I actually returned from Lakefest 2026 (gifted press event) a couple of weeks ago but health issues rather than a lack of enthusiasm for the event have delayed my review. Which can be summed up in a few words - you should book tickets for 2027 NOW!
Set in gorgous Herefordshire countryside in the grounds of Eastnor Castle, Lakefest is the perfect Festival for first timers, families and experienced festival goers. It's a long weekend where you can switch off from the outside world (helped by the fact that mobile phone signal and wifi are extremely limited) and experience the eclectic hedonism at the event founded by Lee Martin who has written a book, Festival of Love and Pain about his life and the origins of Lakefest.
I was particularly excited about seeing some well-known bands including Madness, Bananarama, The Charlatans, The Undertones and The Lightening Seeds. What I didn't expect at this wonderfully casual party in a field, was to discover a whole load of new to me favourites who now dominate my playlist.
Anyway, more on that later. Let's talk about the general organisation.
Arriving at the site (myself, my husband and two of our adult children, both in their 20's) we were directed to park and pick up wristbands using the emailed "tickets". This was quite straightforward. We were directed to the spacious camping area for Press but friends who pitched their tent in the general camping areas (included in the cost of your ticket) said they didn't feel crowded, the toilets and showers were pretty good and their tent was only an 8-minute walk to the arena.
Obviously you queue for showers, especially at peak times and particularly at Lakefest this year as the hot sunny weather (and a fair bit of dust) throughout the event meant everyone was keen to wash!
We had VIP Loo passes which I can highly recommend. Clean, flushable toilets with proper handbasins with running water, soap and hand lotion!
However if you don't want to pay for the VIP loo experience the general toilets were fine and on the whole clean. Queues could be lengthy and sometimes toilet paper and hand sanitisers ran out, but avoiding the busy times (at the end of a big name set for instance) meant you could easily nip in. The standalone outdoor mens urinals were admired by the men in our party as a fast option for a swift wee.
Festival trolleys, picnic blankets and camping chairs were rife but Lakefest had created a no chair zone allowing for the full festival experience complete with jumping, organised "mosh" moments and plenty of singing and dancing. I know the increasing number of chairs at festivals annoys the purists but for myself and my husband, both with disabilities, having somewhere to rest other than the floor while absorbing the atmosphere made the whole thing both possible and enjoyable.
We had packed some food and snacks (oh the middle-aged joy of a caravan fridge and a portable Blackstone griddle!) but did enjoy some of the food and drink options at Lakefest.
We found prices very reasonable, especially considering traders at some events like this know they have a captive audience and hike the prices. We live in the Home Counties where food and drink prices are quite high compared to other parts of the country. Lakefest was cheap given what we are used to paying at events like this further south, but we saw plenty of people making the most of the wide selection of top notch vendors so they must have thought prices were OK too.
Fish and chips (MSC sustainable cod and skin on fries) at one stand was £15-only £1 more than at the chip van which visits our village We enjoyed a huge Bratwurst with onions, sauerkraut, a big squishy roll and all the ketchup, curry ketchup and mustard you wanted to add which cost £.7.50.
A pint was £6 (plus £2.50 on your first drink purchase for a reusable collectable cup) frozen cocktails £10.50. A "99" ice-cream with flake and sauce was £4.50 which is significantly cheaper than the offerings from our local ice-cream van. Free drinking water was available at water stations at both ends of the festival site for filling water bottles-vital in the temperatures we experienced.
We paid £14 for a large tray of seasoned fries topped with locally sourced pulled pork served with red cabbage 'slaw and topped with BBQ sauce and garlic mayo. It was the best thing I have ever eaten from any "street food" stall ever.
Apart from the music there was lots of activities, stalls and entertainment which meant everyone- toddlers, teens and beyond-never needed to be bored. There was wrestling to watch, crafts to tackle, fantastic BMX displays to admire, a caravan based escape room and roaming entertainers. We had a hilarious chat with a comical juggling stilt-walker and got drenched at an Ibiza-style foam party which was a welcome relief from the heat. You could even get a foot, head or full body massage!
But of course the point of most music festivals is the music and Lakefest did not disappoint offering a huge range of performances from youngsters just starting out up to some really famous faces.
Highlights for me include Chesney Hawkes and Scouting for Girls and of course Madness -you can't beat a balmy summer evening in the presence of legends.
New faves include Harley Moon Kemp (daughter of Spandau's Martin Kemp and Pepsi and Shirlie's Shirlie Holliman) who is a talented singer/songwriter in her own right. I loved her stories about where her lyrics originated - I have no idea why this gorgeous woman is so unlucky in love.
We also loved Mad Dog McCrea who throw themselves enthusiastically into performing a unique mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and ‘shake your ass’ music (their words) and Ferocious Dog, a punk folk band who I'm sorry to report have announced their retirement from the music world. A press preview of the music of Vince Freeman (pictured below-you might remember him from The Voice) moved me so much I made sure to go and see his full set which did not disappoint. He's also on my playlist now.
I loved singing and dancing to the madness which was The Soul Destroyers but my absolute high point was enjoying the antics of Bez (Happy Mondays) who seemed delighted to be there. Not much dancing but he did briefly shake the maracas and shouted "Hereford!" a lot. I loved him! I adore this picture of him singing with my 25 year old with me a crazed gnome in the bottom right of the shot.
Tickets are already on sale for Lakefest 2027 and I would definitely recommend booking up asap. Take your friends, take your family and have some fabulous festival fun.
