CAMP BESTIVAL RETURNS TO SHROPSHIRE BIGGER AND BETTER IN 2023

Camp Bestival Shropshire returns for a bumper second year with headliners Primal Scream, Rudimental and The Human League and a huge family fancy dress competition

After a bumper first year for Camp Bestival Shropshire, the stellar sister show to the UK's favourite family festival is returning to Weston Park this August (17 – 20 August 2023) with a host of more incredible acts, as well as a chance for festival go-ers to flex their creative muscles and knock on the doors of the animal kingdom, with an all-new Wildlife fancy dress theme for the weekend. 

The family favourite returns to Weston Park with headline acts spanning from pop-royalty Rudimental to synth-pop 80s icons, The Human League and Scottish rockers Primal Scream, there is something for everyone to enjoy.  Arguably one of the hottest acts of the last year, Confidence Man will take to the stage while Camp Bestival icons Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Sara Cox also join the line up alongside Groove Armada, Sam Ryder and Ella Henderson. Plus, with over 100+ free activities including Dick & Dom, Cosmic Kids Yoga with Jaime, Extreme Bike Battles and Wild Swimming there's truly something for everyone at Camp Bestival's second magical year in Shropshire.

Well, we only went and started a new festival didn't we!? So, we're back for 2023 hoping to ramp up the levels even more from introducing a brand-new Camp fancy dress parade, raft building and loads of cool new little pop ups to mega pop stars and indie giants on the main stage

Shropshire welcomes another sensational line-up of family favourites to delight crowds over a jam packed four days in the spectacular grounds of Weston Park. From Cosmic Kids Yoga with Jaime to mischief and singalongs from Mr Tumble and The Cuban Brothers, Dick and Dom, Mister Maker, and Horrible Histories,there's enough family fun for everyone. For the thrill seekers, there's Extreme Bike Battles, roller discos, mega skate ramps and even a Red Devils Parachute display!

Festival go-ers can spend the day roaming the Dingly Dell and the vast Kids Gardens enjoying enchanting discovery play and an abundance of amazing activities. With soft play, carboard castles, circus skills, drum workshops, dance classes, bushcraft, tree climbing, mud pies, science shows and swing boats there are tons of screen-free, creative activities to fire up the imagination.  Be entertained by story time, theatre shows, acrobatic spectaculars, and kids TV tearaways. Indulge in delicious festival food from simple favourites and delicious drinks to incredible artisan street food and a lip-smacking medley of decadent dishes. 

This year celebrates wildlife, with animal charity WWF on board as well. From badgers, owls, hedgehogs, all the way through to sheep and deer, Camp Bestival is inviting campers to go wild at Weston Park this summer with an all-out, fancy dress free-for-all across the entire weekend. After the success of last year's fancy dress extravaganza, radio legend and long-time friend of the festival Sara Cox will be once again host and judge this year's family fancy dress competition on Saturday 19August.

Elsewhere in Shropshire, families can expect musical offerings across the festival site from pop royalty Melanie C, Badly Drawn Boy, Ireland's CMAT, pop sensation Junior Andre, pioneers of death metal in the UK, West Midlands-born Napalm Death and alternative rock band Pop Will Eat Itself.

Pioneers of the wellbeing movement and curators of Camp Bestival, Josie and Rob da Bank are hugely passionate about the unique wellness activities on offer within the immaculate grounds of Weston Park. 

Rob da Bank's Sleep Retreat tent will include sessions from one of the country's leading military mindfulness specialists Major Pat Burgess MBE and IO Project Sound Meditation created by DJ Goldierocks – all you have to do is lie down and let the sound wash over you.  Festivalgoers can also enjoy the healing nature of Sound Bath with Aaron Horn, Dream Big Teen Yoga with Rachael Wain, Kerry Anne Drake - Himalayan Hatha Yoga, as well as Meditation with festival curator Rob da Bank. 

The Slow Motion area will also include Draw Breath with Tom Granger, Kirtan with Radhika Das, Ecstatic Dance, Cosmic Cacao and Crystal Sound Ceremony, Medicine Shamanic Journey with Wild Hearts Rose Project, Yoga Nidra with Laura Lotus, Himalayan Hatha Yoga.

Located within the Slow Motion fields, The Yoga Space plays host to a free daily timetable of yoga and crystal soundbaths for the whole family to enjoy. Acro Yoga with The Yogalicious Crew, yoga for under 7's with Wigglebums and Yin Yoga are just some of the classes on the line-up.   Learn to recharge your body, relax your mind, and reinvigorate your love for life through powerful breathwork sessions with multi award-winning innovator Tom Granger. Josie da Bank will also lead yoga sessions, as well as Radhika Das who will run Kirtan classes, a 5000-year-old practice combining music and mantra meditation. 

Seek out a slice of inner peace with one of a range of Slow Motion Therapies*. Book an expert therapist and enjoy Deep Tissue Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, Ayuverdic Yoga Massage, Hot Stones Massage, Holistic Massage, Reiki, Reflexology, and Swedish Massage. To continue the feeling of serenity, families will be able to take a moment away from the festival frenzy at the Water and Stone Wild Spa* and Ice Baths*, a truly immersive natural Nordic experience. The tranquil area filled with hot tubs, saunas and a Bedouin-style relaxation lounge makes for the perfect relaxation spot. A focal point for many who are passionate about wellbeing, breathwork and yoga will allow festivalgoers to de-stress and unwind. On top of this, expect Wild Runs, The Zen Den, and the Kombucha Bar*

A festival inside the festival, Caravanserai will transport festival goers to another world, from trapeze artists to brass bands and everything in between – no trip to Camp Bestival is complete without a visit! A veritable wonder-stage that never fails to impress with a curious melange of music and cabaret, this year's assemblage of artistes and entertainers include DJ action from EMF's James Atkin, acid-swing from DJ Chris Tofu, one man electro blues band Funke and the Two Tone Baby, D'n'B tot tutors Junior Jungle, skiffle-pop trio Thrill Collins and Caravanserai cornerstone Count Skylarkin. 

As a special treat, the infamous Cirque Bijou will return to Shropshire with a mind-boggling new circus show 'The Silent Forest Show' - a beautiful and moving show sharing two daily performances. In addition to their wonderful theatre, there'll be a workshop each day for all to join in with – Mask-making, Bird-making and Bubbles! After watching the beautiful and moving Silent Forest Circus show, festivalgoers can have a go at creating your own beautiful bird mask with their workshop or choose one of your own favourite birds to make.

An enclave of enlightening entertainment, The Literary Institute is a fantastic mix of erudite talks, interactive amusements and intelligent debate, and that's just for the kids. A place to find insight and gain understanding, it's a truly inspiring world for children and a discerning wellspring of knowledge, wellbeing and calm for adults throughout the day.

Throughout the weekend you will find talks, conversation, Q&As and book signings with Bez & Rob da Bank in conversation, Man vs Baby - Trolls and Tribulations, Cass Pennant - Hooliganism, Hope & Publishing, Decca Aitkenhead - Lessons on Grief from the Day My Partner Drowned, and Gentle Guidance With Children's Behavioural Expert Marie Gentles.

 There's an assortment of education, workshops, interactive learning, and non-stop fun from Festival Of The Girl, 'Take The Jump' - 6 Easy Shifts To Protect The Earth, Interactive Storytime Animation Workshop with Rainbow Collective, Art Is Everywhere' with author Joe Haddow, Beatboxing, Rhythm and Rhymes Workshop with Testament, Emotional Literacy For Children with Molly Potter, How To Get Your Creativity Back As Parents with Alice Ballantine Dykes, How to Have 'An Answer for Everything' with an Infographic Workshop On Humanity's Biggest Questions, Molly Potter's Interactive Sex & Relationships Education, and the WWF.

For those looking to get their craft on, Welcome to Fashion & Textile World will be open – a wonderous creative space bursting with creative hands, activities and workshops. From customising to upcycling, knitting and macrame to woodblock printing, Camp Betsival has some amazing experts on hand to teach families some new skills and get your creativity going. There's something for everybody of every age with regular workshops happening across the weekend. All workshops are appropriate for a range of ages and are completely free and will last between 1-2hrs long and will run from Thursday through to Sunday evening. All materials are provided.   

Plus there's entertainment, quizzes and storytelling with a live recording of Shrewsbury Biscuit Podcast, The Faery Den Interactive Theatre with Teatro Vivo, quests with The Marvellous Myth Hunter, Interactive Storytime with Three Epic Adventures of SUPERTATO, the Great Camp Bestival Pop Quizwith John Harris.

The Red Devils will also be making a special appearance and parachute display. The Red Devils, formed in 1964, are the official parachute display team of the British Army and The Parachute Regiment. As professional skydivers they perform over 350 tandem parachute descents, and 60 public displays each year in the UK and internationally, into charity, sporting, military and social events.

The team behind The Little Gloster are back at The Camp Bestival site for 2023, curating the infamous Feast Collective. The place to be for discerning foodie festival goers, The Feast Collective will be THE destination for all revellers for both food and drink, featuring an incredible collection of handpicked food legends/traders, daily cocktail hour, wildfire cooking, s'mores station & DJ, offering a buzzing eating and meeting hub for all.

With big communal tables to dine in relaxed style with your family and friends, and music and cocktails seeing you into the evening, The Feast Collective will be THE place to be for all your foodie needs onsite.

 The Pig's Big Ballroom returns to Camp Bestival Shropshire once more. For those new to the festival, the Pig's Big Ballroom is a place where you can relax and enjoy the very best in vintage sounds and quality live acts from across the UK. A plethora of live acts Join our troupe of seasoned Shellac Collective DJs spinning original 78rpm shellac discs and this year we are thrilled to have Camp Bestival favourites, The Black Kat Boppers rocking the joint, 4D Jones playing rhythm and blues with a twist, Irish Jigs and Reels from The Hooligans, plus cheerful death and murder balladeers The Henry Brothers back to the Ballroom this year.

New to the Pig's Big Ballroom this year we are being joined by the country influenced sounds of Lexie Green and the Indigo Blue and The Moonshine Sisters, Acoustic Duo The Hedge Inspectors, folk ballad rockers The Mardlers, Norfolk's finest skifflers The Hedge Monkey's Skiffle Troupe, plus a chance for some foot-stomping from The Twelve Sullivans presenting their brand of Kick-Arse Celtic folk.

A festival for every family, this year marks 15 years of Camp Bestival entertaining festival-goers with genre spanning line-ups combined with circus spectacles, comedy, fancy dress, a mouth-watering array of exquisite food and drink, wellbeing and healthy pursuits, a showstopping firework extravaganza and much more – watch this space for a bigger and better Camp Bestival 2023! 

As it's the festival's second summer in Weston Park, more has been added to the site, including a boutique camping area with tipis and bell tents accessed by a bridge over the new lake. A brand new circus area is also being revealed this year, with a host of new activities including Lantern-making, storytelling and more, with a  Sunday night illuminated lantern parade, as well as a Spinney Hollow Craft Village and all new Roller Disco event.

Camp Bestival Shropshire takes place at Weston Park, 17-20 August 2023. For more info and tickets please visit shropshire.campbestival.net.