FestivalsMusic

The Magic Loungeabout Review

The Magic Loungeabout
Broughton Hall, Yorkshire
27th – 29th July 2012

www.themagicloungeabout.net

Reviewed by Charlotte Forster

The Magic Loungeabout is a relatively small festival with a lovely chilled, relaxed and friendly vibe, set in the beautiful grounds of Broughton Hall in the Yorkshire countryside. In its third year, the festival is very well organised, with welcoming and friendly staff. First impressions count, yet entering the festival – which can be a torturous affair at many festivals – was refreshingly quick with no long queues and smiles all round.

It's clear that a lot of thought has gone into organising the camping areas, with something available for everyone. The large family field has plenty of space for large tents, BBQ's and wide open space for kids to play. The Party field is especially for like-minded souls to continue partying all night long. The View camping area is ideally placed and aptly named, with a stunning view of the main arena which looked especially good at night. The festival even has a V.I.P style camping area, complete with a range of readymade luxurious tents, flushing toilets, hot showers and a dedicated concierge team.

Once you've pitched up your tent and have made your way to the main arena – via the picturesque Broughton Hall grounds, which has been decorated by the Loungeabout team – you will find plenty on offer to keep you entertained. Unlike some larger festivals, the vibe here is family friendly, with many unique stalls and activities organised especially for children.

The discerning festival-goer will find a lot to do while waiting for the music to start; with a spa (yes, a relaxing spa at a festival), a fringe style arts and music tent, and an excellent array of bars and food stalls. The fodder on offer at the Loungeabout is excellent, with a varied choice, and even the chance to try something you might not have had before (crocodile, anyone?). With such an intimate setting you might expect the line up to suffer but this was certainly not the case. Huge names like Chic, Inner City and The Charlatans drew the larger crowds in the evenings, against a twilight backdrop of magical light projections on the Hall itself, contributing to the unique relaxed party atmosphere.

The cleanliness across the site was impeccable, which is no small feat especially where toilets are concerned. This was maintained throughout the weekend – which is important – so there was no build-up of litter and the toilets were still usable on the Sunday evening… other festivals can take note.

The Magic Loungeabout revels in its location and is rightly proud of its Yorkshire roots. On the weekend that the Olympics were opening in London, the Loungeabout was hosting its own Yorkshire Olympics, featuring hotly contested events such as Gravy Wrestling, Yorkshire Pudding Eating Contest, Human Curling, Slippery Tug Of War, and a personal favourite – a Yorkshire Tea making contest.

The organisers have obviously put a lot of thought and effort into delivering a unique experience that will appeal to every taste, with attention to detail and small touches that you will not find elsewhere (I now know that bales of hay make excellent seats… pink portaloos are for girls, blue for boys…). The vision of a unique festival was perfectly executed, and it would be no surprise to see The Magic Loungeabout to grow into a mainstay in the music festival calendar.

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