We are just back from Camp Bestival 2017 and having attended the festival 6 times in the past, this time was certainly very different!
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All Saints on stage at Camp Bestival 2017. Photo credit: Camp Bestival
The music is always fantastic. The food is always delicious. The general atmosphere, sights, colour and vibe is what we love about the weekend each time we go, and the kids enjoy having a bit more freedom to roam, the multitude of activities that they can access and the laid back togetherness that we experience as a family. However this year we also got more than we bargained for!
We’ve always been blessed with beautiful weather for the Camp Bestival weekend – the sun has always shone brightly and it has lent itself to a party / holiday feel. But this year we got what I’d call the FULL festival experience as the heavens opened for most of the weekend and the festival site became a mud bath! For those with mobility issues it could be tricky and the trolleys and buggies found that their wheels got stuck in the mud more than once. But for the most part the other festival goers just got on with it – the rain and mud wasn’t going to ruin anyones fun, and as my husband said to me as I tentatively stood at the side of the field, trying but failing to see an easy way to cross without sliding around, “You’ve just got to embrace your inner child and enjoy the slide Nadine!” …and do you know what? He was right!
This Instagram was posted during the calm before the storm!
Here is a before and after of the muddy scenes. My husband is carrying my son on his shoulder in the bottom right image as he couldn’t walk on the mud!
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With the world’s biggest disco ball before the rain fell. The images on the right show the mud the next day.
I do believe that you just have to roll with what you are dealt in life – make the best of it. We cannot control Mother Nature (nor would I want to – she has more infinite wisdom than I do) but this weather related obstacle brought out the steely determination in all of us. Plus that great British ‘keep calm and carry on’ mentality that we are all known for! The artists still gave their all – and the festival goers loved it! Highlights for me this year were the brilliant cast of School of Rock – the musical, who performed on the Castle Stage (image below), 80s band T’Pau who I probably last listened to in the 80s and I still knew all the words and finally Dat Brass – a new discovery who had the energy and charisma to attract in folk and get them dancing, with their hip hop and brass band fusion of popular tunes. I love these little finds that I always seem to get at this festival.
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Image remains untouched / unedited so you can see the hue of the sky and the general atmosphere!
Another find I had this time was a new author! I attended a talk in the Literary Institute called ‘How to Write a Novel from a Beach Hut’ by author Lucy Clarke, who as it happens, writes her novels from her own beach hut on the south coast! Her fourth novel has just been published and it sounds right up my street, so I bought a signed copy! It is called Last Seen and promises to be a real page turner.
We really enjoyed our Camp Bestival experience and if you are looking to plan for next year’s Camp Bestival extravaganza, then 2018 tickets will be on sale soon at this link.
Image may be NSFW.
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2017 Blog Ambassador: JuggleMum is proud to be an official blogger at Camp Bestival 2017. As an ambassador, my family and I received a free family ticket to share our experience with you and report back. Camp Bestival is a family friendly festival that has entertainment for all ages from babies up. Learn more at their website. Click here to read all my posts as a festival ambassador.
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