Want to experience a festival vibe with the kids in tow? This family festival is your perfect weekend getaway

Want a weekend to kick off the summer in style for the whole family? The Kaleidoscope festival in Co. Wicklow is coming this weekend, and it’s perfect for all ages.

Summer has well and truly bloomed in Ireland, and with so many things to see and do, there’s no shortage of opportunities for fun for the next few months. If you’re managing the long summer holidays with the family, the days (and nights) of Longitude and Electric Picnic may be off the cards, but you may still be craving those sunny days of music.

When you’ve got the kids in tow, it can be tough to find the perfect blend of entertainment to suit everyone. But new festival Kaleidoscope, born from the mind of Electric Picnic, brings all the magic of a summer music festival to life for families of every age. That means that the sprogs, the parents and even the teens will be suitably catered for for summer fun — sounds like heaven. And what’s more, the festival kicks off on the very day that schools let out for the holidays — the perfect way to launch into a summer to remember.

Taking place this weekend from June 28 to 30 at the Russborough House and Parklands in Co. Wicklow, Kaleidoscope is Ireland’s first family camping festival, to bring all the amazing vibes of camping to an environment that every age can enjoy. Every element of the festival has been created with the kids in mind, and with events to look forward to such as baby discos, mindfulness and yoga (for the parents as well as the kids), visual art, comedy, and of course, music, there’s something to everyone to enjoy.

If camping is a worry, Kaleidoscope have you covered – you can go the traditional route of pitching a tent in the general area, or, in a festival first, there is an option to head to the Camp by your Car area, where you can pitch up right next to your vehicle for added ease and access to everything you need. This area is now sold out, but in such an inspired idea for family campers, we can imagine that it will be catching on at other festivals soon. Camper vans are also welcome, and if you want to really celebrate, there are luxury options available in the form of Pink Moon camping or Silk Road tents too.

Kaleidoscope has programmes for every age, including the ‘smallies’ (ages four to eight, eight to 12 and 12 to 16), as well as plenty of line-ups for adults too. The children and teen programmes will take place within Russborough’s walled garden and an utterly enchanting fairy fort located on the forest’s edge — perfect for imaginative minds.

And for the parents? Just check out this music line-up for the weekend:

Friday June 28

• Bell X1
• Hermitage Green
• Ryan Sheridan
• Orla Gartland

Saturday June 29

• Imelda May
• Riptide Movement
• Brave Giant
• Kíla

Sunday June 30

• Tom Odell
• Wild Youth
• Delorentos
• Kormac
• Wyvern Lingo

Not convinced yet? We’re sure the water sports; vintage carnival; disco dinners; Avon Lakeside activities; birds and animals and so much more will tickle your fancy.

Fancy a family weekend of a lifetime? Kaleidoscope still has weekend and day tickets available, starting from €17.50 for attendees aged 2-5. Grab the sleeping bags and we’ll meet you at the car.