BACKSTAGE ACTION

Love your music and live for festivals? We don’t blame you. Well, the wait is over as festival season is upon us. Hurrah! And here we have hand-picked a whole load of exciting and eclectic festivals that need some recognition. Family friendly, pop, folk, retro etc etc…we’ve got it covered.

THE MAGIC LOUNGEABOUT

www.robertemmett.co.uk

What:   music festival

When: Friday 27^th – Sunday 29^th July 2012

Where: Broughton Hall, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3AE

Price:    Adult weekend with camping, £112 plus booking fee. Children under 12 free.

Adult Day, £39 plus booking fee. Children Day, £5.

Our fave act: Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Headlining acts: The Charlatans, Chic feat. Nile Rodgers (remember Le Freak? We certainly do) and Inner City feat. Kevin Sanderson.

Go for: the perfect mix of avante pop, fringe cabaret, inspiring speakers, thought provoking cinema and fine food, all set in the intimate and spectacular grounds of Broughton Hall – a glorious weekend of intimate escapism for those seeking a very refined unwind this summer.

Take advantage of: Loungeabouters can indulge in VIP waiter service, morning papers and breakfast delivered to tents

Don’t forget: there’s also the brand new Forest Fringe stage featuring pop up acoustic sessions and fringe theatre, and maybe a few surprises for good measure too.

Check it out: www.themagicloungeabout.net

JUST SO-FESTIVAL

What:   arts festival

When: Friday 17^th – Sunday 19^th August 2012

Where: Rode Hall, Scholar Green, Cheshire

Price:    Adult weekend with camping, £85. Child weekend with camping, £35.

Adult Day, £25. Child Day, £12.50.

Go for: a magical family adventure full of storytelling in gypsy caravans, babies making pots on the pottery wheel, quirky at illustrations, aerial dance performances and even a giant metal whale!

The music: from wild barn dancing with Cut a Shine, to Russian Folk with Mazaika, the festival’s music programme will be an eclectic mix to keep tiny feet tapping from dawn til’ the retro discos fade into quiet

Don’t miss: the fantastic booth of wonder and confusion for a laugh

Check it out: www.justsofestival.org.uk

GLOBALGATHERING 2012

What:   electronic music festival

When: Friday 27^th – Saturday 28^th July 2012

Where: Long Marston Airfield, Stratford Upon Avon

Price:    Adult weekend with camping, £105 + booking fee

                Adult Day, £TBC

Headliners: with so many exciting stages to choose from you’ll be torn between which headlining act to watch. These include Tinie Tempah, Chase & Status, Armin Van Buuren, Skrillex and Friendly Fires.

Don’t miss: we’ve got to admit, despite all of the epic headline acts we’re most excited to see Labrinth – the incredible rising star behind Earthquake and the soulful voice of Maverick Sabre.

Best for: discovering the freshest acts and future stars of the UK charts.

Luxury option: opt for the Cloud9 packages available from £80. From the incredibly unique tipi’s to luxury podules kitted out with fully functioning bathroom, there’s a whole range available adding a touch of eclectic and home comforts to your weekend.

What else: Skrillex returns to GlobalGathering to headline the all-new UKF Bass Culture arena, upping the visual ante and treating fans to a pioneering dance music experience. Using motion capture technology to create the backdrop to his set, the famously vigorous Sonny Moore will have giant 3D projections in the shape of monsters, skeletons and robots moving in spectacular time with him.

Don’t miss: a massive festival first – Armin van Buuren will bring the most popular trance radio show in the world, A State of Trance, to host an exclusive arena at GlobalGathering 2012. AVB will be broadcasting the show live from the festival to millions of devoted listeners across the world.

Check it out: www.globalgathering.com/world