tried & tested

We were invited back to review Todd in the Hole festival 2023 and I have to say it was our best Todd yet!

If you love the idea of a family festival, but hate the idea of travelling to one with the kids, then you’re in luck- Todd in the Hole is the ideal family event and it’s right on our doorstep- between Hitchin and Stevenage. If you haven't heard of the festival, it's an annual music and arts festival and is a popular choice for music-loving families with an eclectic lineup of live music acts, great food and drink vendors, entertainemnt for the kids, arts and crafts stalls, Wellness Area, After Parties in The Woods, and a host of family-friendly activities. With a focus on community and creativity, Todd in the Hole Festival has become a special event for locals and visitors alike.

Unlike 2022, where we took our own pop-up tent to shelter from the blistering heat, 2023 had an unbelievably wet and windy Saturday so we actually wimped out of going that day, as we couldn't face managing the kids in bad weather. Luckily the weather picked up for the evening and I went along with a couple of friends (all hail the unplanned school parents' night out!). We arrived around 7 and headed straight to The Woods to see Meanstreak, an AC/DC tribute band, who were brilliant, followed by Definitely Could Be Oasis- an Oasis tribute band who really got the crowd going! We then headed to the main stage to see Rocket Man - an Elton John tribute, which was magical as the sun was setting and the festival really comes alive.



We were lucky enough to have tickets to The After Party in The Woods, which was kicked off with a DJ set from Paul Harris, followed by a childhood hero of mine -the legendary Pat Sharp playing party tunes until 1am! If you're an 80s kid like me then you'll remember watching Fun House where he sported his infamous mullet! I was actually driving, so possibly the only stone cold sober person on the front row for Pat! We had a brilliant night, and if you can get a pass out to go child-free for the evening, I would highly recommend it!


  
On Sunday, we returned with the kids. This year was our third time at Todd in the Hole, and we particularly love the fact it's less than a 15 minute drive to the site and a short walk from the car park to the main arena (unlike the 500 miles you seem to have to walk at Glastonbury!)- ideal with little ones. This year we also treated ourselves to a trailer to cart all our stuff and the kids, which was really handy! They introduced stricter bag guidelines this year, so do check before you go, but in general they're very good at understanding what you need to take with kids.



The site is great- easy to get around, with plenty of food and drink options, tents to escape the sun/rain in, a dedicated children's area, plus a lovely woodland area, which in the day, housed the new "Wellness in The Woods" area with a host of wellness-focussed businesses, including reiki, massage, reflexology, tarot readings and much more. I even unexpectedly bumped in to my cousin who runs The Bald Viking Beard Company- a true family affair at Todd!  
 


There are a number of stages with various bands and singers playing throughout the day- from great music tribute acts to the unmissable ‘Great British Elvis Off’. My absolute favourite band this year was Furnace and The Fundamentals- the most energetic, fun, unique and brilliant band, with hit after hit that got the crowd going more than any band I've seen play Todd before. They even sang A Whole New World out in the audience floating around on their "Magic Carpet". Hopefully they'll be back as the festival team is really good at getting brilliant bands back! Check out my Reel on Instagram to see the entire crowd bouncing during 'Jump Around'!
 


For kids, there's an entire area dedicated to entertainment for them, with circus acts they can try out from Showtime Circus, a tent compered by the brilliant Aidan O'Neill (if you've been to panto at The Gordon Craig in Stevenage you'll definitely know who I mean!), plus interactive shows from Showtime Circus, Imagica Theatre, Stagecoach, Tiny T's Theatre and more. 

 

There was also face-painting, glitter art, a giant sand area, entertainers wandering about, fairground rides, and generally something going on at every turn! As huge fans of Glastonbury, it really did have that laid back, yet magical vibe, and is great way to enjoy a festival with your kids.



If you love the idea of a festival but think they entail rubbish food, filthy toilets, and a nightmare with kids, then Todd in the Hole is the perfect solution and really is a festival that offers something for everyone in the family. We can't wait for next year!

For full details and to book tickets for 2024 (which you can do right now!), head to the Todd in the Hole website.

Our weekend and After Party tickets were kindly gifted for us to review the event.
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