Can the weather stay bright for Beautiful Days?

 Beautiful Days….. I have every reason to expect they will be, writes Simon Partington.

After starting the holidays with a really successful Womad I’m ending my summer holiday (kids get more, how unfair is that ?) with Beautiful Days. We haven’t been to Beautiful Days since 2007 but every year we hear it gets better and better.

Last time we went the weather was dreadful and that caused no end of problems but even so our memories of the festival are really happy ones and the kids have been on about going again ever since. The line up this year looks very promising, with a couple of acts appearing that we’re familiar with from Womad, Don Letts DJ set again, can’t wait, and Stornoway which will please the family, good sing along stuff.

Since seeing Dreadzone here in 2007 I’ve become a huge fan and have seen them a number of times since – BIG UP THE BOUNCING CREW – as they say, I’ll be down the front. African Head Charge are one of the acts I’ve heard a lot about but never seen, Wilko Johnson is a favourite from *!**^% years ago, likewise John Otway.

Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs and the Fabulous Good Time Party Boys seem to be fixtures here and quite rightly so, they can be relied on to provide excellent entertainment. There’ll be no shortage of things to do with a comedy stage, Bimble Inn, Dirt Davey’s new area oh yes and a kids area with an extremely good reputation.

How will we fit it all in ? The food on offer looks promising with Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage Canteen on site. Last time we went the food was superb and along with the beer sensibly priced and good quality. For me a great bonus with this festival is the lack of corporate sponsors and its size, small enough to feel you’re a part of something special but big enough to keep you occupied and entertained for every waking minute. 

There’s a real sense of community at this festival which really helps you relax knowing the kids will be safe. The atmosphere is really hard to sum up, somehow lively and exciting but still relaxed. Perhaps this year the sun will shine on us.

• Beautiful Days 2010 is sold out – but you can find out more about the festival here and Simon will be taking lots of lovely photos and reviewing it for Family Festivals as soon as he and his family get home to Kent!