Bell tent heaven - totally worth carrying all this stuff across several fields

I have been going to festivals since 1986 which was my first Glastonbury (or Pilton festival as it is known in Somerset). Glastonbury in those days was a far cry from today’s festival. It was a very steep learning curve and a right shock if I’m honest! My Mum drove me, and my mate Michelle and we got a bit lost in the lanes around Pilton village so stopped to ask Mr Policeman if we were going the right way. He peered in the car and clocked our 16-year-old selves and turned to my Mum ‘If I was you madam, I would turn around right here and take your girls home’. Fair play to my Mum, she still dropped us off at the gate. She must have really trusted us, is all I can think.

Well in those days there was no police or security on site and as a result it was totally lawless, and felt it. From burning cars and open drug dealing it felt like we were in another dimension. To say the festival was eventful is an understatement – from escaping a burning tent (set alight by a flare), to a mate having his whole tent and everything in it nicked, it was one I will never forget.

Glastonbury highlights include many gloriously sunny, lazy days lying in a field listening to the best music but one of my most memorable moments is being pulled through the mud (as if on water-skis) by my other half, singing along to the Chemical Brothers. And yes, I did end up face first in the mud. BUT that was the only time in all of my years of muddy festivals. I had thick mud down one side – inside my clothes, inside my boots, in my hair and even in my pocket with my wallet which was now a big clump of mud. And do you know what? I didn’t care – such is the power of the Chemical Brothers. Haha. Thank gawd it was before the days of camera phones.

Since the Glastonbury days I have been to a wide variety of festivals and my daughter was subjected to her first one at the age of 10 months – Glad I don’t have to do that again tbh. My daughter is now a very cool 17-year-old and is a festival veteran. We have been to Shambala almost every year of her life and it has become our home from home. We do it in style with a bell tent, rugs, cushions, fairy lights and even a disco ball. The 2024 theme was pink, which resulted in much pink photography and many friends made, as we all shared our pink appreciation (see photos 😊).

Last year I went to Bearded Theory for the first time with my two mates who have a retro orange caravan called Betty (see above).

Despite having tickets for teenagers, said teenagers didn’t want to come so it ended up just the three of us. It had been a while since I had been to anything other than Shambala and Moseley Jazz fest, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just knew that the line up looked incredible. A fusion of heavy (Jane’s Addiction, Amyl and the Sniffers) and dance (Orbital, Bentey Rhythm Ace, Leeroy from Prodigy, Stereo MC’s), it sounded perfect. Despite it raining heavily for a few days beforehand we managed to dodge any rain for the whole weekend.

So, the best bands – Janes Addiction, who I have loved since 1990 but never managed to see live, were epic. Absolutely brilliant, despite Perry Farrel being a bit odd in his chat between songs. Some strange chat about how we don’t need some guy in a crown to run the country. Erm ok, can we have some music now please?

Next on my list is Stereo MC’s – put on a great show that got progressively heavier and clubbier, and yes it was a bit nostalgic.

Also good were Goat Girl, Bentley Rhythm Ace and Jim Bob.

We headed over to the woods on the Saturday night to take part in the silent disco which was one of the most hilarious bits of the festival. There were two DJ’s playing very different genres so if you took off the headphones you could hear people singing at the top of their lungs, in an otherwise, ghostly quiet wood – but one lot singing Spice Girls and the other lot singing Snoop Dog. Fabulous stuff.

So, I have already started festival season 2025 with my second go at Bearded Theory and what a marvellous time was had. It really didn’t disappoint and was every bit as good as last year. Sorry Shambala, it’s my new favourite. From Leftfield to Iggy Pop with plenty of dancing in between at the Maui Waui and Coda tents. We dived into DnB, Electro, Dance and Jungle. It was a fabulous blend through all genres and generations with teenagers dancing and chatting with all of us old schoolers, because, let’s face it, festival folks are one big family, right? Coming together over beats and sequins!

Oh, and I camped in my little micro camper that I bought with the funds raised from my Oxford pop-up. So, thank you wonderful collectors, I appreciate you.

And the best thing?

The boot doesn’t fall on my damn head.

Festivals - my second homes

Oxford pop-up exhibition