Boomtown 2015

[sim667]

Boomtown virgin, and I'm thinking of going..... but I'm wondering what it would be like with a 5 year old?

Would there be enough things for a 5 year old to do, or would it be more a case of stepping over the smoking carcasses of the previous night's ket-fuelled mega-rave on the way to breakfast?

We're also going to Shambala, which is a brilliant festie , and great for my 5 year old, but I'd love to squeeze in another festie this summer.

Boomtown has made massive strides in its family freindliness. I can't tell you whether I think its a good idea to take them or not, simply put, because I don't have kids.

However there is a reasonably large kids area and camping now, and its at the top of the hill so away from all the rave music etc, up near the town square, wild west, mayfair and the pirate ship. All the mega rave stuff is now down in the bowls there's 2 very distinct areas.

Also its not so much of a ketty mess anywhere, the campaign last year was very effective.

 

[ddraig]

reckon there is loads for kids to do there
and they'd love all the performers and buildings everywhere

 

[docus]

Thanks That's good to hear. We may give it a try.

The website shows quite bit of street theatre and circus, which my 5 year old would love.

Are there areas like the Green Fields at Glasto, with a more chilled vibe? (For when it all gets too much

 

[ddraig]

there are calmer bits but don't know about 'green fields'
not been since 2013 and it has grown a bit since

 

[sim667]

Thanks That's good to hear. We may give it a try.

The website shows quite bit of street theatre and circus, which my 5 year old would love.

Are there areas like the Green Fields at Glasto, with a more chilled vibe? (For when it all gets too much

Ish..... the kids field was a fair bit quieter and there is a small area dedicated to arts and crafts, but there's no large "green fields" like a gloats or shambala as such. If you do want to get some proper quiet time there's a viewing area by the camper field which overlooks the bowl which is really nice, but theres nothing atoll for the kids to do there as such.

 

[sim667]

I think it would be ok, but just be aware that there's times and place it might not be so great to take them.... After dark in the bowl you might find a it hectic for instance.

 

[editor]

Thanks That's good to hear. We may give it a try.

The website shows quite bit of street theatre and circus, which my 5 year old would love.

Are there areas like the Green Fields at Glasto, with a more chilled vibe? (For when it all gets too much

There's quite a few places to relax including a mini-Green Fields/crafts area:

http://www.urban75.org/festivals/boomtown-fair-2012-crafts.html

 

[Ground Elder]

I don't reckon it's a great festival for five year olds, certainly no where near as family orientated as Shambala, but someone with more recent experience may be better placed to advise.

edited to add: beaten to it while dithering. Also just having a kids' area doesn't necessarily make a festival good for children. Quite a lot of, for want of better word, 'dark' imagery at Boomtown, messy punters etc. can be quite scary for small children.

 

[sim667]

I don't reckon it's a great festival for five year olds, certainly no where near as family orientated as Shambala, but someone with more recent experience may be better placed to advise.

edited to add: beaten to it while dithering. Also just having a kids' area doesn't necessarily make a festival good for children. Quite a lot of, for want of better word, 'dark' imagery at Boomtown, messy punters etc. can be quite scary for small children.

When did you last go? There were quite major changes in 2015 especially up the top of the hill.

 

[Ground Elder]

It was a few years ago - worked the children's area - but have friends and acquaintances who really don't like taking their young children to Boomtown.

 

[sim667]

It was a few years ago - worked the children's area - but have friends and acquaintances who really don't like taking their young children to Boomtown.

There was really quite a profound difference last year, especially on the messiness front.

Im still not going to say its the best place ever for kids, but they've certainly worked very hard to make it more suitable for families.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

Im not sure Boomtown is suitable for kids, unless I suppose you literally stayed in the kids arena or your tent, maybe some of the calmest possible areas such as the old mine. Anywhere in actual bowl at the bottom is just a pit of messed up and slightly rowdy (though good natured) people, and places like the lions den would be far too busy.

 

[sim667]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/dis...4820.BoomTown_fair_s_future_in_doubt/?ref=mac

sounds like they're going to have problems from next year onward..


even tough mudder seems to be in scope from complaints of the hampshire NIMBY's and its a charity event isn't it?

 

[ddraig]

46 days to set that up!! or do they mean take down too? still

 

[sim667]

46 days to set that up!! or do they mean take down too? still

It will be 46 days for build and break I'd imagine....

That doesn't surprise me at all.... I've done build and break at SGP, and from start to finish its not far off that amount of time.... Of course one of the organisers owns the SGP site, so there's not that the rush to get it done in the same way, but realistically boomtown has a much larger more challenging build...

I'd love to do time-lapse of these events being built from start to finish one day.

 

[ddraig]

yeah doesn't surprise me for Boomtown or massive festy but tough mudder?!

 

[sim667]

yeah doesn't surprise me for Boomtown or massive festy but tough mudder?!

I've never been to a tough mudder..... but I think they build a bastard of an assault course.

 

[paolo]

Im not sure Boomtown is suitable for kids, unless I suppose you literally stayed in the kids arena or your tent, maybe some of the calmest possible areas such as the old mine. Anywhere in actual bowl at the bottom is just a pit of messed up and slightly rowdy (though good natured) people, and places like the lions den would be far too busy.

Yep. The best place for kids at Boomtown, is: Not being there.

Although tbf, seeing someone with sick down their back (their back FFS!) and their mates finding it fine, when you're five, is probably a lot less disturbing than when you see that when you're 45.

Boomtown is ace. But totally OMG.

 

[ddraig]

heard last night that Boomtown has been bought out by 02
anyone know if true?

 

[Teaboy]

heard last night that Boomtown has been bought out by 02
anyone know if true?

I've no idea but that sounds a very odd thing to happen. I could see a major sponsorship deal but o2 are fundamentally a telecoms company, no? Why would they start to try and run festivals? Perhaps they meant sold out to o2 as part of some sort of advertising / sponsorship sell-out.

 

[sim667]

I've no idea but that sounds a very odd thing to happen. I could see a major sponsorship deal but o2 are fundamentally a telecoms company, no? Why would they start to try and run festivals? Perhaps they meant sold out to o2 as part of some sort of advertising / sponsorship sell-out.

I've heard it as a rumour a couple of times now over the last few years, I would put money on it not being true this time either.

If they'd did, I'd stop going.

 

[Teaboy]

I've heard it as a rumour a couple of times now over the last few years, I would put money on it not being true this time either.

If they'd did, I'd stop going.

I reckon it's just some people getting ownership and sponsorship mixed up. They probably think o2 own the dome and the Academies.

 

[paolo]

This (BS) has been doing the rounds for a few years now.

It's as daft as that twat posting videos saying Tesco were going to be sponsoring Glastonbury, as if it were citizen journalism rather than fantasy bollocks.

For Boomtown, I get the feeling Lak would rather pack up than go down the Bestival route of sponsored stuff, never mind a full sell out. Wouldn't surprise me if he'd been offered though.

 

[ddraig]

didn't think it was likely

 

[sim667]

I get the feeling Lak would rather pack up than go down the Bestival route of sponsored stuff

This is what I'd have thought too, Ive not met lak (thought about pinging him a contact on linked in a couple of times, just incase he ever needs some F1, which is doubtful), but his reputation precedes him

 

[naomigoodman661]

Does anybody have a campervan ticket they would be willing to sell? Naomi

 

[ddraig]

no please or thanks!!

 

[editor]

This (BS) has been doing the rounds for a few years now.

It's as daft as that twat posting videos saying Tesco were going to be sponsoring Glastonbury, as if it were citizen journalism rather than fantasy bollocks.

For Boomtown, I get the feeling Lak would rather pack up than go down the Bestival route of sponsored stuff, never mind a full sell out. Wouldn't surprise me if he'd been offered though.

I'm sure there's been no shortage of offers - it's a wonderful festival. I still regularly get companies asking to advertise here. Some people just don't get it.

 

[TopCat]

Selling my Boomtown ticket and coach ticket. Face value.

 

[wiskey]

Boomtown virgin, and I'm thinking of going..... but I'm wondering what it would be like with a 5 year old?

Would there be enough things for a 5 year old to do, or would it be more a case of stepping over the smoking carcasses of the previous night's ket-fuelled mega-rave on the way to breakfast?

We're also going to Shambala, which is a brilliant festie , and great for my 5 year old, but I'd love to squeeze in another festie this summer.

I'm a bit late to this but - Don't.

IMO, as someone with kids, who takes kids to festivals, who's been to boomtown for a few years now.

Don't.

A small baby might be ok, a 5yo is going to be an issue. The best thing boomtown could do WRT kids IMO is to stop pretending it caters for them. It doesn't. I mean yes, it has a kids field but it's a token gesture (it's stuck right out the top of the site, and whilst I'm sure what happens in it is worthy you will be spending ALL your time there I expect because the rest of the site really isn't geared up for kids).

If you've done shambala and are expecting similar you will be in for a massive disappointment. Shambles is totally geared up for kids, the stalls do half portions of food, the toilets have kid cubicles, the site is well lit and easy to navigate .... none of that is true for Boomtown. What's even more obvious is that the punters at Shambles expect kids to be there, they have half an eye on whats going on because they factor in children - the punters at boomtown are not expecting children, are not geared up for children and don't know what to do with them when they encounter them.

I went with our crew last year and they had a 11 & 5yo ... the 5yo has tiny horizons so was ok with just staying in our camp all week - the 11yo wanted to go out, but it's really not suitable for a kid to wander about.

Boomtown is the one festival I would not take my (very festival aware) children to. Sorry.