Camp Bestival 2013, the year we attended a wedding, sang with Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip and the children DIDN'T get bored!

It's our family's 5^th year at Camp Bestival and being honest, we expected this might be our final year there but after the brilliant times we all had we know we'll be there in 2014. 

Photo: Victor Frankowski Paper Aeroplane World record Attempt 

As with a festival of this size and magnitude its impossible to cover everything, we'd be here all day, but its worth mentioning a few of the highlights from our 9 year old to give you an idea. All of the following were given an “epic” or “awesome” rating - Dingly Dell and making fairy houses with the things from the forest and the shadow puppet show; Climbing on the giant Hi De Hi, Ho De Ho and Art Tent signs; the Wall of Death; and finally seeing Dom, from Dick and Dom, going for a morning run! 

We went for the full camping weekend and arrived on a gloriously sunny Thursday afternoon, to meet up with all the Forum Camping friends we've made from our previous visits, and the Camp Bestival vibe kicked in straight away. With in no time everyone was smiling, chatting and working out when to see what, and how they were all looking forward to the festival weekend.   

Dick & Dom Photo: Victor Frankowski 

Friday is the opening day of the Camp Bestival arena, and after a peruse around the arena to suss out all the treats Camp Bestival had for us, our festival entertainment opened with Mikill Pain on the Castle Stage. His hip-hop beats soon had the crowd jumping, and he closed his set with the crowd enthusiastically singing profanity at the top of their voices! This is the kind of things that we go to festivals for!!

Next up for us was The Correspondents, a musical discovery from Camp Bestival 2011 and one of our “must sees” for this year. Its always a treat to see Mr Bruce strutting and jumping on stage with his trademark lycra suit and he didn't disappoint. It was clear that many in the crowd hadn't experienced the delights of The Correspondents before, but in no time everyone was bouncing and singing along to "What's Happened to Soho"? Let’s hope next year they get a late night spot, as they deserve a bigger crowd.

Although we wanted to see as many of the bands as we could, Camp Bestival is more than just a music festival and has 101 other things to entertain and amaze all ages, so we headed off to the Kid's Field – where fortunately for the grown ups the Real Ale tent is situated too. So while the kids buzzed around the Helter Skelter, the Merry Go Round, Dance Space tent and got face painted to unrecognisable levels we sat in the sun drinking Otter ales and watching the smaller acts on the Bandstand. 

With the kids entertained we headed back to the Castle Stage and caught more of the main acts on the Castle Stage. Ash are one of those bands where if you were asked to name the tracks you know you could possible come up with a couple, but when you actually see them live all those long forgotten songs come flooding back and it was a fantastic performance with a raucous sing-along from the crowd. The Proclaimers followed and our expectations it was going to be a 2013 moment hearing them sing "500 Miles", one of our family favourites, and we weren't disappointed! The boys have lost none of their charm and we were singing and dancing from the start. Billy Bragg was next up and he put in a set of thought provoking folk and punk tracks covering the highs and lows of Englishness and finishing with "A New England"  

Billy Bragg Photo: Victor Frankowski

It's quite common at Camp Bestival for parents to take it in turns to have a night out and Friday night was the Ladies' night out. So my sister and I - yes this was a proper family festival for us, maybe next year we take the Grandparents, many do, for babysitting duties - headed down to the Magic Meadow for a dance, and managed to take in a few DJs at Bollywood, have an outside dance at the Disco Shed (a fantastic addition this year) and the throw some shapes at the Wedding Disco, with it's funky vibes and pop hits. Warmed up nicely for the final event of the day we hit the Silent Disco with Feeling Gloomy vs Dave Hornby, dance vs cheese, and I think the cheese won out, with the crowd putting in a ‘beautiful’ rendition of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart". 

Saturday at Camp Bestival is when all the kids come out to play – young, old, and middle aged – and with performances from Mr Tumble, Horrible Histories, and Erth's Dinosaur Zoo the main stages were well stocked with something for everyone.

However, this year we – this is us and all our Camp Bestival Forum friends – had something extra special to fill our Saturday with, a Wedding!! Yes, two of our good friends were joined in unholy matrimony by a Vicar so funny and crude that he could have his own spot in the comedy tent. We all joined them in the Big Love Inflatable Church, dressed in the best festival wedding couture available and had what was described by most as “one of the best weddings ever!!”. 

Our wedding was followed by The Cuban Brothers – who once again pulled a blinder of a show, mixing their infectious humour (“Is that the Castle?”) with some serious funk and dance moves, whilst over at the Big Top the likes of the Moulettes, Clean Bandit, and Molotov Jukebox entertained the crowds well. A great new addition to the festival this year is Pig's Big Ballroom with it's blend of swing, blues and all things 1920s going down a storm – acts that stood out that day were CC Smugglers, The Severed Limb, and The Black Kat Boppers.

The day's main acts were headlined by The Levellers, and they had the parents and old timers singing and jigging like it was the 90s all over again. 

After the excitement and hurrah of Saturday, Sunday was a bit more easy going for a while, until the kids were treated to a raucously opening set by Dick and Dom and the festival echoed to the sounds of “Bogeys” for the rest of the day. That afternoon the Castle Stage had Nik Kershaw and Heaven 17 for the retro looking crowd, and in the Big Top the crowds were treated to newer acts like The 1975, and Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip. Kitted out with a Scroobius Pip tee we headed to the front of the Big Top, ready for another highlight of Camp Bestival 2013. Its been a few years since Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip have been at Camp Bestival and they returned in fine form. Playing tracks from both albums and treating the crowd to the first live play of their new track Stunner. Although we do have to say that the real treat of the show was accompanying Dan on the chorus of For the Women, with Pip thrusting the mic at us!! 

Away from the music we were enlightened and moved by the poetic musings of the Satin Lizard Lounge in the Guardian Literary Institute, featuring Scroobius Pip, Polarbear and Kate Tempest. The trio chilled on the sofas with the audience whilst they took goes, and though Pip did brilliant performances of his classics, it was the newer guys who impressed us most. Polarbear's disarming and honest words delivered with humour and real audience engagement, and kate Tempest's passion and humbleness had the tent filled to capacity. 

The final headliner for the weekend was Labrinth, and though he wasn't an obvious choice for us, he put on a blinder of a show and coupled with an amazing light show and some crowd jumping hits, did the festival proud. 

As with previous years the finale's fireworks display and projected graphics onto Lulworth Castle is a  very special moment, and this year's were breath taking and an amazing feat of synchronisation, getting the music, graphics and fireworks all hitting their marks perfectly. As always the finale closed the festival on a fantastic high, but tinged with a slight sadness, that it will be another 361 days until we get to do it all over again. 2014 can't come soon enough!

Review and additional photos: Charlie & Seb Greenwood