Review of the Bluedot 2019 Festival at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire*

If we were ever going to head to Cheshire’s bluedot festival, 2019 was the year to do it. And so it was that we found ourselves celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Moon Landings beneath the giant Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, near Holmes Chapel.

Bluedot 2019 ran from Thursday July 18 to Sunday July 21. But because my husband Simon and I were bringing our nine-year-old son, we arrived on the Friday, once school was out for the summer.

Our accommodation for the weekend was our own campervan, so we made our way to the live-in vehicles field. Thankfully there was no queue to enter, but due to the rain, the field resembled a mud bath and was tricky to negotiate – especially for the larger vehicles, such as motorhomes.

After parking up, we set up our awning and donned our wellies (essential festival footwear). We had to walk to the other side of the site to get our wristbands activated (more on that later) but once set up, we were ready to explore the bluedot universe.

Fusing music, science and culture, bluedot 2019 had a stellar musical line-up – including Kraftwerk and New Order, no less. But for us the main attraction was its packed programme for young space travellers of the future.

Our son Ewan is mad on science (you have to literally drag him away from hands-on exhibits at museums), so we knew bluedot would be perfect for feeding his hungry imagination.

And we weren’t wrong!

Over the three days he made a rocket and attempted to fire it into orbit. He did ‘astronaut training’, numerous experiments, learnt about infections and graphene, and took a peek inside a Lego rocket.

But one of the highlights was when he had the chance to make his own Shaun the Sheep at a workshop led by Jim Parkyn, an expert model maker for Aardman Animations.

Science and space-themed talks took place throughout the festival, and the ones we caught were hugely fascinating and entertaining. Frank Cottrell-Boyce read from his new book, Runaway Robot, and we learnt how insects navigate in ‘Ants, Bees and Balls of Poo’.

But simply walking around the site proved to be an eye-opener, as we came across festivalgoers in fancy dress costumes that were out of this world. I met Buzz Lightyear – and his girlfriend – and aliens with disco balls for heads!

Another highlight was Titan the Robot, who charmed the spectators and had a rather impressive singing voice. Plus, Ewan came away with a souvenir from the Mousetrap Balloon Show – a balloon bicycle (which I’m afraid didn’t survive the whole weekend).

One of Ewan’s stand-out favourite moments was going inside the Luminarium, which looked a bit like a giant bouncy castle from the outside.

But in actual fact it was something quite different.

We managed to beat the queues by arriving before the Luminarium opened one morning. Once inside we were bathed in radiant colour, which came simply from the daylight shining through the fabric. Ewan wasted no time in lying down and doing snow angels (minus the snow), and when I asked what he loved about the unusual structure, he said it gave him the chance ‘to be crazy in peace’.

We caught some of the music acts (but regretted not buying ear defenders in advance for Ewan, as we couldn’t find any on site). Kraftwerk put on an electrifying 3D show and New Order were outstanding, although we missed the end because Ewan was getting bored – and tired.

Another treat was the Time Machine Disco, where we were able to dance like we were back in the 90s. And I must mention Knightmare Live, a comic take on a classic children’s TV game show, which I remember well.

Although so much of the entertainment was suitable for all ages, there was a bit of fruity language here and there. But in my experience it’s best to simply not to make a fuss when someone utters a naughty word.

The festival made great efforts to be environmentally-friendly. There were top-up points for water bottles around the site and lots of recycling bins. But there were still stalls selling plastic toys (I’m afraid we were guilty of giving in and buying a bubble gun for Ewan!).

Back to the wristbands. This year the festival went fully cashless by introducing BluedotConnect, which meant revellers paid for all their drinks, food etc. with their wristbands. We heard some people weren’t happy with the new system, but it worked fine for us.

For next year’s event, it would be fantastic if the access on and off the site was improved, given the unpredictable British weather. And maybe the organisers could look at the price of some of the food (a portion of chips and cheese cost us about a fiver, for example). But we couldn’t fault the variety of food available, although maybe there could be more choice when it comes to bar drinks.

Regarding security, there didn’t seem to be much checking of wristbands and bags. But special mention must go to Les, who was on security in our campervan field and was both helpful and friendly.

Also, be warned, it didn’t look easy for those with pushchairs etc. to get around because of the mud. Plus, we were kept awake by our neighbours, who continued their own bluedot festivities back at their campervan until past dawn.

But despite some niggles, we had an absolutely cosmic experience and would definitely re-enter the bluedot universe. Ewan was thoroughly entertained – and so were the grown-ups – and we were especially impressed with the relaxed, family-friendly vibe.

Thank you bluedot – you were awesome!

Will bluedot return next year?

Yes, from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 July, 2020. Next year’s event will celebrate five years beneath the Lovell Telescope.

Where does bluedot take place?

At Jodrell Bank Observatory at Lower Withington, just off the A535, between Chelford and Holmes Chapel, in Cheshire. The observatory is in Bomish Lane, and festivalgoers should use the postcode SK11 9DW.

How much does it cost?

Day tickets for bluedot 2019 were £59.75 per person, and full weekend camping tickets were priced from £169. This year’s event offered accessible pricing for families, including discounted tickets for teens aged 11-15 and children aged 6-10, as well as free entry for under 5s. Standard camping was included in the weekend tickets.

How do I book tickets?

Tickets for bluedot 2020 can be reserved now for a deposit. Limited super-early bird tickets are being released on Friday 26 July, 2019, and under-11s go free when booked before 31 August. To find out more, visit: discoverthebluedot.com

Things to note:

• The festival works closely with Attitude is Everything to provide an accessible event site
• The weather conditions can dramatically affect the ground conditions. Consider how to prepare and what equipment you may need to bring.

About bluedot

Bluedot is an award-winning independent festival by From the Fields and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. With a mandate to provide amazing, challenging and entertaining content for all the family, the event fuses a mix of artists, speakers, scientists and performers.

About Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre

The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory is the home of the world-famous Lovell Telescope and operates e-MERLIN, the UK’s national radio astronomy facility linking seven radio telescopes over 217km. The Lovell Telescope, which dominates the site, was the world’s largest telescope when it was completed in 1957. The Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank welcomes around 185,000 visitors each year.

By Colette Warbrook

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*We were provided with free entry passes to bluedot 2019 in return for a review. All opinions are our own.