Wilderness Festival - just me and DDs - help!

[awakeanddreaming]

Last summer a friend told me about Wilderness Festival, a small, niche, glitter laden, family friendly festival just an hour down the road in Oxfordshire. In a moment of madness I booked 5 tickets, 2 x adult and 3 x children - thinking one of my more laid back mummy friends could come with us with one of their little ones. Well it turns out I must be the only woman on the planet who would brave such a scenario as, after asking around, and after initial enthusiasm, it turns out no one is quite ready to take this feat on apart from me. So as the day approaches nearer (this Thursday!) and my girls' enthusiasm increases (they're 6 and 4) my anxiety is going through the roof and I'm questioning my sanity.

What should I do?! 4 nights of camping (and all that entails!) with just me and my small people. Yes it's family friendly and there are looooooaaaads of activities/workshops etc for the kids, but I don't know if I can bear the thought of being Billy No Mates no matter how chilled out the atmosphere.
What should I do? Grow some cahonas, go and make some awesome memories with my girls or chicken out and head down the local soft play safe zone on Saturday afternoon?
Any advice appreciated

[Artisanjam]

Go, because you'll have spent a fortune on the tickets!! But do it in a laid back way - don't worry about 4 nights camping if it's daunting - you could go and put the tent up and go home for a night.

It is worth having the tent and some colouring/ reading/ camping type activities because it is very very full on. It's also worth having a little camping stove because the food can be really expensive.

Treat it as a cross between s camping weekend and really fun workshops/ craft etc and give yourselves plenty of time to do everything... a trolley and (unlimited) cash is also a good plan.

[AlternativeTentacle]

I went to the first one, it really is a lovely festival and if you haven't made new friends by the first night I'd be surprised...the food is quite expensive so take a stash of bread, cheese, cereals, milk and a ice box, and then maybe take a trip home on one of the days to restock, and just have a lovely chilled weekend.

After all you can always go home if it is not what you are enjoying.

And put the additional ticket/s for sale on facebook, at least you could recoup some costs.

[animaniac]

Not quite the same situation, but I'm also going to Wilderness on Thursday and now Im feeling massively anxious wondering why I ever agreed to go in the first place.....first time camping, first time at a festival, 20 women I don't really know very well (hen) and i don't cope well with crowds. Very tempting to pull a sickie and stay at home well in my comfort zone....BUT I'm strapping on my big girl pants and hoping for the best.
I'm sure it will be fine :-) Be Brave!

[2014newme]

I don't like family friendly festivals you spend your whole time in he kids field.
Sell the tickets or go, the kids will love I even if you don't.
Ime people don't make friends at festivals, they will chat and be friendly to you though.

[namechange20050]

Wilderness is nice but the camping area is cramped so get there early and stay in the family/quiet field. Lots of posers at wilderness. Makes for fun people watching!

[AlternativeTentacle]

posers

Poseurs surely?

The reason we haven't gone back is the far too beautiful people wanking around with fireglowsticks and juggling. Oh please. Apart from these people we really enjoyed it.

The music was good - I wanted to see Mercury Rev doing Deserter's Songs in full, and we saw Toots, and Laura Marling was ace. Gogol Bordello were fab. Just a really nice festival.

[KatyBerry]

I go every year and love it. Yes to the expensive food, but it's all excellent so you'll eat well. Lots of what's going on is good for kids and adults provided you don't mind a bit of nudity. I'd recommend the club house field and def the cricket match, plus some of the dance events, the curio caravan, lake swimming g (if the weather improves). The Saturday night spectacle is normally great however be aware that the mood changes drastically at dusk and is very druggy (is that all festivals??). There are people on the festival Facebook desperate for adult tickets so you'll def be able to sell it

[GlitterRollerSkate]

Go and put up your tent. You are only an hour away from home so you can go back for a night in your own beds if you like. Go and have a crack at it. You might hate every minute but you might have the best time ever and make some beautiful memories!

I'm taking my lo to her first festival next month but I took my 2 nieces to a big festival a few years ago. It was very different to what I was used to at a festival as I was sober but we all had a brilliant time!

Good luck and have fun!

[KatyBerry]

(Also not much going on Thursday/ Friday morning so maybe arrive Friday morning?)

[awakeanddreaming]

Thanks so much for all the advice!

@KatyBerry do you think we'll still get a spot in the family camping if we rock up on Friday? I've just put the spare tickets on Gumtree so hopefully someone snaps them up soon.

I'm hoping the hardcore poseurs are restricted to the general camping area and we can retreat to a poser-free zone

[KatyBerry]

i would expect so - but ask around on the fb site maybe? they festival are active on responses

[KatyBerry]

@awakeanddreaming did you have a good time?