This Year the Secret Garden Festival celebrated its tenth birthday and was bigger and louder than ever before! There was such a huge variety of sound stages, bars, random activities and places to hang out, that it took a couple of days just to get your bearings. From listening to famous bands and musicians on the main stage, chilling out on Ibiza style day beds at the Belvedere Bar, joining in political debates in the Revolution Bunker, poetry recitals, swimming in the lake, art and crafts classes and karaoke, to three course dinners at the Soulfire restaurant followed by antics at the S&M club! yes, it is what it says on the tin. Here are some of my favourite events and stages.

One of my favourite stages to hang out was The Dance Off stage. With a 500 person capacity, but spilling out onto the surrounding hills, The Dance-off Stage played dance music from all genres including old school funk, hip hop, house to dub step. The costumes and characters here were the most creative and hilarious!

Is a great venue for blues and jazz – Mr Style Traveller (above) playing drums with 9 piece New Orleans blues band, The Dirty Gentlemen.

Dabble in a spot of life drawing….

We danced under the trees (and the stars) at the Where the Wilds Things Are stage, a great area for folk, indie and solo artists.

Artful Badger
Wild life trek through the woods during the day morphs into tree house bar and club during the night, The Artful Badger venue was as adaptable as it’s name sake!

The annual fire ceremony on Saturday night, where the boat on the lake is burnt down, is a magnificent spectacle of fireworks and pyrotechnics.

Camels at the Closing parade on Sunday night

After three whole days (and nights) of partying I was quite ready to head home to my bed…