Last week, I did a poll on the My Melton Facebook page and Instagram stories as research for this blog post. Turns out, you guys haven’t heard of some of these festivals despite them happening in the borough. Now it’s ok if you are in that camp, I didn’t know about a couple of these festivals until a random social media post popped up in my feed. It’s precisely why I wanted to list these festivals in one blog post so that you can get tickets for the ones that you like the look of.
Disclaimers:
1. The festivals listed are festivals that currently have tickets available at the time of this blog post.
2. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning that I will get a small commission should you buy tickets via the link on this blog/social media accounts. The festivals with these links will have a red title.
3. Please buy your tickets through authorised affiliates/ticket sellers. The spammy sellers are everywhere at the moment and I don’t want you ripped off.
Leicester Comedy Festival
Date: 7-25th February
Location: Mixture of county venue
Ticket price: Varies by performance
Payment plan available: No
Describe it in a word: The very funny one with something for all ages.
Whether you want to see a show in one of the borough’s great village locations or travel to our friendly city neighbour, there is something at the Comedy Festival for your location/age/budget/etc. From children’s gameshows to Fesshole, you will be spoilt for choice and a little bit happier.
Artisan Cheese Fair
Date: 18th and 19th May
Location: The Stockyard
Ticket Price: £5pp for adults aged 16+. Free for accompanied kids aged 15 and under.
Payment plan available: No but you can get discounted tickets on Groupon if you buy them in advance.
Describe it in a sentence: It’s the cheese aisle at the supermarket on steroids.
If you love cheese (and everything that goes with it), this is the festival for you. Enjoy a mixture of talks and tastings with some the UK’s best cheesemakers and conisuors. Once you’ve done there, do some shopping at the many stalls and take home a block or two.
Glastonbudget
Date: 23rd-26th May
Location: Turnpost Farm
Ticket Price:
Payment plan available? Yes. It’s £40pp a month for standard 3 day camping and £48.33pp for standard 4 day camping.
Describe it in a sentence: Some of the biggest tribute artists/bands of the biggest international stars on a random farm by Dogs Trust.
What can I say about Glastonbudget? The UK’s biggest tribute festival is a great festival regardless of whether you’re a festival rookie or an seasoned veteran. Confirmed acts as of this blog post include Fell Out Boy (Fall Out Boy), Absolute Bowie (David Bowie), Flash A Tribute To Queen, T-Rextasy (Marc Bolan, Young Elton (Elton John), Vicky Jackson (P!nk) Guns 2 Roses (Guns & Roses) and Kazabian (Kasabian).
Forbidden Forest
Date: 31st May to the 2nd June
Location: Belvoir Castle
Ticket Price: Awaiting a response from organisers, I will update on the 26th if I don’t here anything prior.
Payment Plan available: Yes
Describe it in a sentence: The ultimate mecca of dance lotated in a woodland setting.
With names including Gorgon City, Sub Focus, Wilkinson and Charlie Sparks, this dance festival promises the best in electronic music. You can expect large staging, silent discos in the evening and one of the most elaborate VIP set ups. Since the festival partners with Boohoo (the one alongside Pretty Little Thing that all the Love Islanders do collections for after finding love) and When Nature Calls, you can not only expect bell tents but a whole loo lounge. Complete with hair styling equipment and beanbags/deck chairs.
At 22,000 people, this is the largest (to my knowledge) festival on this list so bare this in mind if you want vibes with like minded-people/want to avoid people like Covid-19.
Noisily
Date: 11th-14th July
Location: A site in the countryside that’s about 10 minutes away from Grantham. Ticket holders are given the “proper” address.
Ticket price: 225.70 per person when buying a phase 3 ticket (£15.70 of this is a booking fee). Expect tickets to increase by £15-£20pp when phase 3 runs out and the festival starts phase 4.
Payment plan available: Yes. It’s a £20 deposit and then £230 split between the remaining months between now and June (£39 a month if you reserve it during January).
Describe it in a sentence: This is Melton’s biggest creative festival of 2024.
A festival described on the website as one to “dance”, “create”, “learn” and “connect”, Noisily combines underground electronic music with a bohoemian vibe. 2023’s entertainment included an on-site art gallery, circus flow and 3 stages of music. Applications for 2024 Mind Body and Soul practioners has now opened so expect an indepth annoumenmt about 2024’s offerings by spring at the latest.
Burning Woman
Date: 19th-21st July
Location: Belvoir Castle
Ticket price: £250 for adult women staying onsite. £150 for teenage girls aged 11-17 camping on-site.
Payment plan available: Yes. It’s £50 a month per adult ticket, £30 a month per teenager ticket.
Describe it in a sentence: From varied activities to informative talks, this is the ultimate weekend dedicated to modern day sisterhood.
There is alot of discussion of women “being feminine” on social media these day. Burning Woman is the female take on this phrase. Expect a mixture of workshops covering everything from body painting to medidiation. Getting a little bit warm? You’ll also be able to partake in wild swimming throughout the weekend. Whether you want to bring your girls with you or make new friends when you get there, this is a judgement free zone dedicating to celebrating womanhood in all of its forms.
Hosenbury
Date: 6th July
Location: Hose Village Hall
Ticket price:
Payment plan available:
Describe it in a sentence: A day festival that has raised thousands of pounds for the village.
Ideal if you want the festival experience but don’t have much time to take off from work, this local day festival focuses on bringing more music, social interaction and enjoyment to people in and around the village of Hose. Not only are locals encouraged to enjoy the atmosphere but funds raised also goes into the local village. Last year the festival raised over £2000 which went towards outdoor table tennis tables and activities for the local primary school.
PieFest/Spirtfest
Date: 3rd and 4th August
Location: The Stockyard
Ticket price: £5 for adults aged 16+. Kids 15 and under free.
Payment plan available. No.
Describe it in a sentence: If you can chuck it in pastry, you’ll find it here.
Whether you love fruit pies, pork pies or any other filling, PieFest is the festival for you. Firstly, there is variety of independent pie makers, many of whom partake in the British Pie Awards in March. In addition, there are talks on the hour (normally start after 11ish) included in your ticket. Previous topics have included folding a samosa and the history of the Melton Mowbray pork pie. Depending on schedule, you may also be able to take advantage on a workshop/tasting session. Last one, I got to make a pork pie.
Melton Mowbray Folk Festival
Date:
Locations: Various venues across the town centre and Stockyard.
Ticket price: Free entry*
Payment plan available: No for obvious reasons.
Describe it in a sentence: The cosy festival with a mixture of acoustic acts.
I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this festival. Not because of the music genre, but it has a such a fun concept. A variety of live music across the town in venues that are free entry (*apart from those who are ticketed off in the case the festival clashes with PieFest like it did last year). The artists themselves move from location to location meaning one of 3 things happen:
- You visit a venue, love the music and so follow them around all day.
- You visit a venue, don’t like the music so visit another venue to see if you prefer that music.
- You stay in your favourite venue and enjoy the different acts playing throughout the day.
CrownFest
Date: Sunday before bank holiday Monday
Location: The Crown (Melton Mowbray)
Ticket price: Free
Payment plan available: No. For obvious reasons.
Describe it in a sentence: The one that’s in a pub garden (should the British weather allow it).
If you want a festival experience but don’t have the budget to spend hundreds of pounds on a ticket, definately make a note of CrownFest. This free entry festival hosts live music from a mixture of local artists. Hungry, the staff here also fire up the old BBQ to help cushion any beverages you might be drinking. Since this festival takes place at a pub, you won’t have to worry about paying stupid amounts of money for a pint, a gripe that many people have with the “bigger” uk festivals.
East Midlands Food And Drink Festival
Date: 5th and 6th October
Location: The Stockyard
Ticket price: £6 for adults aged 16+. Free for kids under 15.
Payment plan available: No
Describe it in a sentence: It’s a 20th birthday party with a ton of food!
Going for 20 years now (apologises for any of you I make feel REALLY old), this is the biggest festival of it’s kind in the East Midlands. Expect a variety of talks included in your tickets from history lessons to giant Bollywood spectaculars or enjoy some of the incredible street food on offer. FYI, if they have the character candyfloss stall there this year, you’ve gotta get one. Yes, I know it’s just brightly coloured suga but they will look SO GOOD on the socials.
ChocFest
Date: 16th and 17th of November
Location: The Stockyard
Ticket prices: £5 for adults aged 16+ and free for kids aged 15 and under.
Payment plan available: No.
Describe it in a sentence: The one where it’s socialable acceptable to be a chocoholic.
Another fantastic festival in Melton’s foodie line-up, this event is a love letter to all things chocolate. Whether you want to learn about where it comes from via a talk included in your ticket or just want to go wild with the free samples, you will be spoilt for choice. Asking the chocolatiers about their amazing chocolate is highly encouraged and very interesting.
Whatever your age, taste or budget, I think we can all agree that there is a festival for you this year. Feel free to check out as many of them as you want/can and let me know your favourite in the comments section. I’m hoping to do some follow up blogs/Vlogs of the festivals listed, if I’m able to attend them. You can follow all the socials below in order to see said coverage when it happens.
Until next time, this is Kelly signing off.