Standing in the grounds of a Georgian country house in Cheshire, surrounded by hundreds of adults and children dressed as animals, and watching a man juggling burning torches can feel a bit surreal.
A bit magical actually.
The Just So Festival, now in its 12th year, is a weekend-long family event that mixes art, music, literature, theatre and storytelling to create an other-worldly experience for children and their parents.
Being a cynical, over-the-hill-officially-certified-sourpuss the prospect of a weekend at a kid's festival did leave me a bit apprehensive to say the least. Organised fun is the worst kind of fun, right?
When I asked people about the festival though something strange had happened - people are effusive, evangelistic about how wonderful it is. I was told on the day that over 80% of those that attend return. People go every year, it's a date in the diary.
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So appetite suitably whetted we arrived on the Saturday.
The first thing to say about Just So is that it is extremely well organised. Being in its 12th year it looks like organisers have it down to a fine art. Everything just works. Despite there being 5,000 attendees over the weekend it never felt crowded and queues were small. Organisers deserve credit for not overselling it.
We arrived at the car park to a lovely greeting (I always think how you're treated when you arrive tells you a lot about an event), the lady directing us complimented my wife's dress and proceeded to rave (like everyone else) about how wonderful the festival was and what a good time we'd have.
The path up to the festival site was bustling with families dressed as a variety of different animals.
Our plans being rather last minute we hadn't sorted any outfits (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it), but rather like the rest of the Just So festival nothing felt obligatory or compulsory about dressing up. If your kids are joiners-in (mine aren't really), then they will get a kick out of getting involved, if they're quieter and more reserved they will enjoy watching and listening to performances.
Often family outings can feel a bit stressful, Just So feels the opposite, once you've got your bearings you genuinely start to unwind. Crucially for families the festival feels very safe meaning you don't feel you have to watch the kids obsessively
It would be impossible to review every performance over the weekend and impossible to catch them all but suffice to say there is something for everyone. On the Footlights stage, the main performance area for music, there was a bit of everything - from the melancholy emotive ballads of Devon-based singer song writing duo Sound of the Sirens to the mad stomping Jungle Cumbia and “chicha” of Los Chichanos - it's eclectic. One of the highlights of Saturday was Los Chichanos' exuberant rendition of Bella Ciao in front of a deliriously happy dancing crowd.
Elsewhere there is theatre and storytelling aplenty. The Spellbound Forest is where campfire tales are told and bands play at night. It's also home to the Woodland Theatre which was showing film and theatre classics. There's an As You Like It vibe to this area, all twinkly fairy lights and small campfire gatherings.
Once again there is loads going on, but we particularly enjoyed the storytelling of Ian Douglas a brilliant charismatic performer whose shows draw on British folk tales and world myths.
Back out on the Village Green at the centre of the festival site we enjoyed the Most Dangerous Cup of Tea in the World by the Tit for Tat circus theatre company which used slapstick and some quite frankly dangerous stunts to terrify the audience while making a cup of tea, yes really.
The Mayp ole Movers team on the Village Green seemed to be at it all day with the patience of saints getting little ones to dance with the brightly coloured ribbons - and somehow avoiding knots. Over at Beginners Luck next door we really liked Look Mum, No Hands! a brilliant ebullient performance by Disabled-led company Daryl & Co + Mimbre - which used a combination of theatre, movement and acrobatics to tell a tale about vulnerability and strength.
If the excitement got a bit too much there was also family yoga on offer as well as spaces for mindfulness, meditation and pilates. One of the things we enjoyed most about the festival was the food and drink. We didn't have a bad meal or snack the whole time - the vendors appear to have been carefully selected and there was a huge range of options.
We particularly liked the chilli and lime golden roasted corn cob from the Corn Roast Van, the Rosemary and Garlic fries from Wrap It, the burgers and hot dogs from Smithy Farm, the healthy ice lollies with fresh fruit from Lickalix and the wonderful fish and chip offerings from the award-winning fish bar. All in all everyone is well catered for with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options as well.
So, am I a convert? Will I, the next time someone mentions the Just So Festival, begin a good natured evangelistic rant about - you MUST try this and you MUST do that. Probably. The thing about Just So is that you can get as involved as much as you want - you can enjoy it your own way, and it's hard to be cynical about something that's just so relaxed and fun and all embracing.
It's a space for everyone - and people respond in kind. During the festival it was notable that despite its eminently Instagrammable appearance very few people seemed to be on mobile phones. People were polite and unhurried and thoughtful and helpful.
Near the centre of the site, outside the woods, were huge wooden letters proclaiming: We Are All Made Of Stardust - at times it felt like this festival was designed to remind us of that, magical, buoyant, optimistic, welcoming. It's a triumph: tell your friends.
Tickets for 2023 go on sale this coming Friday 26th August at 12pm at www.justsofestival.org.uk.
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