Unlike the poor Glasto crowd, Latitude 2016 attendees were blessed with brilliant British sunshine for the 2016 edition of the festival. Henham Park in Suffolk was looking its finest for the 11th year of Latitude, a festival which celebrates the best music, comedy, dance, theatre, film, cabaret, science, art and poetry.
We lugged our tents, sleeping bags and provisions to the campsite, enviably passing the charming field of striped boutique tents. Thanks to my convenient pop-up tent, it took a matter of minutes to set up my little temporary home.
It is impossible not to smile walking through the Latitude entrance gates, the cheerful neon pink sheep greet you as you walk over the bridge into a fairground of activities, food stalls and stages and tented arenas.
French band Christine and the Queens performed on the BBC Radio 6 Music Stage on Friday, and was a real highlight for me. She mesmerised the enthusiastic audience with her unique dance routines and catchy pop tunes. Grimes performed a triumphant set on this stage too with her inimitable sound and impressive vocals.
On the main stage headliners included The Maccabees, The National and New Order, who each illustrated the variety and range of their music with long 90 minute sets. The music didn’t cease till 3am and I had great fun dancing along to rave karaoke in the Cabaret tent.
The comedy tent was always busy, despite the great weather, and was jolly and rumbling with laughter. On Saturday I watched Joe Lycett perform a wonderfully risqué set, walking amongst the audience and picking out people to victimise to rapturous applause.
It is difficult to eat badly at Latitude with the huge variety of delicious cuisines dotted around the fields. I was delighted to discover Blixen were setting up a temporary restaurant serving indulgent brunch classics, filling lunch plates, dinner feasts, great coffee and cocktails. I popped over for an exotic juice, strong coffee and stack of waffles with fruit on the Sunday morning. It was as tasty as it looked, and definitely made me forget I was eating at a festival. Good and Proper Tea Co are one of my go-to breakfast cafes in London so I was glad to wake up in the morning with their fragrant brew and a cheesy marmite crumpet.
Other foodie favourites at the festival included rich and creamy ‘Don Macaroni’ from Anna Mae’s truck, and the amazingly inventive Pan-n-Ice ice-creams, which I’m hoping will make an appearance in London soon.
It is rare to find a festival with such a variety of acts and talents, Latitude caters to creative people of all ages and interests, a cultural weekend unlike any other.
More information on Latitude Festival 2016 here.
Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled to Latitude Festival with Abellio Greater Anglia trains, London Liverpool Street to Diss.
Abellio Greater Anglia offers Advanced Fares from just £9 one way. If you travel on the day for that last minute day out, you can still purchase a great value Off-Peak return ticket, and children aged between five and 15 also travel for just £2 (£2 tickets only available to purchase at the station). See www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk for more information.
