When you think of a hen weekend people often think pink cowboy hats, rude shaped objects and other such related stereotypes. However, the original premise of a hen party was based on spending quality time with your best friends. If you focus on this simple principle you open up a whole new world of possibilities for hen party ideas.
Wedding Season: Festival Hen Weekends
For those of you into festivals then why not combine a hen party with one? It might not be something you’d initially consider, however when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. A lot of thought has to go into a hen party in terms of where to go, what to plan in for the daytime and for the evening. This is where a festival hen weekend comes in – everything is already planned out for you so all you need to do is book your tickets and turn up.
A festival has it all; your accommodation, delicious food, great music, a buzzing atmosphere and parties all night! Here are some of Redseven’s top choices;
Wilderness Festival – 10th – 12th August – Oxfordshire
This is the perfect festival for a truly relaxing hen weekend full of delicious food and great music, in gorgeous surroundings.
Highlights;
Spa – One of the unique benefits of this festival is the spa with two outdoor hot tubs and Tipi treatment rooms set right by the river. You’ll need to buy tickets as an extra on top of the festival ticket so it’s worth organising this before you get there so you can guarantee you’ll get one of the time slots.
Banquet – The festival also prides itself on the range of food it offers, so if you’re foodies too then this one’s for you. On the Friday and Saturday evenings of the festival they hold a huge banquet (again, you must get tickets separately) which are each cooked by a famous chef, for example, 2011 saw the likes of Tom Hunt from the popular TV show River Cottage.
Setting – Situated In the stunning Cotswolds, the scenery is some of the most beautiful of all the festivals in the South. With the added advantage of the river and lake setting there’s also the opportunity to take a row boat out or cool off from the sun with a leisurely swim.
Bestival – 6th – 10th September – Isle of White
This festival is for the real party goers of you, as its three days of pure partying surrounded by the natural beauty of the Isle of White.
Highlights;
Party – The party does not stop at this festival so if you want a crazy weekend then this is the one. Every night has all night parties along with great DJs such as DJ Shadow and Rob Da Bank.
Fancy Dress – Everyone loves an opportunity to dress up in fancy dress, especially for a hen party. Thankfully Bestival has a fancy dress theme each year so you’re guaranteed there will be some amazing costumes you and the girls can get involved in. This year for example is wildlife!
Lovebox – 15th – 17th June – Victoria Park, London
This three day non-camping festival is perfect for those of you who like your home comforts.
Highlights;
No Camping – Avoid the camping aspect of a festival if it’s not your thing and stay in a hotel in London. You get to sleep in a proper bed by night and festival it up by day – the best of both worlds! Take a shower in the morning, wash your hair, take your hair straighteners; you can have all the luxuries you want.
Music – Founded by Groove Armada, this festival is all about the music. Originally a dance music festival, it has now expanded to other genres including Indie, Rock and Pop, as well as other artistic performances.
Edinburgh Festival – 3rd – 27th August – Edinburgh
A whole three weeks full of a selection of festivals, most importantly the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival; together they make up the largest cultural festival in the world.
Highlights;
Variety – Comedy, music, art and theatre; there’s an endless choice of shows, events and performances to see. If you want to make sure you get into the most popular shows then remember to book tickets in advance otherwise you may be disappointed.
City Setting – The city of Edinburgh is one of the most stunning cities in the UK to visit, instantly recognisable by the castle which sits atop an extinct volcano. So, if you’re visiting around the festival time make sure you take a wander around the cobbled streets so you can really appreciate everything Edinburgh has to offer.
So there you have it, several top festivals which can be found within the UK for a slightly more alternative hen weekend. However, if you’d rather take the party overseas then Redseven can help, with a further selection of popular destinations in Europe, many of which throw their own festivals each year.
