Despite the cancellation of Glastonbury, we are still hoping our beloved festivals will persevere. However, in the event festivals are once again postponed, we feel it is only safe to prepare for a DIY Glast-home-bury experience. The second part of our ‘Garden Hosting Series’ features how to host your own ‘Festival’. Although this may struggle to compete with Glastonbury, we think you will still have a memory as joyful and precious as attending the real deal! Creating your own Glast-home-bury experience does come at a cost, however we think you will soon forgive yourself once you see the joy it brings...
To create your very own outdoor cinema you will need to combine last week’s DIY Cinema with some new additions…
THE LINE UP -
Every festival has those quirky encouraging activities in-between performances – from breakdancing dance offs, the best hat award, food eating contests to my favourite, sock wrestling. Putting together a real ‘schedule’ or line-up of the day, which includes live or revisited concerts playing in-between, banquet eating, activities and a ‘closing ceremony’ will really help bring the festival together. We suggest hula hooping. 'giant' cardboard noughts and crosses, DIY ribbon dancing and sack racing!
Tip - We recommend even replicating one of your favourite festivals printed schedule.
GET CREATIVE -
It would not be a festival without the glowing guidance of festoon lighting or the copious amounts of colourful bunting! With the addition of festoon lights, bunting, and perhaps even festival flags, your garden will be transformed into a glowing wonderland. A creative flair will also save you some pennies when it comes to decorating on a big scale. With just some cheap hula hoops or embroidery hoops you can create some quirky and lightweight ribbon chandeliers. Using the same reels of ribbon, you can also create a 'ribbon tent' with just some long sticks, pillows, and throws. This 'tent' can also act as the glamping campsite!...
Tip - Using old glass jars with candles inside will also work!
DINING ALFRESCO -
Choose your location of the ‘dining hall’ and get decorating! A festival food tent is something other worldly, so grab some ambient lighting, flowers, bunting, an outdoor stove, hot plate, or warm up the BBQ and set the scene! Although you may want to replicate some festival classics such as breakfast burritos or mac and cheese, cooking is optional and ordering from a local street food restaurant or picking up some ready-made goods will suffice. Using natural decorations such as flowers, wood, feathers, and candle lit jars adds to the outdoor festival aesthetic. The use of an old wheelbarrow or bucket can also assist in keeping those cherished refreshments cool. For a fully immersive experience, we love the idea of including a ‘festival’ style menu along with name place holders.
MOVIE TIME -
In our previous post to this series, we assisted you through creating your own immersive outdoor cinema experience, which will now come to some good use! Grab a projector, speaker, white sheet, pillows, and snacks to create your very own outdoor cinema. A ‘show time' of certain movies can also be included in your schedule.
Tip - Use DIY signage posts throughout the ‘site’ to mark areas, such as ‘Cinema’. You can do this with some wood or cardboard and a lick of paint!
SET THE STAGE -
Although a no live band may be off the cards, you can still include the addition of a ‘stage’. Using some old pallets, or LED tiles, you can create a ‘stage’ area where the kids are free to ‘perform’. Creating a ‘backstage’ area with a prop station including bought or DIY prop creations may also provide some amusement and creativity. An outfit competition springs to mind...
KEEPING TOASTY -
Those who have witnessed the rolling fog during the early hours at festivals will know that even during the height of summer the air can become glacial. Therefore blankets, heaters and firepits will be needed. Place your blankets in a 'help yourself' basket for an authentic festival feel. If you crave the roaring glow of an open fire at festivals, we have a range of firepits which may just do the job. If you opt for an ambient firepit, a quick check of the wind direction and distance from any of the surrounding ‘areas’ goes without saying – We wouldn’t want you to fail the festival safety inspection!...
Tip - Set up a 'smores' station including jars of marshmallows, crackers and chocolate, plus skewers, for a delicous and toasted snack!
PLAY THE ROLE -
So, as festival tradition goes, grab your most colourful outfits, glitter up and throw on anything that lights up – it’s time to take a trip to Glast-home-bury! If you are truly committed to the experience, you can even hold a fancy-dress ceremony at the beginning of the festival. To do this, make sure to pick a theme, set some criteria and choose a time frame to allow for costum making beforehand. Creating a 'glitter' or 'face paint' station may also come in handy for the forgetful...
Tip – You can purchase or create your personalised tickets and wristbands. Create a ticketing and security area at the ‘entrance’ for a real experience of festival delight!
We hope you have all the success with your Glast-home-bury!
Please feel free to send us any pictures of your set ups.
Good luck!
Blog post by Lucy Canoel
