Standon Calling 2017 – What a great time was had by all! Despite the rain, there was great music and entertainment for all, whether you were camping from Thursday to Monday or just going for the day it was a blast.
I attend many festivals and Standon Calling is now in its 12th year and I can’t believe as a festival that is literally on my door step, why have I not been before?
Set in the Hertfordshire countryside in ‘Standon’ this small boutique festival is celebrating its 12th year. When you say small there must have been a good 10,000 people there.
The festival is spread over 4 days and you can camp or choose your days and has so much to do for all the family. With a mix of great acts on the main stage and smaller stages dotted around the site, there is so much to do and see, fun for the kids, club style venues, comedians, hot tubs, a swimming pool, it was all going on.
When it comes to a 4 day festival it is so good to be able to camp. Standon Calling 2017 offered not only the usual bring your own tent scenario but also Glam Camping.
There were a number of camping areas from family, general to glam and the glam camp area had some great raised buildings, luxury teepees some with wooden doors!
I have seen it all now though when I saw a dressing room tent complete with lit-up mirrors, hairdryers and straighteners to glam yourself up!
Every year at Standon Calling it has a new story which gives you the opportunity to dress up and have fun.Don’t leave your imagination at home. Each year we take the opportunity to tell a new story, a themed world comes to life as the festival unfolds across day and night. In the
This year saw ‘Tales of the Enchanted Valley’ with monsters, godlings, fairies, witches and more with a big parade on Saturday with winners receiving great prizes.
Past festivals have told tales of Murder on the Standon Express, Gods and Monsters, Running Away from the Circus, A Town of Two Faces and in 2016 we were immersed in the Legend of the Lost Seas.
When they say it is a family festival it truly is and that includes the dogs, including its very own dog show giving you the opportunity to show that your dog is better than everyone else’s, of course, it is 🙂
I saw children from just a few months to teenagers enjoying their first camping festival with friends, away from mum and dad.
There were kids areas with great activities dotted about the festival, dressing-up of course, Horrible Histories, fun stuff and the Cinderella Hotel, face painting and even a nanny service if you needed it.
With so many stages and so many acts with a great variety of genres for all, there are far too many to mention but here are just a few.
The main stage saw headline acts of Orbital, Clean Bandit and Grace Jones with other great acts throughout the days such as Kate Tempest, Slaves, Prep, Nothing But Thieves, The Cuban Brothers and Gary Newman to name a few.
Other stages included ‘Cinderella’s Motel, Laundry Meadows, The Cowshed, BBC Introducing, Top Shed and The Golden Goose where there were comedians.
These stages saw artists such as Kelvin Jones, The Haggis Horns, Jodie Abacus, Jack Cullen and Plastic Mermaids to name a few, sorry guy’s, far too many artists to mention you all.
The music does not stop at midnight, the club zones go to the early hours with some on till 4.30am.
The festival sees a great DJ line-up from Disco to Funk, From Garage to House, it has it all, just find the venue you like best. There are also DJ’s by the Pool all day long.
DJ’s included Jax Jones, Faithless, DJ Yoda, Idris Elba, Steve Davies, Edward Adoo, Grove Garden and Defect.
there is plenty to choose from when it comes to food and the festival is cashless, so you add credit to your wrist band and pay using the wristband.
These included: LEBUN DINER,PATTY & BUNCLUB MEXICANA, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, ARANCINI BROTHERS, BORN & RAISED, MAKATCHA, OH MY DOG, THE MAC FACTORY, SPIT & ROAST, ORIGINAL FRY UP MATERIAL, YU KUY, WAFFLE ON, LA COCINITA, BARNABY SYKES, TOASTIE, CARNIVAL COFFEE, GROOVY SMOOTHIES, BAD BROWNIE, TUDOR’S PRALINES
For me, the weekend did not start so well, with a camera strap breaking and some pretty expensive kit getting damaged. Outside of that and a bit of rain, it was a great event.
Next year, however, I don’t want to be working, I want to be there with my friends, camping dressing up and having a great time.
Well done Standdon CALLING 🙂
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