tried & tested

During our recent holiday to Norfolk, we were invited to review Gone Wild, which takes place at the start of August on the Holkham Estate (see previous review for Holkham Estate here).

We went along for the day on the Sunday of the festival and, after a whirlwind day filled with adventure, discovery, and live music, I'm excited to share the highlights of our family's experience.

What is Gone Wild Festival?

Gone Wild is an outdoor family festival created by Bear Grylls’ and is a four-day celebration of adventure, wellbeing, creativity, and music - with everything from abseiling and Laser Tag, to silent discos and headline performances by the likes of Blue and Lightning Seeds.

Gone Wild first began in 2021 in Devon, and over the years they saw the power of nature connect people in ways that screens and daily routines can’t. Seeing how much Gone Wild resonated with families, they knew they wanted to share it with even more people- and there was no better place to do it than Norfolk.

Choosing Holkham as their new home was a big step, but a natural one. The spectacular landscapes, the incredible wildlife, and the welcoming Norfolk community gave them the perfect backdrop to spread their mission: reconnecting with each other and the great outdoors.

Every Gone Wild weekend is packed with unforgettable experiences, and they guarantee you’ll leave with an awesome new skill! From learning practical life hacks—such as fire lighting and outdoor cooking- to witnessing exciting live shows with captivating science experiments and thrilling dinosaur encounters, the opportunities to learn through play are endless. 

No festival would be complete without an epic party, right? The line-up of performers are great here too- across the weekend they had a whole host of top class acts, including Clean Bandit, Professor Green, Lightning Seeds, Blue, Ministry of Sound Classical, Bez from The Happy Mondays and even Primary School Bangers. You can see the full 2025 line up here to give you a taste of future events.

How does it work?

Your ticket includes access to over 100 free, hands-on activities, workshops, talks and interactive sessions, with the majority of these included in the ticket price and requiring no extra booking. There are premium activities you can book, but we found there was plenty to keep us occupied on the day we were there- we didn’t even get to experience everything there was to do as there is just so much! For a Weekend Ticket, camping is also included. You can see a list of the activities for the 2025 festival here.

Who Is It For?

Perfect for families with kids of all ages—from toddlers and primary-aged adventurers to teens looking for something more energetic, there really is something for everyone and the location is absolutely breath-taking. Whether you want to unwind in the Bear Chills area, take part in a Colour Run with over 1,000 people, or take on a Commando Assault Course, you’ll find dozens of activities to keep everyone entertained all weekend.

At the Festival

Having never been before, we started with a wander round the site, which was amazing! Walking through the campsite to the Main Arena, it was incredible to see all the tents and people who’d come to stay and embrace everything the festival had to offer over its 4 days. We were meeting friends from Hitchin so headed to the Hammocks area to meet up with everyone. I love being in a group at a festival as you can break off to do activities in smaller groups and there’s always someone to have fun with!

Once we’d met up, we headed to the top of the site to check out the activities on offer- we were in luck as The Colour Run was just beginning and it was amazing to see all the people in their white outfits suddenly launching powder paint in to the air- it was a real spectacle to behold!

What We Tried & Loved

Here are a few of our highlights and don’t forget to check out the Reel here:

• Our eldest absolutely loved Combat Archery and Laser Tag with his friends, plus the Slip n Slide was a great addition on such a hot day!
• We all loved the Dinomania Show (Ranger Chris and his dinosaurs reached the semi finals of 2022’s Britain’s Got Talent!) where you could get up close with a whole host of dinosaurs, with lots of crowd interaction- it was really fun!
• The boys also loved learning about Survival Skills like fire lighting and the Gross Eat Station, where our eldest got to try mealworms!
• The displays at The Skate Park (where you could also skate too!) and BMX Area were amazing (check out the Reel!)
• The Stone Age Area was great with a whole host of activities to try, plus our eldest is now the very proud owner of a Survival Bracelet he loves to demo to everyone!
• Main Stage performances – We ended the day dancing to The Lightning Seeds, which definitely took my husband and I back to our youth, but equally was amazing to see our kids loving it too!
• Wellness & Chill Zones – It’s a full-on day, with so much to see and do, so The Bear Chills area was a beautiful place to enjoy an area of calm amid the energetic schedule, with experiences from Wild Saunas to Power Nap sessions, all set alongside the picturesque lake.  

Food & Facilities

• Food & Drink – There’s a wide variety of vendors catering for all dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free, etc.), but you were also allowed to bring your own food and alcohol into the main arena (with specific limitations) which was great.
• Facilities – Toilets, baby-changing areas, and shaded chill spaces were well signposted and clean throughout the day.

Value for Money

Ticket-wise, the festival offers great value, packing in over 100 included-activities across adventure, survival, and calming experiences, as well as workshops and talks—plus premium extras if you chose to upgrade. And don’t forget the amazing musical lineup- you will not be bored at Gone Wild!

Top Tips

• Plan ahead to ensure you know which activities you don’t want to miss and book sought-after premium sessions in advance.
• Bring your own snacks, especially if you're planning a longer stay—just remember no glass.
• Layered and comfy clothing are a must—especially if you’re hopping between energetic adventure zones and the chill areas. Plus if you want to take part in the colour run, white clothes are recommended for full colour impact (they provide a white tshirt when you book). And don’t worry about getting changed afterwards, people who'd taken part looked fab!
• Check the map and schedule ahead of time—there’s so much on offer, it’s easy to miss hidden gems.
• Prepare for queues at popular activities, and explore science, circus, or wellness zones when possible for a breather.
• If you want to enjoy the bands in the evening, but your kids are more keen to play, then grab a spot just to the side of the sound desk as no one sits directly behind there, which creates the perfect playzone for kids so you can keep an eye on them and enjoy the bands.
• A trailer is a great addition to your festival gear to cart your stuff around and for little legs to hitch a ride when they’re tired.

We had a brilliant day at Gone Wild and I’m so glad we got to experience it. It truly was a vibrant mix of high-octane activities, creative workshops, and unforgettable live music—balanced by pockets of calm in the wellness zones, alongside beautiful woodland and lakeside views. We didn’t camp, so I can’t comment on that, but our friends had a great time camping. It’s a brilliantly curated family festival that keeps the energy high, yet never overwhelming. I can't wait to see what they have planned next year!

Find out more on their website here.

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We were kindly gifted our tickets in order to write this review.

If you would like a Tried and Tested review for your restaurant, attraction or event, please get in touch. 

Don't forget to check out all my other Tried and Tested reviews here.

You'll also find Reels from our various days out on my Instagram page here.