Just so festival 2019 review

Child in bee fancy dress costume running in to Just so festival

We’re not long back from our magical weekend at Just So festival 2019 and already the kids are asking when we can go back. In fact, they actually started asking as we were walking back to the car on Sunday night, tired and very muddy but after having the most amazing adventure. Find more great family days out North West here.

Our kids are very lucky to have lots of great family days out and camping trips but even they noticed that this one was something special. It was one of those weekends where I truly felt we switched off from the real world and enjoyed 3 days of magic, wonder and lots and lots of fun. The stuff of childhood dreams.

Two little girls wellies in very muddy conditions
Mud, mud glorious mud

This was our second time at Just so festival, the first one was way back in 2015. We have often thought about going back but we didn’t camp for a few years when I was pregnant with our youngest and then when she was really little. We had thought about going for just a day but it would be a long day and for me, part of the magic is the camping and being fully immersed in Just so magic for those 3 days.

We arrived at 12 noon when the campsite opened on Friday and unfortunately it was heavy rain. This slowed down dramatically the amount of time it took for us to get from the gate to the car park as the stewards were being cautious as the ground was already very soggy.

Two girls looking at the festival map
Planning our adventures

The rain, unfortunately, continued all day and was so heavy it left a lot of mud behind. I’ve seriously never seen as much mud! My kids were not bothered by it. In fact, I think it added to the festival in their eyes. For us parents though the mud made the festival harder work. I was exhausted by the end of the weekend. I think a big part of this was because the muddy ground meant we didn’t sit down as much. Never the less, I never saw an unhappy parent. It’s hard not to get caught up in the Just so spirit and magic.

It’s hard to put into words what the Just so magic is but I’ll try. From the minute you enter the festival until the minute you leave you’ll be under the Just so spell. There’s magic around every corner. Where else can you ride around in a bathtub or bump into a bunch of actors dressed as sheep singing happy birthday whilst you queue up to buy dinner?

Girl in wellies and tutu by tents
Camping at Just so

The festival directors and team find the best performers, bands and storytellers for families and put together a truly spectacular event. We enjoyed a science show with Professor Pumpernickle one minute followed by two amazing acrobats performing the next. We saw lots of fantastic family theatre, joined in with dance workshops and enjoyed live music. We packed a lot into the weekend but didn’t manage to see everything.    

Just so festival 2019 highlights

Spellbound forest

We love the forest anyway but Just so add extra magic. We loved Ian Douglas storytelling sessions and Professor Pumpernickles science show delighted and entertained us. Our kids were surprisingly taken with the giant marble maze and we returned to it several times over the weekend. Carved out of culled rhododendron and suspended from the tree, this giant marble run is a simple yet surprisingly fun activity.  

Blue haired scientist in woodland setting surrounded by children
Professor Pumperknickle at Just so festival
Large wooden marble run
Giant marble run
Man in woodland setting at a festival
Ian Douglas storyteller at Just so festival 2019

Woodland theatre

The weather was not kind to the woodland theatre, turning the natural seating into a mud slide. Nether the less the two shows we saw in the theatre were packed out. We loved Hurrah for the pirate king, despite the initial technical difficulties. The lead actor worked hard to entertain the audience whilst the engineers tried to fix the sound. A great show that my daughter’s loved and sang along with the songs. 

Stage with a pirate show going on
Hurrah for the pirate king

Another highlight was another Just so regular, David Gibb. He was there to launch his new album, Rolling down the road. With catchy family-friendly songs and actions to get the audience involved, we had a fabulous time. My kids particularly enjoyed his version of Wheels on the bus and Teddy at the disco.  

Packed out woodland theatre with male musician on stage
David Gibb in the Woodland theatre

The Flamingo Lounge

We discovered the Flamingo Lounge on Friday night. The covered barn was a great place to get away from the rain. We stumbled upon a real gem that our kids loved, Ragroof players, tea dance. We had a fabulous time joining in with their instant dance classes. We also enjoyed Bohemian boogie where we learnt to dance to classic Queen songs.

Dancer in ball gown
Ragroof player tea dance in Flamingo lounge
Families dancing in a spotlit barn
Families enjoying Ragroof players tea dance

One regret I have is not arriving early enough to get a space to see James Campbell. His family stand-up comedy show was absolutely packed when we arrived just as it started. A Just so regular for good reason, one not to miss.   

The Lantern Parade

We headed to the lantern making tent early on Friday afternoon as I’d read that it was best to make our lanterns early as it can get very busy. It was chaos if I’m honest and our lantern was not great! We did, however, love the magical Ghost Caribou, giant illuminated creatures who lead the lantern parade. I would have loved to see their night time street theatre act but as it was on past 10 pm it was far too late for my children.  

2 giant stag puppets illuminated at night
Ghost Caribou leading the lantern parade

The tribes

One part of Just so that really bonds festival-goers is the tribes. Pick from frogs, stags, lions, owls, fish, foxes or bees. Join in with fancy dress and earn gold pebbles for your tribe over the weekend. We chose bees this year and one of the things we really noticed was how easily you get chatting to other families about the tribe they’ve picked.  

Child holding a golden pebble
Collecting golden pebbles for the queen bee
Two little girls dressed as bees holding their dads hand walking through mud at a festivalr
My two little bees

Garden of delight

This section of the gardens has never been used before but this time it was put to good use. What a beautiful area it is and Just so regulars The Fabularium entertained the kids with their stories and stunning headpieces and costumes as we followed the constellation trail. 

The constellation trail
Constellation trail in the garden of delight

The Fabularium also performed their new family theatre show – The hare and the moon. We watched this one evening and I was very impressed that my youngest sat through the almost hour-long performance. This was a sign of just how entertaining The Fabularium are. We loved this enchanting show set in the Far East Asia which has been plunged into darkness. A group of arctic animals set out to return the moon to the sky. The costumes are amazing and the original music enchanted the children and grown-ups alike.  

Hare and the moon set with 4 actors on stage
The Fabularium performing The hare and the moon

Roll up, roll up

This was the circus-themed area and it was filled with fantastic female Circus acts. We didn’t manage to catch everything (you never can at Just so, there’s just so much to choose from) but what we did see we loved. We caught a little of lifted where three talented females acrobats (Mimbre) performed a beautifully choreographed routine which showed their strength and balance.  

3 women balancing on each other
Mimbre performing “Lifted”

One of our top highlights of the festival was My house by Apocalyptic Circus.  I don’t think we’ve ever been as close to performers as this before and the girls were entranced, peering through the window and doors of this quirky stage. Apocalyptic Circus are amazingly talented circus performers who were a joy to watch. A mixture of mime and acrobatics. After the show finished the kids were all invited into the house to play and explore. My eldest mentions this as one of her favourite parts of the festival.  

Wooden house set
My house set at Just so Festival 2019
Families looking through the windows of a set where a woman
Apocalyptic Circus performing My house
two female acrobats in a box
Apocalyptic circus at Just so festival 2019

The village green

Another absolute favourite act from the weekend was Dizzy O’Dare and his giant balloon show. We loved this funny show which kept us laughing and in awe at this talented clown performed to an energetic 80s soundtrack. Our kids were amazed at his giant balloon tricks and totally engrossed in watching throughout his 45-minute show.  

giant red balloon with a man's head sticking out of the top
The giant balloon show

We stumbled across Newton’s ladder performing Sirin, an entrancing ariel dance performance. Set to music this is a silent dance telling the tale of a brave rigger trying to woo a nesting bird (woman).   

Male and female acrobats performing an aerial show
Newton’s ladder performing Sirin

We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend celebrating Just So’s 10th birthday. Despite the difficulties that the mud made, we had an amazing weekend. I’d go as far as saying it was one of the highlights of our summer. The girls are still asking to go back. Roll on Just so 2020.  

If you are planning to go you may find my tips for taking young children useful.

Find more Family festivals North West England here.

If you’re looking for family festival ideas around the UK then head here – family friendly festivals UK

Fancy a different festival? Find a review of the big festival here.

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Just so festival pin image with two photos and text

Disclosure – We were invited to Just So festival 2019 to review the festival. We were gifted a family weekend camping ticket in exchange for this review. All thoughts, photos and words are my own.          

35 thoughts on “Just so festival 2019 review

  1. karen reekie says:

    This looks like so much fun. I am not a festival person, but I think this would be lovely to go to as a family. My son would love it. Some lovely photos taken too!

  2. Sarah Stockley says:

    I have friends who have been to Just So and they love it. It is a bit far for us but we do love a festival, we have been to 3 this year and have our 4th in 2 weeks time.

    • Claire says:

      It’s fantastic and very local for us. I love that you will have been to 4 this year. Very lucky kids.

  3. Cath - Passports and Adventures says:

    Despite the mud it sounds like you had a ball. I didn’t know it had so many different areas and performances. And fair play to all the performers doing their stuff in that mud. It’s also testament to the festival that your girls are already asking to go back!

  4. Lucy Mackcracken says:

    I love that everything looks so colourful and exciting. I’m not a big fan of camping but my kids would absolutely love this, I may be persuaded to have a look at the yurt options.

  5. Lydia Graham says:

    Fantastic photo’s, love the sound of the festival, I’ve never heard of it before. Unfortunately my children are much to old now, pity as I would love it.

  6. Mandi says:

    This festival sounds brilliant, we have just started going camping again and I am keen to visit other places and maybe consider a festival or two, this one looks just perfect for the children

  7. Zoe says:

    This looks positively crazy! We would love to attend something like this, the kids would love the circus acts. Will have to look for the festival for the future.

  8. Adele says:

    This sounds amazing. I must admit, I’ve never heard of it before but it looks like you all had a brilliant time.

  9. Jennie Henley says:

    I would love to go to a festival with my little ones and Just So Festival catches my eye every year. This is the festival I think would suit us best, not to convince hubby it is a good idea x

  10. Laura says:

    This looks fantastic. I would love to take my children to a festival. Will definitely look into it next year.

  11. Lyka says:

    This festival sounds brilliant and amazing. For sure my cute nephews would love to do something like this. Thanks for sharing 😊

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