The summer season is jammed packed full of great family friendly festivals all around the country. We’ve got a great line up of the top family friendly festivals in 2023 right across the UK. There are lots of great ideas from music festivals to carnivals and gourmet treats.
Whether you want to pop in for a day full of fun or have the whole camping experience too, there’s a lot on offer specifically for the kids. Happy kids = happy parents!
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The Willowbrook Arts & Music Festival is back again for the 8th year on 4th – 6th August 2023. WAM brings spectacular music, arts and traditional crafts together on the beautiful Willowbrook Farm in Oxfordshire. Camping options also available.
The 3-day festival weekend offers a huge range of hands on activities for all ages. Previous WAMs have seen African drumming, Reptile Handling, Morris Dancing, Juggling, Story Telling, Archery, Kickboxing, Bushcraft, Beatboxing, Tajweed, Poetry reading, Watercolour painting and Traditional Crafts.
Family Friendly Festivals in May 2023
Forbury Fiesta – 6th May – There will be stalls and rides for children as well as Pop Up Play Village with their construction site, cafe and art studio. (Berkshire)
Wood Festival 19th-21st May – A festival of music and nature. As well as music, there is a full programme of free workshops for all ages, kids tent activities, and delicious locally-sourced food and drink. 3 nights camping included with your ticket. (Oxfordshire)
Lechlade Music Festival 26th – 28th May – multi-award winning family friendly festival in the beautiful Cotswold market town of Lechlade, alongside the River Thames. (Gloucestershire)
Family Friendly Festivals in June 2023
Wychwood Festival 2nd – 4th June – Nominated Best Family Festival the UK Festival Awards every year, there is so much for all ages to enjoy and take part in at this festival taking part at Cheltenham Raceground. (Gloucestershire)
Shynefest 3rd June – Surrey’s family friendly live music festival with lots of free activities for kids.
Great British Food Festival at Ashridge House 3rd-4th June – The Great British Food Festival is coming to Ashridge House for the first time! Join us for a weekend of food, fun and sun from 3rd-4th June. (Hertfordshire)
Ffennel Festival at the Hill end Centre 10th June – is a brilliant community festival with outdoor fun for all ages. Packed with outdoor activities and live music. Tickets are only £5 for adults and £3 for children (Oxfordshire)
FloFest 17th June – this free family friendly day festival is held in the beautiful Florence Park (Oxfordshire)
Daylesford Farm Summer Festival 17th – 18th June – the organic farm’s first two-day festival with a jam-packed itinerary for families, young children, teens, groups of friends, fans of good food and lovers of nature. (Cotswolds)
Cheltenham Children’s Festival 24th June – The day will feature a large variety of performances, activities and workshops giving children and families the opportunity to play together, learn together and grow together. FREE
East Reading Festival 25th June – A celebration of the diversity of the local community with stalls, performance stages, rides and a funfair. (Berkshire)
Family Friendly Festivals in July 2023
Eynsham Carnival 1st July – There will be Morris dancing in the square, followed by a shirt race and village parade down to the Carnival field for live music and family fun. (Oxfordshire)
Accessival 8th July – Thomley are holding their first ever festival this summer, an accessible festival for all the community. (Buckinghamshire)
Fi Fest 2023 8th July – family music festival with KIDSZONE between Maidenhead and Windsor. (Berkshire)
Bastille Day 8th – 9th July After years of continued success, Bastille Day Festival Reading is rolling out its plans for yet another weekend of fun, relaxation and laughter staged in the Forbury Gardens, Reading. (Berkshire)
Fantasy Forest Festival 14th – 16th July – The popular family-friendly festival returns to Sudeley Castle & Gardens this July 2023 with a weekend of entertainment, outdoor activities and fun for all ages. (Gloucestershire)
Readipop Festival 14th – 16th July- Readipop Festival brings big names, promotes local talent and maximum fun to Caversham’s Christchurch Meadows, all whilst helping a great cause. The Festival also features a growing children’s and family area, roaming performers, multiple workshops, arts and crafts traders, bars and award winning food. (Berkshire)
Standon Calling Festival – 20th – 23rd July -Independent festival with big acts, breaking bands, fun for families and late night partying. (Hertfordshire)
Maidenhead Festival – 22nd – 23rd July – A free community festival which is family friendly featured music, fairground, stalls, side shows and fireworks too! (Berkshire)
Nozstock 20th – 23rd July – Nozstock is one of the UK’s longest running festivals – family-run, very much home-made and proudly independent on a beautiful working farm set upon rolling hills. The Nosworthy family continue to curate one of the UK’s finest emporiums of music, arts, food and drink, with a huge focus on keeping all kids and families entertained in the Little Wonderland Kids Area. (Herefordshire)
Stainsby Festival 21st – 23rd July -a well-established, intimate and family friendly event in a beautiful rural setting, held in large marquees on a greenfield site in the picturesque hamlet of Stainsby (Derbyshire).
Chagstock Festival– 21st – 22nd July – An international Music Festival on the edge of Devon’s beautiful Dartmoor with 5,000 capacity, camping, beer tent, kids entertainment and great line up.
Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival – 21st – 23rd July – summer weekend in the Yorkshire Dales filled with foodie fun – featuring Celebrity Chefs James Martin & The Hairy Bikers! (Yorkshire)
Marvellous Festival at Dinton Patures 22nd – 23rd July – Music all weekend. Onsite camping that’s family friendly and fairground rides with loads of stuff for the kids – from face painting and crafts to circus skills and dance workshops. (Berkshire)
Deer Shed Festival – 28th-31st July – Three days of the best in music, comedy, theatre, science and sport for the whole family, set in beautiful North Yorkshire parkland. (Yorkshire)
Camp Bestival Dorset 27th – 30th July – The most well known of the family friendly festivals, situated in Dorset, Camp Bestival is a multi-award winning festival that combines an all-encompassing family festival experience with an action packed camping holiday; something that they like to call a Festi-Holiday! (Dorset)
Riverside Festival 29th – 30th July – Charlbury’s free music festival with a children’s area to keep the little ones occupied. (Oxfordshire) FREE
Family Friendly Festivals in August 2023
Wilderness Festival 3rd – 6th August- an award winning festival of music, food, arts, learning, literature and rejuvenation. Set amongst the lakes, forests and parkland of Oxfordshire’s exquisite Cornbury Estate, it’s become popular with locals and those further afield and enjoyed by many families too. (Oxfordshire)
Willowbrook Arts & Music Festival – 4th – 6th August – WAM brings spectacular music, arts and traditional crafts together on the beautiful Willowbrook Farm in Oxfordshire. The 3-day festival weekend at Willowbrook Farm offers a huge range of hands on activities for all ages. (Hampton Gay, near Kidlington)
Rewind Festival Macclesfield – 4th – 6th August- Lose yourself in an 80’s weekend of Rewind at Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield. All you need is your friends and some glitter to come to join the party! There’s a kids zone and family activities too. (Cheshire)
Deva Fest 11th – 13th August – the must go North West family friendly festival. With music & comedy across five stages, comedy, art and parades, Gin masterclasses, the best bars and a packed selection of activities for kids of all ages. (Malpas, Cheshire)
From pre-school through to teens the festival have plenty of things to keep your little (and not so little!) ones occupied. From messy play and the new Kids Kingdom entertainment zone to the famous FREE to ride fairground. If that wasn’t enough there will also be DINO MANIA! The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park are heading to Deva Fest!
Camp Bestival Shropshire 17th – 20th August – Following hot on the heels of the pioneering Dorset-based jamboree which will take place in July, Camp Bestival Shropshire will be bringing all the unique and essential elements of the original Camp Bestival to the heart of England. (Shropshire)
Rewind Festival Henley – 18th -20th August – Music, entertainment, fairground rides, Inflatable Church, Kidzone and Bars.
Just So Festival 18th- 20th August – The family arts festival provides a magical experience where art, music and literature are embedded and entwined in a beautiful and wondrous landscape. They provide a broad range of musical, theatrical, and visual performances, workshops and installations within a safe, natural and magical setting. (Cheshire)
Reading Festival 25th – 27th August The festival welcomes all ages but does say they recommend not bringing young children. (Berkshire)
CarFest 25th – 27th August – The UK’s largest family fundraising festival, CarFest, returns to Hampshire just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend. With an incredible seven festivals in one, there are an abundance of activities to be enjoyed! (Hampshire)
Shambala 24th – 27th August – Shambala is a very family-friendly festival, with a wild side. They do everything they can to make the festival great for the whole family, whilst maintaining the music, magic and mayhem! (Northamptonshire)
Big Feastival 25th – 27th August – The Big Feastival is a summer festival for all the family with a jam pack line of music, entertainment and activities for all ages. As the sun goes down, the music doesn’t stop with their infamous and ever-popular Silent Disco rounding off each day. Get on those headphones and sing along until your heart is content. (Oxfordshire)
Foodies Festival 26th – 28th August – Foodies Festival (dubbed “Gastro-Glasto”) is the biggest touring gourmet food festival in the UK, featuring MasterChef champions, stars of Great British Bake-Off and Michelin Starred Chefs. The festival returns to South Parks, Oxford this summer – with a star-studded line-up of celebrity chefs and chart-topping music stars. (Oxfordshire)
Wokingham Festival 26th – 28th August – Three days of excellent live music, delicious food and drink and a range of activities to keep the little ones entertained over the bank holiday weekend (Berkshire)
Family Friendly Festivals in September 2023
Bunkfest 1st – 3rd September – On the banks of the Thames in South Oxfordshire, Wallingford BunkFest is a free-access community festival providing a unique, family friendly celebration with something for everyone. (Oxfordshire) – FREE
Off The Tracks -1st – 3rd Sep – On a quest to create the perfect small festival they’ve been named a top ‘Small is Beautiful Festival’ by the Sunday Times.” (Leicestershire)
Maidenhead Kite Festival – 3rd September (Berkshire) a free community festival with kites galore, live music and local food traders.
Gig on the Green 9th September – A family-friendly festival with live music from the award-winning Levi Roots and legends of the local music scene in Oxfordshire, the Deadbeat Apostles, Blue Stew, Stage Dive Dave, George Lewis, and Winestain. (West Oxfordshire)
Great Barn Festival 22nd – 24th September – a down to earth, relaxed and eclectic family friendly festival of the Arts. (Oxfordshire)
Corbridge Festival cancelled for 2022 but planned for 2023 – the North East’s finest family friendly festival. A magical weekend of adventure, discovery, and inspiration. With over 50 bands performing across 3 stages, they’ll be showcasing a sensational mix of national treasures, guilty pleasures, great emerging talent and a spattering of true legends.
Cowley Road Carnival -CANCELLED – one of Oxford’s biggest community events with a carnival procession.
