England is coming out of lockdown and festivals up and down the country have announced they are going ahead for summer 2021. So grab the kids, the wellies and the glitter because we’ve compiled the best child friendly festivals for those aged 2 or 92!
Great Exhibition Road Festival
Inspired by Queen Victoria’s Great Exhibition this family friendly weekend festival celebrates science, art and culture in one of the most iconic locations in London. The festival brings together London institutions such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Parks, Serpentine Galleries, Natural History Museum and Imperial College to bring over 150 live events and activities for all ages with a lot of digital resources for those unable to make it in person.
When: 3 & 4 July 2021
Where: Exhibition Road, South Kensington
How much: free more info here.
Latitude Festival
Lewis Capaldi, Bastille and Snow Patrol are headlining this beautiful Suffolk festival arranged around the Latitude lake (home to the Kids area). Winner of the 2018 Best Festival Awards, the family friendly part of the festival is called the Enchanted garden and entertains young ones with fire shows, pond dipping, star gazing and pizza making. Latitude is the closest grown-ups can get to a real festival experience with the tiddlywinks in tow.
When: 22 – 25 July 2021
Where: Henham Park, Suffolk
How much: £226.80 for a family (two adults) more info and booking via their site here.
Nozstock the Hidden Valley
Like the very best of festivals, Nozstock was founded by a fun-loving family, their extended relatives, friends, acquaintances and pretty much everyone who had a guitar to play or a joke to tell. Shenanigans for the mini-festivaler include arts & crafts, yoga sessions, and a multitude of diversions, there’s entertainment and participation on offer, whatever your energy levels! The line-up for 2021 will be including drum and bass from Andy C, dub from Gentleman’s Dub Club and electronica from Submotion Orchestra .
When: 23 – 26 July 2021
Where: Herefordshire, West Midlands
How much: Adults start at £138 teens from £106 and kids under 12 are free. More info and booking via their website here.
Elderflower Fields
This small family friendly festival is on for what will be the first weekend of the school summer holidays in 2021 for most people and promises to bring us a weekend of wild adventure, locally sourced food and plenty of music and art to warm the soul. You can expect a great mix of tunes as well as performances and activities for the whole family. Enjoy the surrounding Ashdown Forest as children become a little bit wilder and closer to nature.
When: 23 – 27 July 2021
Where: Pippingford park, East Sussex
How much: Limited Tier 4 tickets are on sale for £143 more info and booking via their site.
Womad
Still awaiting confirmation that Womad is going ahead as planned for 2021. Dubbed as the world’s festival, Womad is a great place to introduce kids to the wonderful world of travel and adventure. Experience cutting edge performances and world-class musicians from every corner of the planet. Split over six stages that boast the best in sound, choose your venue from the sunny open-air stage, to more intimate venues such as the leafy Ecotricity stage. Iconic avant-garde rock band The Flaming Lips bring their frenetic labyrinth of psychedelic anthems to WOMAD 2021 for the very first time. With over 200 workshops for kids including storytelling, music, physics and cookery, there is bound to be something to excite you and your little people. For Nomad’s youngest under 5 visitors there is a dedicated World of Children to play and explore.
When: 22 – 25 July 2021
Where: Wiltshire
How much: Adult day tickets from £95, children under 12 go free – book here.
Penn Fest
With a huge line up including Razorlight, Ella Eyre, Sigma DJ, General Levy, Rag n Bone Man, Johnny Marr and Dub Pistols this year is sure to be the biggest festival yet for the village of Penn. Young Londoners visiting can have some fun in the Kids Zone run by Bigtopmania from Camp Bestival and Glastonbury. There will be a circus tent with circus skills workshops, crazy bikes, inflatables, trapeze workshops, family circus shows, big balloon disco, big bubbles (with the kids inside them), stilt walkers and clowns. Hula Hoops, diabolos, plate spinning, devil sticks, tightrope walking, toddlers play, balloon twisting, coconut shy and side show games. Perfect family fun.
When: 23 & 24 July 2021
Where: The Big Penn, Bucks.
How much: £117 for adults and kids under 12 are free – both need to pay extra for camping tickets. More info and booking via their site here.
Camp Bestival
Little brother to Bestival, this award winning family friendly festival is organised by Rod da Bank and his wife Josie and really places children (of all ages!) at the centre of everything. From wild adventurous pursuits in the Wild Tribe area (with mud-slides and drumming circles) through to the world’s biggest bouncy castle to get your bounce on. There is also go-karting, fairy tales and (bedtime) storytelling from Cbeebies, raves from Big Fish Little Fish and vintage fairground rides. The science tent will captivate and educate whilst the youngest of ravers can enjoy soft play (yes!) and sandpits or catch a spectacle from Cirque Bijou and brush up on your circus skills, learn to walk the rope or admire some late night cabaret. New for 2021 you can expect a festival within a festival for teenagers as well as the keep it cosmic dance tent and a new eco-camping experience. When it comes to music you can expect big names for 2021 including Groove Armada, Fatboy Slim and Kelis. Full line-up here. Bring it on!
When: 29 July 2021 – 1 August 2021
Where: Lulworth Castle, Dorset
How much: Adult tickets start at £190 and there are a variety of children’s options. More info and booking via their website here.
Kendal Calling
With activities for children aged 0-11, take yourself and your children to craft workshops, face-painting and story- telling as well as to learn exciting circus tricks. Parents of little ones (under the age of 3) can supervise their children whilst they play in the inflatable ball pit, from the shade of a relaxing tipi. The line-up for 2021 is yet to be announced so keep an eye out on their website for full details.
When: 29 July – 1 August 2021
Where: Lowther Deer park, Cumbria
How much: Weekend tickets start at £154 more info and booking via their website.
Farm Fest
A more intimate affair set in the heart of an organic farm deep in the Somerset countryside. 2021 is set to have a packed programme for kids. If previous events are to go by, you can expect make-and-take sessions, musical puppet sing-alongs, classic story based interactive workshops, magic shows, discos and loads more. The Kids’ Kingdom is next door to the campsite so little ones don’t have to venture too far to get involved in some interactive theatre, hat making competition or a dance off. This year they have confirmed Baxter Dury, Gengahr and Coach Party amongst others. Full line-up here.
When: 30 & 31st July 2021
Where: Somerset
How much: £85 per adult with children under 12 going free. More info and bookings here.
Chilled In A Field
A safe and affordable, magic little festival surrounded by woodlands and wheat fields. Get back to nature and chill in a field whilst little ones enjoy the mini steam train, soft play and sand pit or get involved in the many family friendly activities and workshops throughout the weekend. Chilled in a Field is a not-for-profit, environmentally conscious social gathering, put together by a talented team of volunteers, where adults and children can make new friends, discover new experiences, and enjoy nature, as well as having a whole lot of silly fun!
When: 30 July – 1 August 2021
Where: Bentley Estate, East Sussex
How much: £119 for adults and £35 for kids between 4-12 years. More info and booking here.
Deer Shed
Rather than having kids zones (‘they’re not zoo animals!’), the festival is completely accessible by everyone, of all ages and at all times. Sport, Literature, theatre, arts and crafts, workshops and science are all themes you and your family can enjoy. To top off this, the line-up includes Ghostpoet, Stereolab, and baxter Dury to name but a few.
When: 30 July – 1 August 2021
Where: Topcliffe, North Yorkshire
How much: Adult tickets: £150, Child tickets: £30- £70, infants: Free more info and booking here.
Starry Skies
From creaters of Shambala Fest comes this micro festival on a farm with dark sky reserve status – hence the name! This gloriously mucky hybrid between a festival and a family camping holiday is designed especially for free range kids and their grown ups. Expect campfires, forest school adventures, a giant build your own adventure playground, arts and grafts, a mud kitchen that would put Mary Berry to shame, rave music from Big Fish Little Fish and Afro Fusion. Still awaiting an announcement for confirmation that this will go ahead in 2021 but it is worth keeping an eye out as tickets will no doubt sell quickly.
When: 4 – 8 August 2021
Where: Monmouthshire
How much: Tickets not yet on sale. Keep an eye out on their website here.
Wilderness
Wonderful and weird this year’s festival line-up is yet to be confirmed but you can expect the usual array of theatre and arts, live music, food and drink, well-being, children’s games, storytelling, body painting and more. There is also normally a nanny service available so the kids can be entertained whilst you sip on cocktails and get your festival on.
When: 5 – 8 August 2021
Where: Cornbury park, Oxfordshire
How much: Tickets available from £198 more info and booking here.
Boomtown
Boomtown is an epic festival – a whole city dedicated to partying in Hampshire with an epic line-up that gets better every year. Plus there’s heaps of entertainment and fun zones for the whole family. Rave with your offspring to Big Fish Little Fish, Junior Jungle and Fun DMC to whatever your music fix may be from ragga-jungle to hip-hop and club classics. The Kid’s field is a must for families as during the day interactive stories transport you to Boomtown’s version of Narnia. There’s treasure hunts and baby yurts (where you can chill out with the youngest festival goers), science tent to get your education dose or if you prefer to catch a show there’s theatre and performances for toddlers and adults alike, circus acts and loads of crafts and arts.
When: 11 August til 15 August 2021
Where: Hampshire
How much: Tickets have sold-out for 2021 although there is the possibly of grabbing re-sale tickets. More info here.
Just So Festival
With a love of stories and childhood escapades at its heart, Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into a wonderland of world class literature, arts, theatre, dance, music, comedy and creative pursuits together. Just So takes audiences to lands full of magical midnight feasts, curious creatures, hidden retreats, top notch food, drink and boutique camping options and breathtaking beauty. Learn to paddle board, watch a woodland opera and take part in a colour fight. Peekaboo- the area for tiny children sees baby massage, baby yoga and pregnancy yoga whilst the rest of the festival caters to ensure visitors of all ages are able to pursue fun. This is an outdoor adventure and creative space for all involved, placing a focus on art over music!
When: 20 – 22 August 2021
Where: Rode Hall, Cheshire
How much: From £155 for adults and £53 for kids for the weekend with camping. More info via their website.
The Big Feastival
Blur Bassist Alex James, runs this foodie festival, which in 2019 featured children’s entertainer Justin Fletcher as well as Peppa Pig and George. There was also Dexter the T- Rex, a bedtime stories tent and a chance to visit Adam Henson’s Cotswold’s Farm Park. Kids are just as much welcome here as adults and the famous faces your children will undoubtedly recognise are proof of this. So get your senses ready for a feast. This is one for the future foodies out there (and their accompanying adults). The Big Feastival combines crucial ingredients of great food with and A-list music line-up with headliners such as Sigala, Rag n Bone Man, Nile Rogers and Chic as well as many more for a great festival recipe. Expect a vintage funfair, Jitterbug circus, giant puppets, village green games, tree climbing, games and lots more.
When: 27 – 29 August 2021
Where: Oxfordshire
How much: Day tickets start at £68 for adults. More info and booking via their website here.
Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
This cultural gem is London’s leading festival for theatre and performing arts and takes place in various locations across Greenwich, Docklands and East London. It was one of the few festivals that went ahead ina socially distanced way in 2020. Expect lots of groundbreaking outdoor performances that share diverse local and global stories. More info and full programme here.
When: 27 August 2021 – 11 September 2021
Where: Throughout Greenwich and Docklands
How much: free
Hampton Court Palace Food Festival
Historic Royal Palaces certainly know how to put on a good foodie festival for the whole family. Young Londoners can explore the palace, enjoy the grounds and take part in the live entertainment from regular festival favourites, all with social distancing and safety measures in place. The hand-picked selection of artisan producers, street food and boutique drinks companies will quench your thirst and supply you with a variety of foodie delights. More to be announced in due course so keep your eyes peeled on their website.
When: 28 – 30 August 2021
Where: Hampton Court Palace
How much: TBC
The Cambridge Club
The Cambridge Club returns in 2021 as a full weekend festival for the first time with an unparalleled line-up of Disco, Funk, Soul, Blues and R&B icons, that will bring musical magic to the Cambridgeshire countryside. The festival offers a three-day feast of Music, Arts and Culture – featuring comedy, talks, interactive experiences, family entertainment, and delicious food and drink, as well as a leading line-up of musical artists. The new theme is ‘Inspired by Creators, Innovators and Explorers’ who the historic city has been home to over the years – from past pioneers like Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, to present day treasures such as David Attenborough and Emma Thompson. Line-Up includes: Jack Savoretti, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Beverley Knight, Shalamar and Soul II Soul
When: Dates TBC
Where: Childerley, Cambridge
How much: Adult weekend tickets start at £130 kids 6-17 £66.95 each and kids under 5 are free. More info and booking here.
**All ticket prices listed here are based on information at the time of publication and refer to basic camping prices which are are subject to availability. Do check with the individual providers for more information.