The Kid's Arena at Victorious Festival is one not to be missed. It's one of my favourite areas of the festival and one that rightfully so makes it the perfect festival for the whole family. This year's Kids Arena line up has been announced and it's just as jam packed as you could hope that it is. 

Fine out more about Victorious Festival here: https://www.victoriousfestival.co.uk/

 Festival: Victorious Festival 

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

Last weekend we were invited to Victorious Festival. I've already written about the fantastic kids area, but here is the review for the rest of the festival antics. Victorious Festival is set in Southsea Portsmouth and is two days with no camping. At £35 a day for adults and £7 a day for kids, this festival is definitely on the purse friendly side. Not only that, it's accessible for all which is fantastic and means the community can really get involved and behind this festival

We absolutely love going to festivals. We were gutted when we didn't get to go to any last year, Max was under strict instructions to stay indoors due to his back. It did mean that we rocked out to many a festival on the TV though.

This year we opted against camping festivals. We absolutely love Camp Bestival and Isle of Wight but nothing beats curling up in your own bed at the end of a tiring day rocking out. We have already been to a few local festivals and are super excited to head to Victorious Festival in Portsmouth at the end of the month.

Victorious Festival is a 2 day festival set in the gorgeous Southsea, Portsmouth. Full of fantastic music such as Noel Gallagher and Manic Street Preachers, you will literally pinch yourself at the £35 per day entry ticket! Not only do they have brilliant music, but they also have an amazing kids area filled with famous faces such as Cook and Line. There is also some treasures such as Happy's Circus and even Portsmouth University with some brilliant astronomy activities. We honestly can't wait to pop down.

Unlike camping festivals, day festivals like Victorious are a perfect way to ease yourself into the idea of a family friendly festival. Not only do you get to avoid camping and dodgy showers, but you also get to experience the full festival atmosphere.

One thing to note is that there are normally a few differences such as parking (we have paid extra for a pre booked parking space close by, Victorious has some fantastic transport links though) and food (no pre-bought food is allowed on site, same goes for opened drinks). However we have put together some of the things that are going into our bag when we head off to Victorious Festival.

• Fujifilm Instax Camera - We literally take this everywhere. It's a fantastic way of taking instant memorable photos. Of course we have our phone too, but it means that we won't be carrying around an expensive bit of kit alongside everything else.
  
• Water Bottle - We love this one by HydrateM8 as it shows you how much you should be drinking on the bottle. Being at a festival, the time can run away with you. So having a bottle with a reminder can keep your kids topped up no matter what!
  
• Fjallraven Kanken Classic Bag - This is my favourite bag ever. Not only is it incredibly lightweight, it is also hardwearing and is deceptively bigger than it seems. Perfect for cramming in all those baby wipes and other festival essentials.
  
• Pac a Mac - A pac a mac is a must. Even if you only bring one for the kids. We take one everywhere, especially at festivals as there really is little shelter when the floodgates open. I normally have one for Max and throw some disposable ponchos in the bag for me and Scott.
  
• Sun Hat - Since Max got his burn, we are ultra careful when it comes to sun care. A hat is a must for a festival, even if it seems overcast! Normally there's still lots of UV rays that can damage your skin. Teaming a hat with regular sun cream use means that we can ensure he is covered (and cool) as possible!
  
• Ear Defenders - This is a vital in my opinion. Kids ears are much more sensitive than adults, so ear defenders are perfect for keeping the ears protected. Max has had his since he was 6 months old and they still fit him now so are a fantastic investment. We don't use them all the time but certainly make sure he has them on when he gets close to the stage at events.