We’ve been coming to Camp Bestival for over ten years – and it remains, without a doubt, the best family festival in the UK.
The slogan of the festival is ‘We Are Family’ and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Rob Da Bank and his wife Josie host the ultimate holiday event with something for everyone, young and, well, young-at-heart.
Whether it’s top CBeebies entertainment from Mr Tumble with his confetti canons, Mister Maker and his shapes, or even the meet-and-greet with Bluey (and based on the queues, the Australian dog remains as popular as ever) – the young children were very well catered for.
Every year Camp Bestival has a theme and this year was a giant pyjama party. Joining in with the PJ fun was rugby legend Joe Marler, shortly to appear on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors.
Music wise, the festival maintains an eclectic mix, ensuring that no matter what genre you love, there is something for you. Whether its Eurovision pop from Remember Monday with their feel-good hit of the summer ‘What The Hell Just Happened‘ , or Miss Americana and her stunning tribute to Taylor Swift – for those who missed out on her ERAS Tour, there were so many delights for those who wanted to Shake It Off in the sunshine.
For those slightly older, Lightning Seeds displayed how many hits they have in their catalogue. Finishing with their anthem Three Lions, it did beg the question whether it needs to be reworded to celebrate the success of the England Women’s football team, rather than commiserate the men’s continued years of hurt (Ian Broudie now even changes the lyrics from ‘…40 years of hurt…’ in the original song, as it’s now closer to 60 since any success…)
Elsewhere The Zutons played their hit ‘Valerie’ made famous by the late great Amy Winehouse, before covering her song Back to Black.
Party starters Dub Pistols know how to celebrate and reminisced that they have been playing the festival since the early days when the festival started 17 years ago. Summer Festival Guide favourites The Cuban Brothers followed, with singer Miguelito Cubano seranading the crowd with ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, before starting a giant conga in the crowd, while wearing a pair of motorcycle pants (…believe me they need to be seen to be believed, but then maybe, it’s best left to the imagination…)
This year, the headliners were the big draw and the best the festival has seen in many years. Friday night offered Sugababes. It was mesmerising how many pop hits they played, beginning with Overload, and finishing with their classic About You Now.
Saturday was arguably the best headliner the festival has offered in many years, with Basement Jaxx bringing their full band live extravaganza to Dorset. With a mix of laser bras, inflatable stars, and best of all, an invasion of gorillas during ‘Where’s Your Head At‘, this was a fantastic audio & visual experience for all ages.
The only debate as to whether Basement Jaxx was the best headliner the festival has hosted came on Sunday. Sir Tom Jones, at 85 years young, still knows how to put on a great show. It was reassuring to hear that his voice remains as powerful as ever with his Welsh baritone timbre beginning with a moving cover of ‘I’m Growing Old’.
Playing a mix of covers from his heroes including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Dusty Springfield and The Waterboys, it was his own hits which received the biggest sing-alongs of the weekend. ‘Delilah‘ still sounds superb, ‘It’s Not Unusual‘ was given a samba twist, while ‘Sexbomb’ sounded slightly more uncomfortable in this day-and-age. Never one to leave fans disappointed, he also played his covers of ‘Kiss‘ by Prince and ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On‘, made timeless by the movie The Full Monty.
A special shout out must also go out to the incredible accessibility team at Camp Bestival. Unlike many festivals we cover, they clearly know that not every disability needs to be clearly visible. Many people live with conditions that are not immediately apparent to others and the festival understands the importance of understanding and accommodating the diverse needs of individuals.
One of the highlights of Camp Bestival is how it is welcoming and open, accessible, welcoming, and most of all, fun for all.
‘We Are Family’ has never been truer. We can’t wait to keep returning.
Early-bird tickets for next year are available at https://dorset.campbestival.net/weekend-tickets/
Words & Photos: Graham Tarrant