Festivals with great food
Whether you glamp, camp or shop, family festivals are the perfect way to spend time together
Historic Royal Palaces Food Festivals Hillsborough Castle & Gardens Food Festival, 5-7 July; Hampton Court Palace Food Festival, 24-26 August; Tower of London Food Festival, 12-15 September Enjoy a great day out with live cookery demos from top chefs and experts including Nadiya Hussain and Chris Bavin, street food, kids’ entertainment, plus shopping from artisan producers – all while exploring the stunning venues and grounds. See hrpfoodfestivals.com for tickets.
Womad
25-28 July Wiltshire
Adult three-day ticket from £185; age 14-17 from £95; under-13s free.
The Taste the World stage invites artists to cook their favourite dishes, resulting in an intimate conversation with performers. And the World of Children experience keeps kids entertained with many free activities. womad.co.uk
Line-up Ziggy Marley, Macy Gray, Orbital, Salif Keita, Anna Calvi and more. Camp Bestival
25-28 July Dorset
Adult weekend ticket from £180; students from £175; age 13-17 from £114; age 10-12 from £90; age five-nine from £31.50; age four and under from £11; babies under one go free.
This year’s attendees are asked to don capes for the Heroes vs. Superheroes fancy dress theme. Kids will be kept busy in the Cbeebies Magazine tent while adults enjoy Dorset Farmers’ Market and The Jam Jar Bar. campbestival.net Line-up Nile Rogers & Chic, Annie Mac, Jess Glynne, Sister Sledge and more.
Wilderness 1-4 August Oxfordshire
Adult weekend tickets from £190.75; teen tickets (age 13-17) from £126.25; junior tickets (age six-12) from £39.75; age five and under from £6.25.
This award-winning festival is famous for its family-friendly vibe. Kids can get stuck into everything from yoga to theatre production, and there are also plenty of creative workshops. But if you want to experience the lakeside spa, a meditation class, or one of the famous hot tubs, there’s a handy babysitting service. Plus, try dishes from Café Murano, Patty & Bun, and chefs Nieves Barragán and Tom Aikens. wildernessfestival.com Line-up Robyn, Groove Armada and more. Just So Festival
16-18 August Cheshire
Adult weekend ticket from £145; child ticket (age three to 15) from £50; under-threes go free.
This is a magical experience where art, music and literature are celebrated.
From an opera for children to a lantern parade, a silent disco and storytelling, there's plenty to keep young ones happy. Plus, try crêpes from Cosy Rosie’s, Kroket’s French-style croquettes or tacos from Tacoporium. justsofestival.org.uk The Big Feastival
23-25 August The Cotswolds Adult weekend ticket from £152.50; teen ticket (age 13-17) from £85; child ticket (under-12s) from £25.
This festival (held at Alex James’ Farm) is a bit of a foodie frenzy, but there’s also plenty for children to do, from group games to circus workshops. They can also take part in cookery classes, dance lessons and jam sessions. And you’ll be able to tuck in to a variety of street-food favourites, including ice lollies from Lickalix and Made of Dough’s woodfired sourdough pizzas, before taking in cookery demos by Andi Oliver and Raymond Blanc. thebigfeastival.com Line-up Elbow, Rudimental, Lewis Capaldi, The Zutons and more. Pub in the Park
Various dates and locations
Tickets from £30 for adults; £20 for under-15s.
If you missed Tom Kerridge’s Marlow event in May, the good news is that this year there are seven more fun weekends in Leeds, Knutsford, Bath, Warwick, Tunbridge Wells, Chiswick and St Albans between now and September. The afternoon sessions are best for spending time with the children. Pop-up ‘pubs’ include José Pizarro and Angela Hartnett. pubintheparkuk.com
Line up Includes Clean Bandit, Rick Astley, Razorlight, Fun Lovin’ Criminals.