10 Best UK Family-Friendly Festivals

Discover the top UK family-friendly festivals for 2025, offering music, dance, crafts and learning for all ages. The perfect family summer break.

A family-friendly festival is the ideal way to spend quality time with your kids this summer. With a choice of crafts, music and dance, storytelling, carnival games, fairground rides and educational workshops on offer you’ll create lasting memories to treasure. Camping is a great outdoor adventure for everyone to enjoy too, whether the sun is shining or not (just pack your waterproofs and wellies!). You can have the most wonderful time creating fun festival outfits and a beautifully decorated tent.

The UK has many festivals to suit all ages, from small gatherings to larger events. For just a few hours or a long weekend, there’s something special for everyone. It’s also the perfect opportunity to go camping, or spend a day out, at a scenic location. Here’s a roundup of 10 of our favourites, along with our top festival tips to look and feel great.

Images courtesy of Hay Festival. Left: Adam Tatton-Reid; Right: Elisabeth Broekaert.

The Hay Festival of Literature and Arts, Powys, Wales

Hay Festival is one of the world's biggest cultural events set in the beautiful surrounds of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park – around 150,000 people attend over the 10 days. The site offers lots of fun, creative spaces to explore like the Family Garden, Festival Bookshop and the Make and Take Tent. Ticketed stages host a range of writers, artists and performers to inspire young minds. Confirmed events for 2025 include writers Michael Morpurgo and Michael Rosen, and Tweedy the Clown is doing a fun performance ages 5+ will love.

When: 22 May to 1 June 2025
Where: Dairy Meadows, Hay-on-Wye, Powys, HR3 5PJ. There’s no accommodation on site, but there are campsites and B&Bs to stay at nearby, look here.
Cost: It's free to enter the site but tickets are individually priced for staged events.

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Wychwood, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Voted The Best Festival For Families by The Independent, this small but fun-packed festival has an exciting mix of music and creativity, with something for all ages. The village green has free workshops and activities for all the family to enjoy. Confirmed events so far include a wake-up workout with The Body Coach Joe Wicks, and lots of great bands including Shed Seven, James and Doves.

When: 30 May to 1 June 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Rd, Cheltenham GL50 4SH
Cost: It's free to enter the site but tickets are individually priced for staged events.

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Image courtesy of Big Feastival

Big Feastival, Oxfordshire

If you’re a family of foodies then this is the festival for you. Set at musician Alex James’s farm in the scenic Cotswolds, this festival combines good music with good food thanks to Michelin star chefs and award-winning street food. There’s an exciting array of family activities including wild workshops and interactive Little Cooks’ cookery sessions.

When: 22 to 24 August 2025
Where: Kingham, Oxfordshire, OX7 6UP
Cost: Choose from weekend tickets with camping or without. Camping tickets are from £61 for kids aged 6-12, from £144 for kids aged 13-17, and from £215 for 18+. Non camping tickets are £48 for 12 and under, £124 for ages 13-17 and £185 for 18+. Under-fives go free.

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Kaleidoscope, North London

A one-day music, arts and culture event in the vibrant setting of Ally Pally, with unparalleled panoramic views of London attracting around 10,000 people. The family area has lots of interactive experiences, including arts and crafts, for all ages to enjoy. There’s a main stage with high profile bands such as Faithless and Beatles Dub Club performing this year, as well as smaller stages for DJs, comedians and up-and-coming bands. Those with younger kids may want to head straight to the kids’ area.

When: 12 July 2025
Where: Alexandra Palace Park, London N22 7AY. No camping onsite, but there is plenty of accommodation nearby to suit all budgets, the festival website has a hotel finder.
Cost: Three price brackets; under-fives cost around £14, aged 5-15 cost around £34, and ages 16+ cost around £65.

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Camp Bestival, Dorset

Designed by families for families, this is a camping holiday combined with a great festival adventure attracting around 30,000 people. The 2025 theme is Pyjama party, so get your best PJs out! Expect music (Basement Jaxx are headlining on Sun 2 Aug); fancy dress competitions; arts and crafts; the world’s biggest bouncy castle and more.

When: 31 July to 3 August 2025
Where: Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QS
Cost: Weekend tickets include camping. Four price rates, for ages 5 to 9, 10 to 12, 13 to 17 and adults. Kids under 5 go free. Tier 3 prices are from £113.

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Teddy Rocks, Dorset

Winner of the UK Festival Awards 2024 Best Festival For Families, Teddy Rocks might be one of the smaller festivals but it’s packed with music, including 100 acts across six stages as well as lots of activities for young families, including fairground rides. Bands confirmed so far include Hybrid Theory (The Linkin Park Tribute), and Punk Rock Factory. 100% of the profits go to charities that support children with cancer and research.

When: 2 to 4 May 2025
Where: Charisworth Farm, Blandford, Dorset. It has three campsite areas, including a quiet campsite.
Cost: Choice of weekend tickets, (from £22.20), day tickets (from £11.10), or weekend tickets with camping (from £27.75). Two ticket prices, aged 5-15 and adults. Under-fives go free.

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Images courtesy of Park Fair

Park Fair, Oxfordshire

If you like your festivals smaller and more exclusive, then this three-day boutique festival has something for everyone. It includes music, independent artisans, fashion and lifestyle brands, wellness treatments, and family entertainment of traditional fairground rides, arts & crafts, dance, silent discos and soft play. Also on offer for 2025 Is Funky Pants music and dance for preschoolers, a children’s braid bar, puppy pampering and a dog show.

When: 20 to 22 June 2025
Where: The Great Tew Estate, Ledwell Road, Great Tew, Oxfordshire. No accommodation at the site, but there is plenty of choice of camping, hotels and B&Bs in Oxfordshire.
Cost: Tickets are available as a one-day pass. £5 for under-fives, £12 for under 18s and £20 for adults. Under six months go free.

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Wilderness, Oxfordshire

This mid-sized festival is billed as a cosmic family-friendly dreamland for those of all ages with family activities, including sensory raves, games and dance sessions, family theatre, circus, clowning, performance and play. There’s also a dedicated nanny service to book for parents who fancy some child-free time!

When: 31 July to 3 August 2025
Where: Cornbury Park, Charlbury, Oxon, Oxfordshire. Has family and quiet campsites.
Cost: Four different camping prices, ages 0-5 years from £12; 6-12 yrs, from £45; 13-17 years from £145; and 18+ from £263.

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Latitude, Suffolk

Another winner of the Best Family Festival at the UK Festival awards. Latitude has a huge array of family-friendly activities spread across four exciting areas: the kids’ area, described is a ‘festival within a festival’; the enchanted garden; Camp Greenpeace with natured focused adventures; and the Inbetweeners Tween Stage. Lots of great live music too, confirmed so far this year are Sting, Fatboy Slim and Snow Patrol.

When: 24 to 27 July 2025
Where: Henham Park, Suffolk
Cost: Three weekend family camping prices: child (5-12) family camping ticket, from £28; teen (13-15) family camping ticket, from £190; and adult (16+) family camping ticket from £308. Under-fives are free. Day tickets may also be available, check out the website for prices and details.

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Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh

There’s a fantastic range of shows and events aimed at children during this famous festival originally established in 1947. It's also loads of fun to just wander down the Royal Mile and witness scores of musicians, acrobats and other street performers.

When: 1 to 25 August 2025
Where: Events happen all over the city. To find out about accommodation go here.
Cost: Check out the website for ticket prices for events.

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Festival Must-Haves

Apart from packing clothes for all seasons, why not take decorations to ‘dress up’ your tent as well? Bunting and garlands, inside and out, will make your holiday home look and feel festival fantastic. Plus it’ll stand out from the crowd too so it’s easier to spot! Check out our garlands, the ones made from fabric are ideal for all weathers. And, it goes without saying, you’ll want to dress the whole family in festival clothing too, festivals are after all about letting your extrovert side come out to play! We’ve got some wild kids’ costumes and headwear. Or why not make your own fun carnival masks? See our step by step make here.

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