Truck Festival was a lovely, relaxing festival. Looking back that first thing I remember is the look of pure joy on so many kids faces at various points. One friend's child's whole face lite up with a giant grin and gleaming eyes when he made it to the top of the CD tower in the main stage area. All the kids had a blast climbing up it, jumping off, sliding down the Dark Side of the Moon album,  and boogieing at the top.
My favorite stage was The Saloon. It was set up just like an old day saloon with wood all around, the band stood on the floor in the center with tables and benches pushed up against the wall. We were lucky enough to make it there both Friday and Saturday nights (with our kids sleeping in trolleys of course). On Friday I managed to catch the end of The Original Rabbit Band. It was fun dancing away on a bench. Saturday, we saw most of The Epstein's show. They were fantastic.
The kids area was good. They set up a paddling pool for the kiddies under an awning which was necessary for the hot, sunny Friday. They had musicians in for the kids, a lady came and set up with poi, there were loads of art activities, making spiders, bunting out of paper and string, masks, and  painting giant heads and bodies on wooden boards, to name a few. There was also a large open space in front of us which turned into a bit of a sports arena with balls, bubbles, and frisbees. My kids had a blast.
There was also a healing area with various messages and spiritual options. We managed to get a message from Ed which was lovely. Lucky us! Our friends from Rainbow Dragon were on hand as well with festival essentials like poi and hula hoops.
The family camping area was large and quite full. There were a lot of families. The toilets were superb. Clean all weekend and only once did I encounter an empty loo roll. I never used the main camping loos but the family camping and arena ones were great, as far as a porta-potty can be of course ;) .
Overall it was a good festival. We had a lot of happy customers and kids.
No pictures for this one. I forgot my camera! In my defense, I have 2 A4 sheets of paper with things to bring to every festival so forgetting one thing is a win in my book :)

Funny As Folk Festival

I must admit, I feel a bit sad as I sit here typing this because I am home and not at Funny as Folk Festival. For those who don't know, Funny as Folk, is a small festival in northern Lincolnshire. This year there were about 400 people there which ended up being small enough to feel like a village you have lived in for years. A normal walk to the toilets (Plumbed in, clean toilets, with yummy smelling soap from Lush) included hellos to many people who I'd met and usually a few conversation breaks. The festival sight was incredible. The main arena, where we were located) was a big flat field with trees (and a climbing tyre area) around it. There was also a barn in the middle of a wooded area, a small woodland stage and an obstacle course in the woods. Not to mention the fountains, giant tyre swing, sandpit, and fairy house. Circus du Misfits were onsight as well providing workshops and entertainment. I had fun yelling at kids on a fairy hunt as I hung suspended upside down from my ankles (inversion therapy at Back Angels) pretending to be a captured fairy. 
The music was varied, free flowing, and overall quite good. Nick Harper pulled out an amazing show even changing his guitar string midsong with a little help from a loop pedal I am told. I was most surprised by the beatboxer Justin Gingercake. He put on a fantastic show that had people moving, cheering, and singing in the barn late in the night. We were lucky to be not only next to the main stage (not blaring loud, yeah!!!!) but also next to Rainbow Dragon. We spent the weekend playing with poi, hula hoops, frisbees, staffs, and ribbons they have out to try. Saturday night, the organizer's band, The Unknown Misfits got the crowd all stirred up. Sunday there were various acts on included 2 comedy acting shows and music. The Sleeping Trees Theatre received a standing ovation it was so good. Sunday night, though there was no scheduled music, an impromptu jam session went on for hours switching players as it went. 
Overall, it was an amazing experience. We had very happy customers who raved about how much they loved the freedom it gave them. One man kept saying "It works! It works!" almost everytime I saw him for the first 24 hours of his hire. Always glad to help parents really enjoy their festival. It is so nice at night (and at naptime) to go out and chat around a fire or dance in the barn knowing my kids are safe and happy, sleeping nearby in their trolleys. 
Pictures to come...

With only a few days left until Bearded Theory we have had a few changes to our summer schedule.

Sadly, Big Tree festival has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. I have refunded any prebookings we had and we will  be removing the link shortly. In the meantime, please don't book for this festival since it's no longer happening.

On a happy note, we have added a new local festival to our line up, Funny as Folk Festival http://www.funnyasfolk.co.uk/ . This looks like a lovely little family festival with loads of music, circus performers, and my festival favorite, bonfires! We will have the booking options up for this shortly. In the meantime, please email us at trolleytots@gmail.com to prebook your trolley hire.

Now its time to get back to packing and trolley mending before we depart for Bearded Theory on Wednesday!

With Bearded Theory just around the corner, we are busy getting ready but also getting very excited for the start of our festival season.

Our festival season is looking great! In 2013, our festivals include:

Bearded Theory Festival- This festival start off the season right. With Angel Gardens providing kids activities, multiple stages of music, lots of vendors for purusing  and a great vibe its hard not to love. Sunday everyone dons their beards of all shapes a sizes for a great day of fancy dress and music.

Big Tree Festival - A new festival which looks like it is going to be great. Not only is it jammed packed with activities for kids (and adults!), but they are planting a tree for every ticket bought. This festival features its own allotment, Mr. Bloom, hot tubs, and 3 stages full of music. Rated one of the top 10 festivals for toddlers by FestivalKidz, we are looking forward to it.

Barefoot Festival - A small festival in Leicestershire with a great, friendly vibe. In the centre, a roaring bonfire, burlesque show, music, sunrise yoga, drumming workshops, and more. At only £30 for a weekend ticket, this one certainly won't break the budget while providing loads of good times and memories.

Just So Festival - A festival for kids. Just So Festival is overloaded with more activities and adventures than your kids will have the waking hours to explore, though they will have a great time trying. Parents love it because you get to sit in a field or woods and relax while your kids have a blast. Conestoga trolleys are an added bonus here because it provides you with a seat while your kids are off building dens, looking for the Gruffalo, taking part in potato sack races or pirate school, or waiting to meet the Fairy Queen in her secret den.

Galtres Festival - This festival started out as a beer festival and has grown into a great music festival. With over 100 beers and ciders on tap, this festival also features multiple stages and a great kids area. Last year we enjoyed the jousting and free bouncy castle. On show this year, camel racing! Whether you want music, good beer, or entertainment at your festival, Galtres has it.

Booking will be up soon for all festivals. Until then, if you would like to prebook your trolley, email us at trolleytots@gmail.com with which trolley you would like and we can send you the paypal invoice. 

Happy New Year! 

As we start preparing for 2013 festival season it's nice to look back at 2012. We had a fantastic summer thanks to our wonderful customers, kind festival organizers and volunteers, and all that MUD! We are hoping 2013 brings a bit more sunshine but have our wellies and waterproofs ready, just in case ;)

Looking forward to 2013, we would love to hear any suggestions you may have of what you would like to see or of where you might like to see us. You can post them here or send us an email at trolleytots@gmail.com. Your input is always welcome. Thanks!