoga, a magnified garden, theatre shows and forest school, while parents can take time out with massages, yoga and breathwork, or by diving into craft beer tasting and “wine buff training”. Music on offer includes M.A.M. (Middle Aged Mumz) DJs spinning dancefloor-fillers and a fancy dress disco; this year’s theme is ‘The Future Me’. End the night with songs around a campfire.
starryvillage.com
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WOMAD
All together now... WOMAD festival in full swing / Image: Garry Jones
When? July 25-28, 2024
Where? Wiltshire, England
What? Started back in 1982 by a group including Brit music royalty Peter Gabriel, WOMAD – self-styled as “the world’s festival” – has become known as one of the most family-friendly festivals around. It’s set on the outskirts of Malmesbury, a market town easily accessible from Bristol. The festival’s World of Children zone hosts a mostly free programme of science experiments, storytelling, craft-based capers and musical workshops. Much of this creative outpouring culminates spectacularly in a Sunday evening parade, which snakes its way through the site, showcasing the brilliant costumes, banners and other wonders built by hand over the weekend. As daylight fades, you’ll find families dotted around the main stage, standing over what can only be described as ‘kid carts’ – comfortable vehicles for transporting younger visitors, packed with cushions and adorned with fairy lights. The 2024 musical line-up features big-hitters such as Young Fathers, Alison Goldfrapp and London Afrobeat Collective, plus an array of genuinely globe-spanning sounds, which are often more rewarding to investigate than the headliners.
womad.co.uk
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Family Piknik
Standing (sitting) on the shoulders of giants (parents) at Family Piknik / Image: @YourWolfAgency
When? August 2-4, 2024
Where? Montpellier, France
What? With house and techno heavyweights like Erol Alkan, Sven Väth and Nicole Moudaber DJing until the early hours, Family Piknik is truly a festival for parents who were led by the beat back in their heyday. Kids aged six and over can also get a taste of the action, as it’s free for them to attend until 8pm. Being set just outside Montpelier means families can bag a nice hotel or apartment in the city, making babysitting duties a lot easier for whoever’s turn it is (note that children cannot camp onsite). During the day, the vibe is nicely chilled, thanks to arts workshops, theatre performances and a dedicated kid’s zone with activities and play areas.
familypiknikfestival.com
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Gloworm Festival
CBeebies’ presenter Andy Day meeting young fans at Gloworm / Image: Gloworm Festival
When? August 16-18, 2024
Where? Holme Pierrepont Country Park, Nottinghamshire, England
What? Gloworm (reachable from Birmingham and London Luton Airport) combines family-friendly music with wide-ranging activities, creative food and a big ol’ funfair for children aged 13 and under. The majority of activities stem from kids’ TV shows or brands, including a Playmobil rave (which sounds pretty fun for all ages, to be honest), a Paw Patrol meet-and-greet (which will surely whip up a frenzy of excitement amongst younger festivalgoers) and model-making with the ingenious Aardman Animations studio. Children can also meet (actual) animals and birds in The Great Outdoors area or perfect their sandcastle-making at The Beach. A retro-heavy music and entertainment line-up on the main stage includes plenty of ’90s icons that will delight parents of a certain age (and hopefully children, too), such as N-Trance, Pat Sharp, and even Bodger and Badger; if you’re too young to remember B&B, look them up online and prepare to be amazed and/or puzzled.
glowormfestival.co.uk
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Lollapalooza Berlin
Heading into Kidzapalooza to start the fun / Image: Axel Gross
When? September 7-8, 2024
Where? Berlin, Germany
What? Combining a city break with a festival can be the ideal family getaway. With a musical roster that includes Sam Smith, Burna Boy and two of One Direction performing separately as solo artists (sorry, no Harry), this one’s bound to be a hit with both parents and offspring. There’s also a dedicated ‘Kidzapalooza’ zone with child-friendly activities and games. To create a true festival feel for younger visitors, children also have their own stage, with acts including popular German kids’ band Deine Freunde.
lollapaloozade.com/en
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