Innocent Unplugged Festival

This weekend, I found myself walking through a beautiful bluebell wood in Kent to the secret location of the first Innocent Unplugged festival!

The idea behind Innocent Unplugged is that everyone attending would spend a weekend 'off the grid,' away from our phones and our need for constant connection to the rest of the world. This (slightly scary) concept was aimed at forcing all attendees to live in the moment and purely enjoy what was in front of them.

Our weekend started with a twisty car journey around the Kent countryside, trying to find the secret location before pitching our tents in a field. Then, we followed a path laced with fairy lights through the woods before emerging into a beautiful garden where there were a number of tents set up.

We explored, following little paths through the bushes, coming across intriguing signs along the way...

...before discovering the stage where all the different bands would be playing that weekend.

https://open.spotify.com/user/lhinx/playlist/1l1GpCyptPihyhLSGQgNc5 << Link to some of the music at the festival!

There was also a yurt where speakers gave inspiring talks, (such as the Esc the City who talked about their journey to founding their company) people took part in laughing yoga (a truly weird thing to watch) and the Gentleman Rhymer stormed the stage.

In the evening, we could gather around a campfire and listen to (utterly hilarious) storytellers, who animatedly spun tales to the waiting crowd.

One thing I really liked about the Unplugged festival was that all the power for the festival came from the site. There were solar panels dotted around the fields; bikes, a giant hamster wheel and a see-saw hooked up to generators, through which people peddled, ran and saw-ed their way to electricity!

I was lucky enough to win tickets to Innocent Unplugged through Stylist Magazine and so on the Sunday of the festival, we were treated to some rather lovely experiences.

First up was a trip to the woodland spa, where we relaxed in toasty hot tubs while being served glasses of Prosecco. It was bliss floating in the water while the sounds of the forest (and, okay, of the festival too) washed over us.

Next, a woodland banquet. We turned up in a tent to find long tables set out with beautiful vases of flowers distributed at intervals along them. We perched ourselves on a hay bale as the food was laid before us. The idea of a banquet was unique and, frankly, brilliant- it gave us time to unwind, eat good food and meet new people!

Three hours later, the night had drawn in and it was time for us to leave. The music at Innocent Unplugged had been a fantastic mix (with a surprising number of trumpets flying around), the atmosphere wonderfully relaxed and the festival not too busy (there were only a thousand people there over the two days, although it felt like even less!), which had all lead to a truly great festival experience. I really hope they do another again soon!

Mr Punch's Birthday and VE Day Celebrations

On Sunday, a slightly crazy yet very British event took place in Covent Garden. Puppeteers from all over the country gathered in the small church gardens of St Paul's to put on one heck of a show in celebration of over 300 years of Punch and Judy. 

Stalls vied for space amongst the puppet theatres which lined the church’s garden, wall to striped wall, each a different design and promising a show throughout the day.

As the little garden filled with people, a marching band got ready to parade around the surrounding streets, while all the puppeteers (and a couple of Morris Men) flooded behind them, holding puppets aloft as they marched along.

 The fair kicked off once the 12 o’clock puppeteers church service (a rather jolly affair, complete with a sermon from a man on stilts dressed as Punch) came to a close. I settled down on a small patch of grass as the first puppet show started.

I don’t know if you remember from childhood, but the classic stories of bad Mr Punch tends to go pretty much the same way, no matter where you see a show. He’s either throwing the baby down the stairs while Judy isn’t looking, bonking policemen on the head or having his sausages stolen by a rather snappy crocodile, all while the audience cries ‘Oh yes you did!’ at regular intervals in response to Punch’s squeaky denials of any wrong doing. What hadn’t quite registered when I was little though was just how liberal all the puppets were with whacking each other with sticks, frying pans and the like. Despite this senseless violence however, the show had adults and children roaring with laughter!

Throughout the early afternoon, I happily watched show after show. It was fascinating to see the variety of puppets, theatres and story telling styles which brought this classic form of entertainment to life. What became very apparent rather quickly was just how passionate each and every puppeteer was about their show. Groups of them could be seen huddled together (they were easily spottable in their rather eccentric clothing) all around, swapping performance tips and trade secrets.

After a number of shows (and getting my face painted) I thought it was time to move on. I grabbed a quick Snog (of the frozen variety!) and pottered off towards Trafalgar Square.

Here, the 70^th anniversary of VE day celebrations (the celebration of the end of WWII) were still in full swing. A Palace guard band in their bear fur hats and red jackets were playing on a stage in front of the National Gallery while members of the public lounged in stripped deck chairs in the sun. I stopped to listen before heading on down the Mall towards Queenie’s house, Buckingham Palace.

The Mall was lined with billowing British flags, and on the grass, a number of army vehicles were on display including an incredibly fragile looking hurricane plane! More band music could be heard drifting through the air. An official celebratory event had just finished in a marquee and veterans were walking out to claps and cheers from a waiting crowd. Green Park (the park surrounding the palace) was alive with people out celebrating (and also with some rather interesting wildlife).

I finished my day with a catch up with my friend Sarah in the little café next to the boating lake in Hyde Park. We sat overlooking the lake as the sun started to lower in the sky and the ducks fought with pigeons over crusts of bread. There really is something just perfect about London when the weather warms up- the city and its inhabitants simply come alive in the sunshine. All in all, I’d had a fabulously British day. But hey, in the famous words of Mr Punch, ‘That’s the way to do it!’

Bonfire Night and Diwali!

Every year when the leaves start turning golden and the wind starts nipping at your heels, you know it's soon time for Bonfire Night. Scarves are tightly wound, toffee apples are bought and wellies are dug out of the backs of cupboards and dusted off, ready to go stomping through a muddy field to watch sparkling firework displays.

However,  this year my mother and I decided to do something different. We went to a Diwali celebration!

Diwali is the 'Festival of Light' and one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. Traditionally, Diwali is marked by the lighting of small clay lamps, the setting off of firecrackers to keep away evil spirits and celebrating with family and friends. It's also often celebrated by setting off fireworks. Luckily for us, the Diwali celebrations in Leicester are some of the biggest outside of India and so Mum and I set off to watch the firework display and soak up some atmosphere!

The 'Golden Mile' in Leicester was bustling with people all heading down to the display. The street was all lit up with Diwali lights and the Hindu temple was covered in twinkling lights!

We settled ourselves in the park and got ready to watch the fireworks. Before long the first one shot into the air. The whole crowd (around 35,000 people!) all 'ooh-ed' and 'ahhh-ed' as it burst into showering sparks.

The display was wonderful- there were a huge amount of fireworks and the display lasted at least 20mins. Not only that, it was free!

I'd definitely recommend going to Leicester for the Diwali celebrations- it's not something you'll see anywhere else in the UK and it's lovely to get involved with traditions from other cultures. Not only that, since Diwali happens around Bonfire night, you can get a double dose of fireworks!

Happy Diwali Everyone!