Regardless of where I was placed right on the bill, it was still quite an honour to be asked to take part in the first Just So Festival, in the woods of Barnswood - just outside Leek. It was advertised as " A Glastonbury for Kids" and certainly didn't disappoint.
Advertised as " a boutique, weekend-long festival of creativity aimed at children, young people and their families.
The festival will provide a magical experience where art, music and literature are embedded and entwined in a beautiful and wondrous landscape.
The day started well with a random text sent to Jo Goode on BBC 6 Music turning into a full scale live interview on the air, giving me the chance to mention the book and 'big up' the festival.
I had been given five passes as payment for taking part I was given five passes to the festival and as the girls were still in Russia, I took my mum and my brother David and his family.
My reading went well, and even though I was bottom of the bill on Saturday morning - I still managed to pull in quite a crowd and sell a few books in the meantime. After my stint - we spent the rest of the day walking watching the many different acts performing in the many different glades.
I have to admit that I did feel quite lost without my own kids there, and decided to stop as many random families as I could and read my stories to them...( oddly enough it went down rather well). There was so much going on - it is really hard to choose a favourite moment although I had to watch in admiration at the two 70+ dancers who were throwing each other around the scout hall to the strains of Glenn Miller.
The photos are on my mums camera, ( who is in Italy again - for a change and I wont be able to post them until her return). Although the festival went on for the weekend, we only stayed for the Saturday, due partly to my nephews feeling the pace and me not really being made of camping fibre, in truth though The Just So Festival should be sampled as a three day event, as the entertainment goes on right through the night, next year I am going to be more prepared and take the girls camping. ( hmm...that could be an empty promise though).
If anyone is thinking about booking for next year, my advice is "Get a move on", as the tickets went on sale for Just So Festival 2011 the following Monday, and are already selling like hot cakes..
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