Anyone else going to Just So this weekend

[EliandmE]

Any MNetters counting down to Just So festival this weekend?

I've got a beautiful new bell tent complete with chandelier and I've sent DH off to source a crate of toffee apple cider, I couldn't be more excited!

Anyone?

Weather forecasts predicts rain Friday and Sunday - maybe we need two crates of toffee apple cider

Mmm, haven 't tried toffee apple cider, sounds interesting - i've just making out my list for shopping today!

Suggest he also gets you a couple of 5L waters as the water from the standpipe tasted yuk last year.

Forecast seems to be very changeable so hoping its going to be mainly just cloudy (not must chance of sunshine this year, shame).

Just the two of us so not taking our bell but the handy little Outwell 3-man tunnel instead (so actually thankful that its not going to be hot as feels clammy compared to our canvas tents).

Don't seem to be very good at minimalist festival packing!!

It's looking like we might have to take two cars Salome... And in shock news Brothers have discontinued toffee apple cider in cans and now only sell it in glass bottles (DH actually rang them to find out)

Guess you'll be decanting the cider into some empty squash bottles before you leave then!

Just back & feeling knackered after driving 3.5hrs for a 120 mile journey c/o all the m6/m5 roadworks.

Anyhow had a terrific time, great that there were some fun workshops for 7+ age group as it has been a bit heavily pre-schooler/KS1; just hope this gets expanded next year.

Musica, as always, offer great musical inspiration and Alice & Rosie's Picture Palace is great to dip in/out.

Fab bands particularly Mr Wilsons Second Liners (must look them up on YouTube) and the Bathing Jugglers were hilarious.

Great to see lots of faces we recognise - the tribal costumes are getting very creative and very cpetitive!

Last night crashing in my own bed was the best nights sleep I've ever had!

A great time had by all - we loved Mr Wilson's Second Liners, Gabby Young, John Hegley and all the regulars - retro disco, tribal tournament/wild rumpus (go foxes!), clay babies, lantern parade, outdoor cinema etc.

I don't know if there were more tickets sold or a reduced programme this year but I did think it was oversubscribed - as a notoriously disorganised family by the time we arrived at any workshop/performance it was invariably full - The Curiousity Shop and Musica workshops looked amazing but booked up hours in advance and we only got into The Story Giant at the third attempt after queuing for 40 minutes. I missed the spontaneity of opening the programme and picking the next thing on at random!

That was the only disappointment of the weekend (well, that and our lack of costumes for the wild rumpus - one was lost in the woods, one was involved in a not reaching the toilet in time incident, three were left at home) so I can't complain, we will definitely be back next year!

John Hegley was fab! Think he had the biggest audience out of everyone who was on the Footlights stage.

Agree with workshops - I don't think the programme said that The New Curiosity Shop workshops had to be booked so we missed out on Saturday. Got near the front of the queue on Sunday morning (08:45) and managed to get DS into Film making which he thought was great.

They did put on extra workshops on the Sunday afternoon but I think a lot of people saw the length of the queue to book and were turned off by that.

Hopefully they'll do more of these 7+ workshops next year as DS will be 10 and it would be a shame for him to outgrow Just So already.

We were section C

First time we've been and won't bother again, unless tickets become free...

maybe OK for preschoolers, but struggled to entertain DD6.

I think that was the most I've paid to stand in queues since Legoland. Trouble is, there wasn't actually that much fun to be had when you got to the front of the queues.

Back to Bestival next year, even though it's miles and miles and miles away for us.

Have you filled out the feedback form Slothbear - I did it this afternoon and went into some detail about them needing to increase the programming/capacity (or to sell less tickets). If they get the same feedback from every direction they will hopefully act on it!

I really fancy Bestival but Just So is very much in our comfort zone (small scale and just about close enough to drive home and back again the next day if we had a camping disaster). We will definitely give it another chance next year but maybe think further afield as the dcs grow.