We were welcomed back to Alex James’ idyllic farm in the Cotswolds countryside for our fifth visit to The Big Feastival, and we were super excited. It has become one of those weekends we keep coming back to as a family because we know exactly what we are getting: good food, plenty for the kids, and a music programme that always throws up a few proper moments. Stepping through the red day entrance, the site felt instantly recognisable, and we were keen to see what this year would bring.
Friday began with the weather doing that classic late August thing where it can’t quite make its mind up. After what felt like months of blazing heat and sunshine, it had now changed. Rain came and went, but the mood never really shifted. Fiona Lee opened proceedings with a confident turn on the main stage, joking about Yorkshire and about a saxophone solo that wasn’t there during one track, which set the tone nicely. She had a laid-back indie feel that worked well, and it felt like the sort of start Feastival does well. Jerub followed, bringing a warmer, more soulful edge, and with just him, his guitar and his drummer it was a stripped-back set that sounded bigger than it had any right to. His cover of Fix You landed beautifully too, which is a hard song to pull off but they both earned new fans this weekend.
At that point I’d already eaten well, which always helps. Poor Boys sorted lunch with the Dirty Boy southern chicken, garlic sauce and fries, and it hit the spot exactly how I needed. The afternoon carried on in that same easy rhythm. The Ordinary Boys were one of the first real nostalgia hits of the weekend, sounding surprisingly sharp after their 20 year break! They leaned a bit more ska than I remembered, but a fun set. Meek came and went with a bit of chaos too, spilling water over the electronics and giving everyone a brief scare, though they recovered well enough and Beautiful Freeks was a lovely moment.
White Lies were next, and it was genuinely good to see them again after so long. Harry McVeigh still has that striking look, a new sharp haircut, and the band brought the sort of dark, clean-lined indie rock that always seems to suit a festival field. There was a joke about Earth Song because of the wind, which made us smile, but more importantly they sounded solid and familiar in the best way. Then Antony Szmierek arrived with the kind of set that turns a crowd into participants. He joked about being sponsored by Monzo given the branding all over the place, and there was a neat little reference to the slide further down the site. He worked the crowd with real ease, came down into the audience for the final song, and had a dance in the middle of the crowd surrounded by fans of all ages. The final track had a New Year countdown kind of energy, which sounds odd on paper, but made sense in the moment.
Perrie was one of the weekend’s biggest pops of colour. I was freezing by then, and she practically said the same thing out loud, which made the crowd laugh. Her Little Mix medley went down exactly as you’d expect, with the crowd latching on to every chorus. She’s got the sort of voice that cuts through cold air quite easily, and it was a really strong set.
Basement Jaxx closed the night in full party mode, with a stage setup that looked brilliant, the DJs popping up in the middle of a slanted platform while dancers and costumes flew everywhere. There were so many tunes you half-forget how many big ones they have until they start landing one after another. It was a proper Feastival finale for Friday, and we couldn’t wait for tomorrow.
Saturday was wetter and muddier, and by then everybody had surrendered to it. Walking boots, wellies, and some people still rocking the crocs and flip flops. Obviously didn’t get the memo. Paths were getting sticky, coats were staying on, and somehow that just made the whole thing feel more festival like.
She’s In Parties opened the main stage (after Justin Fletcher aka Mr Tumble) by basically apologising for their gear being under cover and them being at the back of the stage, but it was fair enough given the rain. Bradley Simpson then brought a lot of energy, and there was something funny and slightly charming about him coming down into the crowd and getting wet with everyone else. The Vamps connection is still there, bringing in a big crowd, obviously, but he felt comfortable enough doing his own thing.
Ms Dynamite followed with a huge throwback feel, all pace and attitude, and the set had that old school Garage energy that takes you straight back to being younger than you probably want to admit. Plenty of people reliving nights of the past with that knowing glint in their eye.
The Campervan Sessions with Bradley Simpson & Mimi Webb gave the afternoon a slightly looser feel. Back on the main stage Mimi Webb was the same as ever, and it was nice seeing her again after catching her supporting Katy Perry earlier in the summer up the road. Tors, the brothers from Devon, brought a warm country-folk sound and a few songs with the sort of dry humour that only really lands when a drummer is getting joked about finding a girlfriend in the middle of a field surrounded by strangers.
Another Feastival staple, The Cuban Brothers, then did what the Cuban Brothers do, breaking up the day with dancing, comedy and complete nonsense in the best possible way. They were great fun, with a version of How Will I Know that somehow made sense and didn’t.
Today’s food choice was Nanny Bills Burger which hit the spot. I’d seen a lot walking round with them so I knew this was mine for the day, and it didn’t disappoint.
Then Rudimental came in and lifted everything again. They were one of the standout acts of the whole weekend, no question. The crowd loved every bit of this set, and it felt like the whole site had decided to dance at once, regardless of how sticky the mud was.
The Streets followed with a set built around A Grand Don’t Come for Free, celebrating 22 years since its release. Mike Skinner and the band turned the album’s everyday stories into something huge, with the bus-shelter stage design making the whole thing feel even more rooted in the ordinary. Fit But You Know It, Blinded by the Lights and Dry Your Eyes still hit hard, and the whole set had that slightly scruffy, sing-it-back feeling that suits them so well. What followed the full run through of the album was another hour of greatest hits that were great to reminisce to. Throughout the show Skinner kept talking to the crowd about getting him a burger brought up to him through the sea of people. He managed to get a toasty, but never the burger.
Sunday brought a bit more sunshine, and thankfully throughout the day the mud dried up making it much more comfortable. The Rosadocs were a strong early watch, especially with Towards The Sun, which felt written for a day like that. I’d been wanting to see them for ages, and they didn’t disappoint. Nubiyan Twist arrived with plenty of musicians on stage and an AI intro that set the tone nicely, all energy and movement and a real sense of musicians actually enjoying themselves. Red Rum Club were good again too, with the new trumpet player slotting in well and giving everything that familiar scouse lift. The Coral were tight as ever, while Doves sounded exactly like Doves should, all atmosphere and great tunes. Two bands who always give a rock-solid performance and have that back catalogue to just lean into. No gimmicks.
Food today was a proper mix, but I think the highlight was a create your own cheesecake, chocolate bottom, raspberry ripple middle with a mix of toppings including a flake and chocolate buttons definitely settled my sweet tooth. Oh, and a bowl of Chuffles (Cheescake Truffles for those wondering) definitely hit the spot.
Bastille took to the stage to headline the final evening, and thankfully Dan’s voice had recovered enough for us to witness an incredible performance. An amazing stage setup with blazing lights, a Dolly Parton tribute, and those mashups (No Scrubs / Don’t let go / What would you do?) that made there sound early in their career were great to hear live. Dan flipping between skipping around the stage, playing piano, banging the drum, and obviously enjoying himself was great to see. By the time Pompeii landed, the weekend was already drawing itself to a close in the best possible way.
Once again, The Big Feastival delivered exactly what it promises: a unique blend of world-class music, incredible food, and family-friendly fun. As a family, we loved every second and we’ll be back again next year no doubt.
Camping and weekend tickets for Big Feastival 2027 are available to buy now, for 27th - 29th August 2027.
Photo Credit: Russ Fujak
