As some of you, my friends and family know, my family and I are big music and festival fans. Yet we are also a big geeky family. Our eldest daughter was raised more on Discovery channel than Nickelodeon. She was listening to Joy Division more than Britney Spears.
When we moved to England in summer of 2004, the first thing we did was look for a music festival. Alas the major one, Glastonbury, was not to be so we started looking for smaller ones to attend.
Every single year since, we’ve made it a point to go to Glastonbury and one other music festival with our daughter who was then joined by a little sister. These summer festivals are like our family’s yearly retreat. We ‘work hard’ on relaxing our minds with music and the various artistic entertainment yet our bodies are exercised with the tens of thousands of steps a day.
A couple of years ago, we discovered Bluedot by chance on a music site. It was happening in 2 days! Coupled with the interesting music line up, the lower priced entrance fee AND that was it a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) based festival, it didn’t take us long to decide and to snap up the tickets that evening. We set off the next afternoon for Chester.
We had an amazing 3 days filled with wonder and awe. The children learnt about quasars and did robotics and coding. The parents meanwhile, had a grand old time listening and watching various scientists during the day and at night, bands performing and lighting up the stage and the night sky.
Last year was our second year attending Bluedot and we can safely say it’s vying for our ‘favourite festival’ spot with Glastonbury. While Glastonbury is really huge and can be overwhelming for families with small children, Bluedot is the complete opposite.
Bluedot is much smaller, much cleaner and really family oriented. Our 4 children have enjoyed both years we’ve been. Especially for our 2 youngest (8 and 6), Bluedot gives them a chance to discover a fun festival and still feel safe. I love seeing them feel at home at Bluedot like we’ve been going there for ages.
Bluedot to us is quite a unique festival. Where else can you find festivals goers groove to amazing music yet have snaking queues to hear an esteemed scientist, professor and broadcaster like Jim Al Khalili speak?
I am super excited to come back again this year to Bluedot. Do you want to know why? Not only am I officially Bluedot’s Ambassador, (a little happy dance here!) we are super excited to see the headlines! And of course, the kids are excited too as they get to do more science and robotics experiments. For our eldest daughter, it’s also extra special as she’s recently been accepted to study Biological Sciences in Imperial College (of Science, Technology and Medicine). I guess all those years of us geeking out with her has helped tremendously. 🙂
As you can see from the line up, Kraftwerk is going to be present in their 3D glory and New Order will also be the order of the day (pun intended). If you are not so much into music, there are various stages to hook your attention. This year is also the 50th anniversary of the moon landing (1969) and Bluedot, being based at Jodrell Bank Observatory, will be celebrating along.
On the 21 July 1969 humankind began a brand new chapter in the history of science and exploration as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the Moon. The iconic Jodrell Bank in Cheshire played a unique role in tracking the Eagle Lander onto the surface.
HTTPS://DISCOVERTHEBLUEDOT.COM/MOONCELEBRATIONS
To celebrate 50 years to the day, we have announced the first phase of our incredible Moon-themed line-up to mark one of the most momentous feats in the history of human endeavour.
Throughout the weekend Bluedot will relive the Apollo 11 mission in real time with The Moon Landing LIVE using archive audio and video. Festival goers will be able to follow along including all the key moments of entering lunar orbit, the Eagle landing on the Moon and Armstrong’s one small step.
I really would love to have you check out Bluedot Festival if you are a festival virgin and want to be eased in. There will be no tales of ‘smelly toilets’, staggering drunken teens or drugged out souls wandering around. What you will find is a bunch of beautiful souls, many from the STEM line (hmm, I wonder why? ?) clean open spaces and lots of things to learn to bring you forward into an exciting future. We’ve met incredibly friendly and helpful tent neighbours and helpful scientists willing to answer our questions. What about when it comes to music? No smelly pits jostling for space with you right up front! LOL.. how much more incredible can it be right?
So go on then, check out the link below to see what you’ll be missing if you don’t join me!
Click here: www.discoverthebluedot.com/homepage
Excited to drive to Chester from London First evening watching Blue Planet accompanied by an orchestra Our tent against the Jodrell Observatory Perfect Stranger Comedy Happy Ayla on 1st Day of Bluedot Professor O’brian with Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips Happy fans! Rajasthani Band against the Observatory The Goddess Mama with her eldest Our last evening at Bluedot 2018 Inside the Luminarium Til 2019! Can’t wait!
If I still haven’t convinced you yet to consider Bluedot as your important festival to attend in July 2019, maybe seeing the big smiles on our faces will help! Check out my 3 Day vlog below:
P.s If you have any questions about Bluedot, anything at all, I'll be mor than happy to help you.