Remember the days when you could get away to a festival with your partner and not worry about real life for a while? Well, those days need not be gone if you embrace family friendly festivals.

There are lots of family friendly festivals across the UK. They are all a little bit different, some focussing on music, others on the kids, some have themes, etc. But what they all have in common, is that they have been designed with families in mind. You can camp, dance, drink, create, and play in a festival environment, but still be asleep at a sensible time and not have to worry about COMPLETE.

Most of them take place during the summer months, and this list shows the biggest and the best of them in the order they take place during 2026.

So, here are the best family friendly festivals in the UK.

TOTFest

• Where: Wetherby, Kempton Park, Chester and Royal Windsor racecourses
• When: 17 May, 20 June, 5 July and 18 July 2026

TOTFest is designed for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, so your three-year-old will not be afterthought here. Each event squeezes more than 50 activities into one day, covering everything from messy play and inflatables to performances and character appearances.

The racecourse venues provide enough room for thousands of small children to charge around simultaneously. It is probably best approached with snacks, spare clothes and absolutely no expectation of returning home clean.

Bearded Theory

• Where: Catton Park, Derbyshire
• When: 20-24 May 2026

Bearded Theory is a large independent music festival, but families receive considerably more than a token craft tent. Its Children’s Village offers performances, workshops and activities, while the unusual Festival School provides organised educational sessions during the event. That makes it particularly useful for parents worried about taking children away during term time.

You still get the bands, camping and late night festival atmosphere, but there is enough child friendly stuff going on to prevent the kids repeatedly asking when they can go home.

In It Together

• Where: Old Park Farm, Margam, South Wales
• When: 22-24 May 2026

With around 35,000 visitors, 200 acts and seven stages, In It Together is one of the larger festivals on this list. The music programme is backed up by Tic Tac Toe, a dedicated family area featuring games, performances, workshops and activities.

It suits parents who want the scale and excitement of a major pop festival without expecting children to stand patiently through every band. There is enough happening away from the main stages to give everyone’s ears – and parents’ shoulders – a rest.

Elderflower Fields

• Where: Pippingford Park, East Sussex
• When: 22-25 May 2026

Elderflower Fields is built around families spending time outdoors together. Its woodland setting hosts music, performance, arts, sports, nature activities and plenty of opportunities for children to get muddy. The programme is designed to be joined in with rather than simply watched from a camping chair.

It feels more like an enormous family adventure than a conventional music festival, making it a good choice for younger children and parents who would rather explore the woods than spend the entire weekend beside a main stage.

Wychwood Festival

• Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire
• When: 29-31 May 2026

Wychwood combines recognisable bands with more than 100 workshops and activities, which is why it has built such a strong reputation among festival-going families. Kaiser Chiefs were among the major names appearing in 2026, but children also had theatre, circus, crafts, storytelling and games to investigate.

The racecourse setting makes it less intimidating than some sprawling countryside festivals. It is a proper music weekend for adults, with zero chance of the children announcing that they are bored.

WILDHOOD

• Where: Tullibole Castle, Perthshire
• When: 5-7 June 2026

WILDHOOD is aimed specifically at families with children under 12. More than 90 activities take place around Tullibole Castle, covering outdoor adventure, performance, nature, music, creativity and play. Rather than treating adults as supervisors carrying coats and water bottles, the festival encourages families to join in together.

The programme’s focus on younger children makes it especially useful for parents who like the idea of a festival but are not convinced their kids would last ten minutes watching an indie band from half a field away.

Eden Festival

• Where: Raehills Meadows, near Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway
• When: 10-13 June 2026

Eden is an independent, not for profit festival featuring more than 250 acts across ten stages. Its musical range stretches from folk, soul and jazz to reggae, electronica and world music, alongside cabaret, comedy, workshops and children’s activities. That variety gives families room to wander without the weekend revolving around one enormous stage.

It is colourful, creative and slightly eccentric, making it a strong option for parents who want their children to experience something more adventurous than another afternoon meeting costume characters.

First Light Festival

• Where: Lowestoft seafront, Suffolk
• When: 20-21 June 2026

First Light celebrates the summer solstice beside the sea, with around 200 performances and activities spread along Lowestoft’s beachfront. Music, dance, science, art, wellbeing sessions and children’s entertainment all feature, and the main programme is free.

There is no need to camp, drag a trolley through a field or discover that somebody has forgotten the tent poles. Families can simply turn up, explore the seafront and leave when everyone has had enough – which is a valuable feature when small children are involved.

Latitude

Where: Henham Park, Suffolk
When: 23-26 July 2026

Latitude is a major arts and music festival with several substantial areas for younger visitors. The Kids Area concentrates on young children, while the Enchanted Garden provides a separate programme for teenagers. Camp Greenpeace adds environmental activities, workshops and hands on challenges.

This division is particularly helpful for families with children of different ages, because a 15 year old’s idea of entertainment rarely matches that of a five year old. Parents still get major music, comedy, theatre and literature without having to pretend the kids will enjoy all of it.

WOMAD

• Where: Neston Park, Wiltshire
• When: 23-26 July 2026

WOMAD introduces families to music, dance and food from around the world, rather than relying entirely on familiar British chart acts. The festival offers around 200 free workshops, while the World of Children provides creative activities, performances and opportunities to make plenty of noise.

It is an excellent choice for curious kids who like joining in, experimenting and asking difficult questions about instruments their parents cannot name. The global food stalls also make a welcome change from spending four days living exclusively on burgers and chips.

Rock Oyster Festival

• Where: Dinham House, Cornwall
• When: 23-26 July 2026

Rock Oyster mixes live music with Cornwall’s food and coastal culture. Groove Armada and Kool & the Gang were among the 2026 performers, while the wider programme included chef demonstrations, feasts and children’s cookery sessions. Aardman animation workshops gave younger visitors the chance to try something more creative than simply watching the stage.

This is particularly well suited to families who take food almost as seriously as music, and whose children might happily abandon them the moment somebody produces modelling clay or a mixing bowl.

Festival of Sport

• Where: Packington Estate, Warwickshire
• When: 24-27 July 2026

Festival of Sport replaces the usual weekend of standing in front of bands with dozens of opportunities to get moving. Children aged 5 to 17 can try more than 20 sports, including football, rugby, cricket, hockey, rowing, boxing, archery and trampolining. Coaching comes from professional athletes and sporting personalities, with entertainment continuing once the organised sessions finish.

It is ideal for energetic families, although parents should be prepared for their children to discover another expensive new hobby before the journey home.

Deer Shed Festival

• Where: Baldersby Park, North Yorkshire
• When: 24-26 July 2026

Deer Shed combines music, comedy, science, arts and play without pushing families into a forgotten corner of the site. Children’s activities form part of the main festival rather than feeling like emergency childcare. The 2026 programme included an enormous 2,500 square metre maze alongside workshops, performances and hands on experiments.

It is particularly good for inquisitive children who want to build, investigate and explore. Parents can enjoy the bands and comedy while quietly accepting that the maze will probably be a bigger feature of their weekend than they would like.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

• Where: Belladrum Estate, near Inverness
• When: 30 July-1 August 2026

Belladrum is a major Highland music and arts festival with a particularly extensive children’s programme. More than 100 free family activities included theatre, storytelling, circus skills, nature sessions, crafts, music workshops and entertainment for under-fives. The wider festival also covers comedy, cabaret, spoken word, dance and even wrestling.

It is big enough to feel like a proper event but deliberately caters for different generations. Saturday fancy dress is another Belladrum tradition, should the family car have room for costumes alongside all the camping equipment.

Camp Bestival Dorset

• Where: Lulworth Castle, Dorset
• When: 30 July-2 August 2026

Camp Bestival is one of the safest bets for families who want a proper music festival without feeling as though they have accidentally taken their children to Glastonbury. Lulworth Castle becomes an enormous playground filled with live music, circus, theatre, workshops and wonderfully silly entertainment.

There is plenty for younger children, but older kids and parents have not been forgotten. Its size means a fair bit of walking, but few British festivals offer such a complete programme for the whole family.

Kendal Calling

• Where: Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria
• When: 30 July-2 August 2026

Kendal Calling attracts around 40,000 people, so this is family festival going on a genuinely large scale. Kids Calling provides a dedicated programme of crafts, games, performances and activities away from the busiest music stages.

The festival works best for parents who want major bands and a lively atmosphere but also need somewhere less intense when younger ears have had enough. With so many visitors, arranging a meeting point is sensible, unless you fancy searching an entire deer park for one distracted teenager.

Valley Fest

• Where: Chew Valley Lake, Somerset
• When: 30 July-2 August 2026

Valley Fest brings music, food and family entertainment together beside Chew Valley Lake. Its programme combines live acts with chef demonstrations, locally produced food, workshops and children’s activities. This makes it a particularly appealing option for parents whose ideal festival includes eating something more ambitious than a tray of cheesy chips.

The atmosphere is closely tied to the surrounding farms and countryside, giving Valley Fest a distinctive West Country identity. Come for the bands, perhaps, but expect the food to become a major part of the weekend.

Wilderness Festival

• Where: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
• When: 30 July-2 August 2026

Wilderness is the more luxurious end of family festival going, mixing music with theatre, elaborate feasts, talks, outdoor pursuits and wellbeing sessions. Its Family Field provides performances, games and workshops, while bookable childcare and nanny services offer parents the rare possibility of enjoying something without one eye permanently fixed on the children.

It is not aimed exclusively at families, but it makes unusually serious provisions for them. Think boutique camping and banquet tables rather than beans heated outside a damp tent.

Lakefest

• Where: Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire
• When: 5-9 August 2026

Lakefest attracts more than 20,000 people and combines major music acts with a sizeable family programme. The 2026 headliners included Madness, The Charlatans, Example and Bananarama, while children could investigate magic, storytelling, circus, BMX displays, wrestling and gaming. There are also funfair rides and creative workshops spread around the site.

It is a useful middle ground for parents who want familiar bands without choosing a festival where the children’s ‘entertainment’ consists of one face painter and a slightly deflated bouncy castle.

Deva Fest

• Where: Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire
• When: 6-9 August 2026

Deva Fest welcomed more than 30,000 visits in 2026, with performers including Jessie J, Ronan Keating, James Morrison and Vengaboys. Its biggest selling point for families is the free to ride fairground, with unlimited rides included in admission rather than charged separately. That could save parents a small fortune before anyone has even asked for an ice cream.

Music, comedy, gaming, circus entertainment and children’s activities complete a programme deliberately built around families rather than merely allowing them through the gates.

Gloworm Festival

• Where: Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire
• When: 7-9 August 2026

Gloworm is created specifically for families with children aged from birth to 13. More than 100 activities cover live performances, character appearances, workshops, play areas, sports and creative entertainment. Because younger visitors are the main audience, parents do not have to spend the day negotiating around an adult festival programme.

It is bright, busy and unapologetically child centred. Anyone hoping for a peaceful weekend should probably look elsewhere – anyone whose kids enjoy having twelve exciting options at once will be in their element.

Raver Tots Outdoor Festivals

• Where: Reading, Milton Keynes, Bristol and Southend
• When: 16, 23 and 31 August 2026

Raver Tots turns the family festival into a daytime dance party, complete with DJs, performers, special effects and activities for children. Its biggest outdoor events can attract as many as 15,000 people, making them far more substantial than the company’s regular club sessions.

The music is aimed at adults and children together, so parents can revisit their raving years without booking a babysitter.

Green Man Festival

• Where: Glanusk Park, Powys
• When: 20-23 August 2026

Green Man provides different areas for different stages of childhood rather than assuming everyone under 18 wants the same thing. Little Folk caters for younger children, while Somewhere gives teenagers their own programme and space. Einstein’s Garden adds science, nature and environmental activities to the music and arts.

This makes Green Man particularly suitable for families with a wide age range. Teenagers can gain a little independence, younger children can get thoroughly involved, and parents may even manage to watch a complete performance.

Beautiful Days

• Where: Escot Park, Devon
• When: 2-23 August 2026

Beautiful Days is an independent festival with a capacity of around 17,500 and a huge children’s area containing crafts, theatre, games, workshops and performances. There is no corporate sponsorship plastered across the site, which helps preserve its distinctive, slightly old school festival character.

A different theme inspires costumes and decorations each year, giving families an excellent excuse to pack something ridiculous. It offers the excitement of a sizeable music festival while remaining manageable enough for parents introducing children to their first weekend under canvas.

Just So Festival

• Where: Rode Hall, Cheshire
• When: 21-23 August 2026

Just So is not a music festival with a children’s area bolted onto it. The whole event is an imaginative family adventure built around theatre, storytelling, dance, music, costumes and outdoor play. Families become part of the programme, choosing animal tribes and exploring performances hidden around the Rode Hall estate.

It is especially good for younger children who enjoy make-believe and getting involved. Parents should be prepared to commit to the nonsense, because standing at the back looking sensible rather misses the point.

Camp Kindling

• Where: Heritage Pine Forest, Sevenoaks, Kent
• When: 21–24 August 2026

Camp Kindling describes itself as “adventure by day, party by night”, which neatly explains the arrangement. Families choose from more than 100 daytime activities before music, comedy, DJs and storytelling take over in the evening. Activities and entertainment are included with tickets, and the 2026 event sold out in record time.

It feels like an old-fashioned summer camp expanded into a festival, with adults expected to participate rather than supervise from a folding chair.

Heather on the Hill

• Where: Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
• When: 22 August 2026

New for 2026, Heather on the Hill is a large one-day festival created specifically with families in mind. Nathan Evans heads a music line-up that also includes Ella Henderson, Cian Ducrot and Saint PHNX. Away from the stage, children can try crafts, storytelling, yoga, messy play, fairground attractions and music workshops.

Its one day format removes the camping complications, making it appealing to families who want a festival experience but do not fancy sleeping beside an airbed that mysteriously deflates overnight.

Greenbelt Festival

• Where: Boughton House, Northamptonshire
• When: 27–30 August 2026

Greenbelt combines music, comedy, literature, theatre, faith, politics and social justice in one strongly intergenerational programme. Children and teenagers receive age specific activities, workshops and performance spaces, but families are also encouraged to explore much of the wider festival together.

It is a particularly good fit for parents who want discussion and ideas alongside entertainment. Children may return home having made something, watched a band and developed several challenging opinions that they are keen to explain during the entire journey back.

Shambala

• Where: Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire
• When: 27–30 August 2026

Shambala is an independent festival known for colourful performance, varied music and a strong environmental outlook. Playtopia and the Family Yurt provide games, workshops, crafts, shows and quieter sessions, while dedicated family camping is available. Children are woven into the wider festival rather than hidden in a separate enclosure.

It is lively, creative and proudly unusual, so expect costumes, parades and activities that require enthusiastic participation. This is not the weekend for parents determined to remain dignified at all times.

The Long Road Festival

• Where: Stanford Hall, Leicestershire
• When: 27–30 August 2026

The Long Road is Britain’s largest celebration of country, Americana and roots music, set among the fields surrounding Stanford Hall. Families have their own area in Lil Possum County, with games, crafts, performances and activities away from the main stages.

The festival’s distinctive American theme means cowboy boots, line dancing and Southern-style food all feature heavily. It is an obvious choice for country fans, but children do not need to know their Dolly Parton from their Darius Rucker to find plenty to do.

The Big Feastival

• Where: Alex James’s Farm, Kingham, Oxfordshire
• When: 28–30 August 2026

The Big Feastival brings together chart friendly music, well known chefs, food stalls and a substantial children’s programme on Alex James’s Cotswolds farm. Families can move between main-stage performances, cookery demonstrations, workshops, games and children’s entertainment without the weekend becoming entirely about one interest.

It is especially suitable for parents who want a festival but remain unconvinced by the traditional diet of noodles and breakfast lager. The combination of music and food gives adults almost as much to get excited about as the kids.

CarFest

• Where: Silverstone, Northamptonshire
• When: 28–30 August 2026

CarFest combines cars, live music, food and family entertainment while raising money for UK children’s charities. The event has generated more than £28 million since it began. KidsFest operates as a sizeable festival within the festival, offering performances, workshops, activities and familiar children’s entertainment.

Meanwhile, the cars and main-stage acts give adults plenty of reasons to attend in their own right. It is broader and more commercial than child first festivals such as Just So, but it is unquestionably designed as a multigenerational weekend.

Camper Calling

• Where: Ragley Hall, Warwickshire
• When: 28–30 August 2026

Camper Calling celebrates its tenth edition in 2026 with live music and family entertainment in the grounds of Ragley Hall. Its Carnival Field includes circus, crafts, games, graffiti and children’s clubs, while other activities take place around the woodland, lake and main house. Some are included with admission and others require advance booking.

Despite the name, visitors do not need to own a beautifully restored campervan, which is useful for those of us whose family vehicle is mostly crisp packets and forgotten water bottles.

Victorious Festival

• Where: Southsea seafront, Portsmouth
• When: 28–30 August 2026

Victorious is one of the largest metropolitan festivals in the UK, but its 30,000 square metre Kids Arena gives families far more than a few activities beside the exit. Children can find performances, sports, crafts, games and character entertainment, while parents have a major music festival spread across Southsea.

Because it takes place in the city, families can attend without committing to camping. That means proper beds, actual showers and no 3am conversations with strangers trying to locate the correct tent.