Abigail Flanagan, The Guardian
Glastonbury is arguably the foremost music festival in the world but a big part of its success is down to the fact that there is so much more to Worthy Farm’s extravaganza than just music. Europe’s biggest open-air event is also home to Britain’s largest free children’s festival – Kidz Field – and all children aged 12 and under are admitted to Glastonbury free provided they are accompanied by a ticketholding adult.
Like something Willy Wonka might have dreamed up, this year’s Kidz Field offers up 1.2 hectares of fantastic free entertainment, education and fun for the family. The big top will feature a vast array of theatrical mayhem, ranging from Bodger & Badger to crime-fighting super heroines; peerless puppeteer Prof Panic and, of course, more clowns than you can chuck a pie at. At the Syra circus big top, kids can try all manner of circus-skills workshops, from unicycling to trapeze, and there will be tales aplenty in the story telling marquee. There will also be all manner of arts and crafts workshops plus Facepak’s fantastic face-painting and funky makeovers by the Bindi Crew.
Outside the tents, there are numerous rides and games along with a giant, enchanted climbing castle. Weird and wonderful characters will be out and about and adding to the magic but if it all gets a bit much for younger ones, you can decamp to the safe, staffed Little Kidz area, which has everything from soft play to a karaoke stage and a pirate ship. The fun extends way beyond the Kidz Field. The green fields have their own kids area with children’s performance marquee; countless arts and crafts activities; a daily programme of theatre, clowning, puppetry and circus shows; skateboard ramp and a superb rainbow warrior climbing frame. The TP field will have loads going on for kids too; likewise, the theatre and circus fields are a must. There are still tickets available for this year’s festival, which starts on June 27. So if you are looking for something truly out of the ordinary to do next weekend then dig the tent out of the shed, grab the kids and head to Pilton. Imagine how they will feel waking up each morning to find that they really have run away and joined one enormous circus.