GETTING CULTURED AT BESTIVAL

Most of Bestival is dedicated to an unrelenting pursuit of music, day and night – but there is also theatre, visual arts, comedy and spoken word to catch if you’re in the right place.

The Amphitheatre boasts an incredibly varied line-up, which this year features London choral outfit London Contemporary Voices, left-field talks and shows from Shitfaced Shakespeare and Morbid Abormal Me and night-time entertainment, as well as poets Scroobius Pip and Kestrell.

Keeping in tune with the acts, what’s lovely at Bestival is that the music stages are also the countries’ prettiest. Head to The Spaceport for laser shows from a giant on-site rocket in-keeping with this year’s Future theme, or dance at Bollywood – an enclosed all-day dancing spot decorated like a beautiful palace.

Music not to miss include past SGP headliners Caravan Palace, jackin’ house maestro Heidi, new electronic pioneers Mura Masa and garage/d’n’b comics Kurupt FM.

Or hide away at The Feast Collective, Bestival’s foodie quarter, where international street food is an energy boost for music watching at the Main Stage nearby.

Or sack it all of and climb to the highest peaks of the festival site and enjoy panoramic views to a cacophony of sounds, including those washing over from the new-for-2016 chill zone where the bandstand used to be.

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GETTING TRASHED AT BESTIVAL

While live bands at the Big Top and on the main stage feature greats (The Cure, Major Laser, and Sean Paul are playing this year) and forays into the purely entertaining (The Chuckle Brothers anyone?!) Bestival is by its DNA a dance festival that kicks until late.

You’ll find high production live DJs playing until around 3.30am (not as late as you’d think) but the scope of the visuals of the sets – and the sheer volume of people – make it feel like a madhouse.

The sets are some of the highest octane in the UK (immersive dancers perform hanging above heads from cranes at The Spaceport Stage) and washes of light reveal magnificent crowds that determined party-goers will battle through for key late-night sets.

If you’re after something more intimate, head to Caravanserai for inventive cocktails in a labyrinthine maze of converted caravans.

It’s a good spot to crowd-dodge late at night, where electro-swing bands play popular hits and their own tracks in the festival’s most immersive and unusual hot spots.

But go for the informal campsite parties post-4am, where security are good to ravers that go on past dawn.

Remember: it’s not all about the music. Don’t miss other madness include alternative circus acts, the world’s largest bouncy castle and a UV underwear party!

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