New Forest Fairy Festival returns to Burley Park

If you are after a family day out that leans fully into the imaginative, the New Forest Fairy Festival is back at Burley Park in Burley, Hampshire, for its 14th year. It runs across Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August, with gates opening at 10am on both days, so there is a choice of the day that suits you best. The site is set up as a vibrant fairy kingdom, filled with mythical creatures, live music and interactive experiences, and it has grown into the largest event of its kind in the area.

The sheer volume of things to do is the headline here. There are more than 120 workshops and activities spread across the site, taking in storytelling, crafts, fairy theatre, wizard workshops, circus performances, spiritual workshops and talks, a fairy market and live tribute concerts. On the music side, the line-up leans heavily on tribute acts and bands: George Croucher, Chasing Mumford, Bella Rose, Mojo, The Royal Restitution, Crystal Visions, Hello Dolly, Stompin' K Thompson and The Fabulous Red Diesel. Beyond the music, there is aerial acrobatics, dance, theatre, a costume contest, a parade and puppet shows, so it is easy to fill a whole day without ever running out of things to watch.

Fancy dress is a big part of the experience rather than an optional extra. Fairy wings, costumes and magical attire are encouraged, and the organisers reward the best-dressed visitors each day, which gives the whole place a bit of character once everyone has arrived. The festival is built around creativity, kindness, inclusivity and a shared love of all things magical, and it draws fairy fans from around the world. There is also a genuine thread of sustainability running through it, with the organisers working with organisations and charities to promote environmental awareness and education and asking visitors to leave no trace.

It is worth knowing where this all comes from. The festival was founded and is directed by Holly Kate Norman, who describes it as a dream she had fourteen years ago to create somewhere families could truly escape the outside world and reconnect with imagination, nature and one another. She has spoken about how emotional it is to see thousands of people returning year after year, and how grateful she is to everyone who has helped build the community around it. A spokesperson summed up the pitch simply: the festival invites families to immerse themselves in a magical adventure where dragons, wizards, unicorns, fairies and legendary creatures come to life.

Whether you go for the workshops, the tribute acts or just to see everyone dressed up, it is a well-established fixture on the New Forest summer calendar. With the gates opening at 10am on both days, it is the kind of event you want to arrive at early to make the most of the full programme. For anything you need to know before you go, the festival can be reached on 07789 228802 or at www.newforestfairyfestival.com.