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Newbury Summerfest - The BIG Family Day
We went today, 2 adults, 2 young children. We bought tickets in the super early bird offer ages back after a Facebook ad. I can’t imagine what it might have cost some people to get tickets. I thought a family friendly festival with monster trucks would be ideal. I was not expecting so many things to need additional payment apart from food and stalls. Maybe this was naive of me. We arrive, very easy to park and the children see the collection of bouncy castles and it’s a big queue and £5 for 10 minutes inside a fenced area. Disappointing, as meant to be a family day out I’ve paid to attend and I now have to pay for all things again. We watched the monster trucks drive around people (who have paid for rides) and it was great to see the big trucks as not seem them in person before, but we couldn’t get a look at the actual show slot at 3.30pm too busy, to get the kids to get anywhere to see. I couldn’t see as a pretty tall adult. We did go on the little free land train. Loved the bubble performer. It needed more festival type entertainment like this as it makes a great vibe. There were some great circus people, but it was tucked down the opposite side. We missed the Parkour as couldn’t find it, as spent as so much time queuing to do anything and spending. I’ve never taken the kids to a “festival” and my oldest loved it, as he bought loads of donuts and a giant ball to mess about with. He went on the bungee trampolines ( which we paid for) could have done that at a fair. My wallet was hurting a little, but it’s good to try new things. I think some nicer FREE rides, like a some Carousels, some things kids can do like giant connect 4 or just a little keep class with the general look. Fairs are great, but I hadn’t expected to need to pay for lots of fair rides here and was a bit tacky. There was also a stunt show, motorbikes, we’ve seen them before at a community event and they are good, some pyrotechnics. I’d paid something like £3 per person last year to go to that, similar thing with a fair in comparison. I think this too similar to monster trucks, so maybe a trick show like dance, parkour as a bigger thing would have been nice as an alternative. Music and shows noise all competing, kids not at sit still age, but seemed good for tribute acts and lots of organised people with seats. Also a bit fumey, more from a strong smelling generator as part of the fair giving us a dose of fuel smell when in another queue. Would I go again? Not sure, the idea is good, maybe change the name to drop the family day out and just say the family and seemingly dogs welcome.