Valley Fest is perfect for first time festival goers and families of all ages. If you haven’t been to a festival before with your family, then take a look at this guide.

Arriving at Valley Fest

• Make sure you have your ticket!
• Family Camping field has changed position owing to the feedback we got last year – where families would have preferred it to be closer to the action. Have a look at this year’s site map to get your bearings. This means there is a longer walk in than last year but we are offering a free luggage carrying service. Then you only have to do that walk again at the end, rather than daily. Sarah Ryman from Festival Kidz says:“(I’ve always favoured a good 3 wheeler to these trollies which are actually quite hard to drag around, especially if your site is hilly or bumpy“. And along the way we have goodies for you. Yeo Valley will be offering ice creams, Pip Organic will be giving out juices and Thatchers will be serving up ciders.
• If you have a campervan, you can pitch a small tent next to it for the kids to sleep in.
• There are showers and toilets in all the campsites

Cashless
We are a cashless event again this year to reduce queuing. You can set up your children’s wallet which will be linked to your account. You can top this up and see what they’re spending. They won’t be allowed to buy alcohol. You can read more about how to set up you account here. Please note this needs to be done before 19:00 on Wednesday 3rd August, for it to be linked with your ticket. You can still create a cashless account on site – you’ll simply use your wristband number rather than your ticket. You can do this online from 12:00 on Thursday 4th. Please add your phone number to your cashless account when you’re setting it up. This helps us reunite you with your children should they get lost.

Site Map

• Head to the brand new Alchemist’s Playground for a huge range of workshops, activities and performances for all ages. You’ll find lots of spoken word as well as drama, not forgetting the very popular Community Farm activities and tours.
• Info Point, you can go here and ask questions, register for the fancy dress competition and hand in lost property.

Food and Water

• We have plenty of healthy & treaty food stands and have asked that traders offer a kids meal for under a fiver. You can find a list of traders here.
• You’ll find clearly labelled water points. Remember your water bottle and mug. We have no single use plastic or disposable cups to reduce waste.

Safety

• Lost/Found Children point and the Medical Tent are marked on the site map which you’ll find here and in the programme.
• Our team of stewards is always on hand to help so show your kids what stewards look like when you arrive and talk them through what to do if they get lost.
• It’s worth taking a photo of the kids each morning so you can easily remember what they are wearing if you do get separated. Bright clothes are also handy for spotting little ones in they wander. Top tip from Sarah Ryman: “I know this sounds stupid but I’ve come across several upset parents who couldn’t remember what their kids were wearing at festivals“.

Sleeping

• Sleeping at festivals is often one of the things new families worry about most. We ask all guests to be considerate in our campsites and not make a lot of noise after midnight, unless you’re in the Beyond the Burner campsite.
• It’s a good idea to bring earplugs though!

What’s on for Kids 

• Do have a look at these pages.

What needs pre booking and where do I go for that?

New for this year, we’re offering cookery classes! You can book these in advance.
You need to put your name down for Open Mic night – do this before 5pm on Sat in Hear Here.
Children are welcome at our feasts but we are unfortunately unable to offer an alternative menu, so you would need to pay the adult price.
You’ll also need to book for yoga and treatments.

Essential Family Packing Guide

• A good, waterproof tent (unless you have booked glamping or have a live-in vehicle)
• Something for everyone to sleep on and under
• Prescription medication for anyone who needs it
• Toiletries including nappies if needed.
• Comforter or favourite toy that sleep is impossible without
• Torch
• Clothes – the great British weather can throw anything at you so whilst trying to pack light it’s worth considering leaving a spare set of clothes for everyone in your car and if you don’t need them at least you’ll have something clean to drive home in.  Wellies and rain gear are also worth packing and leaving in the car if you arrive and it’s sunny. Avoid toilet dramas – Choose clothes that are easy to take off for the loo, especially pyjamas. Onesies and dungarees can be a bit of a nightmare. Bring a potty, and empty it into the loo morning.
• Sunscreen, hats
• Hand Sanitiser
• Biodegradable Wet Wipes
• Earplugs or ear defenders
• Snacks and food if you wish to cook (we have plenty of great food available on site but a supply of favourite snacks is always useful). It’s a good idea to freeze food rather than pack iceblocks if you are bringing a cool bag as less to carry and a meal to eat once defrosted.
• Somewhere to sit – Kids under 7 have no respect for camping chair physics and will usually topple themselves onto the ground. It’s best to bring something else to sit on like a picnic blanket, sarong or plastic sheet.
• Fancy dress for you, your tent and your trolley – bring spangles to dress-up your tent and your trolley
• Comfy shoes and wellies – Bring a spare pair, bring flip flops for the showers and bring wellies, because even if it isn’t raining, some parts of the site can be damp underfoot. Be sure to bring your shoes into your tent at night so they don’t end up damp in the morning.

We hope you have a wonderful time and make some lovely memories!