Summer is the time for fun in the sun and what better way to get out than to attend a great festival. Music festivals in particular are abundant the world over and can celebrate many different genres and cultures. When there are so many choices it may seem almost impossible to choose the festival that will suit your tastes and offer the best experience.
The two festivals that are recommended here are perfect for anyone, including families. With a wide range of activities available at each these are two of the top choices for any person looking to venture out.
The Body & Soul Festival
This festival takes place just an hour outside of Dublin, Ireland at the Ballinlough Castle. The castle itself is picturesque with its lush grounds that are beautifully kept. During the festival be sure to explore the walled gardens and labyrinth. That is not where it ends though as you are also welcome to dream away the day in the Zen garden or relax at night in the hot tubs. During the festival various performers, such as belly dancers and acrobats, wander the ground to spontaneously enchant those that they meet. The festival takes place in June and is a gathering to celebrate the summer solstice.
All that begins, also ends.
The festival holds its opening and closing ceremonies beside a pristine lake. There is no more perfect setting to watch the summer sun appear as it is reflected on the water’s surface. After the opening ceremonies all attendees are encouraged to meet people and to appreciate them. It encourages unity, nature and celebrates time. Along with all of that, there are various bands and musicians that will grace the main stage and the night circus stage. Some of these include: Solange Knowles with her funk and R&B, the band Kate Boy whose Australian born singer’s voice voice will draw you into the music, and The Bahh Band that will make an Indian lute sound like you have never heard before.
Your options for accommodations when attending this festival are varied. You may choose to camp at the site, rent a yurt for a little less rustic feel, or you may choose to stay off the grounds at one of the delightful bed and breakfasts that are near the castle. If you do choose to camp, there are separate areas for family camping in order to accommodate even its youngest guests.
The Manchester International Festival
This festival takes place from July 4 until the 21st, and has so much to see and do. The great part about the Manchester International Festival is that there are also many free activities for those who are on a budget. The festival also includes activities relating to all different types of the arts and even the environment. This festival is very accessible as its location affords you many choices of where to stay. One favoured Hotel among tourists and locals is the Crowne Plaza in Manchester. It offers luxury and prestige, but at the same time the room rates vary and can be had for a reasonable price.
You don’t want to miss…
Some of the things at the festival that you will not want to miss are:
Do It 2013: This exhibition presented at the Manchester Art Gallery is very much interactive. It is comprised of four different rooms and puts an interesting spin on what you might expect from a gallery show. At the gallery guests are encouraged to follow an artist’s creation instructions. The end result is an amazing look at how people interpret things differently from one another. There is also a room where you may view a current artist’s take on the instructions from an artist who has passed.
The Biosphere Project is offering many different activities, most of which are free. Some of the ones that stand out are “The family fun Weekend”, where families can learn about foraging, and cooking home grown and wild foods. There are also opportunities for learning how to make seed bombs and which flowers are edible.
The Final Performance of Macbeth: Don’t miss out on this one!
The Old Woman is a novella by the late Danill Kharms. His work is touted as being dark and sometimes hard to comprehend; however this story about a struggling writer will change the way you think. Starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Willem Dafoe, if you only experience one play in your lifetime, this is a great choice.
Of course music has great representation as well with many UK DJs performing. You may also choose to take in the shows at the Pavillion Theatre which will be Drunk at Vogue and Yellow. The tickets to these shows are £10, but are a great value when you consider the quality of the musicians.
This is only a small percentage of the choices for entertainment that are available to you at these festivals. There is so much happening at them that to recount it all would turn this into a novella. The best advice is to decide what you are looking for from a festival and go from there. Then again, that may not make the choice any easier seeing as they both have incredible events for all ages.
[box]This is a guest post by Jo Tumble who has a passion for travelling. Her articles mainly appear on lifestyle and travel blogs.[/box]
