Big Fish Little Fish and Camp Bestival had their Travelling Circus event last weekend in Balham – and we went along to join in the fun!

Big Fish Little Fish events are ones we’re familiar with, and Camp Bestival is a festival which looks perfect for all of us. With a flyer like this, you know you’re in for a fun afternoon.

Big Fish Little Fish are in Balham these days, in a much larger venue, The Bedford. On entry you get a glowstick if you’re a young person which kept H happy!

Captain Cookie’s Craft Area is much bigger, with long tables and what felt like endless craft supplies, as well as a colouring in mural. With the theme being a circus one, everyone got to make hats with plenty of pom pom’s, stickers and hats to decorate. To the side were plenty of Happy Monkey smoothies and Bear YoYo snacks, all for free for children. There were free tattoos (temporary of course) nearby as well.

The space was shared with a small bar, snacks (£3 Hot Dogs) as well as a Dressing Up area courtesy of Badaboom, which included a photobooth (we didn’t get a chance to try as it was popular!). Adjacent to that room is the toddlers and baby rooms – loads of space and a bit quieter for younger children.

After crafting her hat, H was ready to dance. We all made our way downstairs, a circular dancefloor with a small stage greeted us, with pretty high barriers around the upstairs edge – safe enough for H to stand up and watch without (me) feeling scared. When downstairs there was plenty of space for dancing – although if you’re like H you’ll probably want to stand on the stage and do your thing.

Music ranged from Basement Jaxx to older music we all clubbed to back when we were younger – to the Prodigy, and so much more, all at child-friendly sound levels.

At intervals the glitter cannon was let off (we were upstairs for one which H enjoyed, though was desperate to get downstairs to, to pick up the glitter), closely followed by a bubble machine!

The best thing I found about the venue was having plenty of space to sit down – something which was occasionally a problem in Brixton – so we could sit back and watch everything, or head downstairs and join in.

Bar prices were reasonable, and snacks were priced fairly.

 

Big Fish Little Fish have t-shirts for sale as well, at £10 which is a good price.

We really enjoyed the Korg Workshop – we were booked in for 4.10pm so right at the end of the day (just as the parachute dancing had started downstairs), so H and her friend M got to try out some Korg Monotron’s and a Kaossilator 2 which were a LOT of fun!

Big Fish Little Fish we know and love going to, Camp Bestival is a new world for us. I was a Reading Festival kind of girl back in my younger days, before festivals became some kind of weird fashion statement and less about the music. I can see us going to Camp Bestival next year as this year’s lineup is perfect for H – a good mixture of everything (especially now she knows people perform music on stage and it’s normal, y’know…) – also, if you head to Big Fish Little Fish today in Hackney you can buy Camp Bestival tickets without booking fees.

Big Fish Little Fish and Camp Bestival’s Travelling Circus visit Hackney this afternoon (Sunday 18th May) – tickets are still available and you’re set for a fun afternoon! Camp Bestival’s Travelling Circus are attending a few events around the country like this – check out their listings page for more information.

We received guestlist places for Big Fish Little Fish, this hasn’t changed our opinion of the event which remains honest, as ever.