Friday Review

For many of us, the eighth Off The Tracks Spring Festival was our first UK festival of the summer and the weather on the Friday was scorching hot and promised much for the weekend. With it being a bank holiday there was a lot more traffic on the roads to Derbyshire and the arrival at Donington Park Farmhouse took a little longer than anticipated.

However we were all beaming faces as we pulled into the dusty track in front of the farmhouse passed the market stalls the main entrance to the festival, on past the little caravan and the road barrier and then on into the car park. Despite the heat we opted to walk our gear to the other side of the hedge rather then use the small pick up which is on hand to drive people and their stuff to the campsite.

In glorious hot sunshine we put the tent up in the peaceful site, noticing that despite this being the slightly smaller of the two events held here (the other being the September festival) the campsite looks pretty full, with most people clearly enjoying the opportunity to stay for an extended bank holiday weekend festival and many had brought the kids.

Friday, had no band programme, just the Ockbrook Village French Music and Dance Experience held in the main stage in front of a thronging courtyard and the real ale bar also offering solo acoustic musicians to sit and chill literally compared to the heat outside. There was much dancing, lots of local musicians and a wonderful feel to the start of the festival. It also gave us a chance to look around the book store, check out the wholefood treats and pig out with some huge pork filled rolls with chips.

On such a sultry night, the farmhouse and bars were cooler and many of us retreated there, for a chat with like minded festival people, sampling the selection of real ales available or the usual main bar fare. Beer prices were reasonable although soft drinks were highly priced in such hot weather, we’ll have to remember to take in drinks for kids when we are there in the evenings next year. Although, I should say, drinks during the day from the café were much more reasonably priced.

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