Latitude Festival

We spent last weekend camping at Henham Park situated near the fashionable seaside town of Southwold, Suffolk. The event was Latitude, organised by  Mean Fiddler, a festival of performing arts ranging from comedy, music and theatre to cabaret and poetry.

The setting itself was beautiful, so quintessentially English. Huge towering chestnut trees dotted around rolling parkland.  At one side of the lake was the bracken-scented wood with two small music stages. Crossing the temporary bridge over the lake you enter the main area with 3 music stage tents and a number of other smaller performing art tents. Further along sat the kiddies area, which was both safe and highly entertaining (for all ages).

The line-up list was long if a little obscure to me. There were a few names I recognised but the lesser-known bands, comedians and cabaret acts were more alluring. My highlights were hearing Rodrigo y Gabriela thrashing it out to a packed crowd in the Uncut tent late on Saturday night and the fabulous Puppini Sisters singing popular contemporary songs in 1940’s, The Andrew Sisters 'boogie woogie' style. Australian comedian Adam Hills had us in stitches while our two girls lay fast asleep on the turf at our feet. And we wouldn't have missed our friends perform the enchanting Norfolk tale of The Peddlar of Swaffham with their beautifully crafted, handmade theatre and puppets to a mass of captivated children.

Along with its relaxed and natural setting,  a diverse line up and a friendly atmosphere, Latitude has a unique quality. Michael Eavis, organiser of Glastonbury was seen over the weekend which will lead to further reports of a future partnership of the two festivals. Glastonbury will entice the younger crowd as Eavis has  requested and Latitude will appeal to families and people wanting a more relaxing and less exhausting festival. I know which one I'd rather go to.