Date: 27/28/29th August 2021

Location: Southsea Common, Portsmouth. 

Camping: Whilst you can camp at Victorious, it isn't on site. There is a free shuttle bus from the campsite to the festival though. So whilst you can't stumble back to your tent or nip back for a nap, at least you don't have to have a designated driver each day. 

Top acts: This year the must see acts would definitely be The Streets (oh the nostalgia of being a teenager again!), Royal Blood who are fast becoming Max's new favourite band, Feeder (who always get the crowd going), and my personal festival favourites Frank Turner and Beans on Toast. 

Perfect for families because: First and foremost, Victorious is based on Southsea Common. What makes this a unique festival going experience is that the site itself utilises the pavements, roads and green areas to seperate each area. Therefore making it extremely buggy friendly! No big hills or valleys to wade through, it's as simple as walking down the road. 

Victorious also have their own dedicated family area. With countless free stalls of activities for the kids to do including bouncy castles, gaming zones, craft and circus skills areas and even a skate park, you could honestly spend all day in the kids area alone. Everything within the kids area is free, there is a dedicated kids stage which has had fan favourites in the past such as Cook and Line, Andy Day and the Octonauts, there is honestly something for every little one to enjoy. It has such a community spirit about it, that everyone I know will attest to how brilliant it is. The kids area closes at 6pm each night to allow the adults time to watch the evening entertainment too. 

Top tips: If camping, make sure you take everything you need when you jump on that shuttle bus. It's definitely a bit of a trek to get back to the campsite if you have forgotten something. There are also shuttle bus services running from local areas, it's something that we utilise each time we go to the festival as family live nearby. 

Secondly, visit all the local stands in the kids area. They are run by local businesses, community groups and charities and they are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. There are local artists, clothing companies and food stalls that really give this festival a community feel. 

Finally, plan your day. We always grab ourselves a timetable lanyard and spend a few moments listening to a band and planning our weekend. There are often quite a few clashes, but with all the areas in such close proximity, it's easy enough to hop between stages and discover something brilliant. 

Hidden gems: Pop to the bandstand to see some brilliant tribute acts. You can sit on the hill, look down on the stage and see ferries passing by. It's a surreal experiences, but absolutely brilliant as the sun is setting. 

Also pop down to the world music area, not only is the food spot on, but the energy is electric and you can spend hours just dancing and exploring new and wonderful talent. 

Finally, take the kids to the skate park. Yes the skate park. The Southsea Common skatepark is in the heart of the festival and they run drop in sessions and also do skills shows. It's something that the kids absolutely love and is perfect if they need to burn that bit of energy so you can then watch a band in peace!

To read some of our reviews from Victorious Festival please follow the link here: 

Victorious Festival Reviews