From boutique family festivals to the main event, Glastonbury, millions of Brits love to escape to the countryside to enjoy music, friends, food and good times.
However, even the most committed festivalgoers have to sit it out sometimes. Perhaps soaring ticket prices, family or work commitments mean that you’ll be missing your favourite festival this year. But this doesn’t mean you have to miss out altogether.
If you’re a firm festival fan, you can recreate the fun from the comfort of your own garden. With the added benefit of no toilet queues and your own bed to sleep in once the festivities are over!
If you’re tempted to put on a festival chez-vous, here are some garden décor ideas that will help you create just the right vibe.
Create your perfect playlist
If you’re timing your gardenfest to coincide with a televised one, you could try to move your TV outside and turn up volume up so you can all enjoy the action as it unfolds. You could even send out your scheduled line-up in advance, so guests know what’s on and when.
Alternatively, create a playlist comprising of songs from some of the all-time great festival sets – the Stones, Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse – to play throughout the day.
If you have the space, in true festival style you can even create different ‘stages’. Want a chill-out tent? Go for it! Plus, if any of your friends play an instrument, ask if they’d like to play a few songs on your acoustic stage.
If you’re worried about disturbing your neighbours past a certain time, you could even set up a silent disco. Spotify allows up to 8 people to listen to a playlist together, so you can all dance to the same tunes outdoors while keeping your noise levels down to an ultimate low.
Use the magic of lighting
Lighting can make a huge difference to a festival vibe and anything that reflects the light will help to create a magical ambiance during the day. Hang crystals, suncatchers, mirrors and anything metallic in the bushes and trees to conjure up dancing beams of light throughout your outdoor space.
When the sun goes down, the right lighting can really elevate the mood and keep the party going. String colourful fairy lights along your garage or shed, the exterior of your house and along trees and plants. Dot lanterns to create interest or lead the way to a particular area.
You can create different zones with lighting too. For instance, section off a cosy corner to sit and chat with warm battery-powered tealights or hang twinkling fairy lights in a tipi for kids to drift off in. Finally, no festival is complete without a fire pit to gather around, toast marshmallows on or sit by and listen to someone play guitar.
Whip up a feast
Food is one of the top pleasures of any festival, but focus on dishes you can prepare in advance so you don’t spend your entire day cooking and serving your guests.
Big pots of things are great as your guests can help themselves and add whatever accompaniments they fancy. Why not make a vat of chilli with sides of nachos, cheese, sour cream, guac and salsa; a big veggie curry with rice, naan, raita, pickled carrot and flaked almonds; or try out bibimbap bowls for something healthy and light.
If you’ve got kids coming, a Jacket potato stand is an easy addition. And everyone loves a pick n’ mix-style sweet stall too!
When it comes to drinks, it’s best to have as much as you can outside to save numerous trips back and forth to your fridge, so borrow some large cool boxes and fill them with ice and a mix of drinks for guests to grab their own.
You might feel inspired to create your own festival cocktail or mocktail as well. Just write up a recipe card, line up the ingredients on a table outside and encourage guests to mix their favourite tipple.
Sort the seating
Festivals are tiring work so make sure you have plenty of seating and tables around your garden for your guests to rest their weary legs.
Arrange seating areas throughout your outdoor space to add interest and vary the types of seating, for instance, a picnic blanket with cushions in one area, a few chairs and tables in another and a hammock or deckchairs in another.
Decorate the tables with lanterns, candle holders or dried flowers, or drape patterned cloths over them.
You could also set up a few tables with temporary tattoos, glitter and neon paints for your guests to adorn themselves with. Don’t forget to provide mirrors and wet flannels to erase the inevitable mistakes!
Go wild with décor
A boho vibe is pretty much the order of the day, so anything goes. Bring rugs and throws outside to cover areas of grass or create seating areas. Decorate the backs of chairs with flower chains or with pieces of ribbon that flow in the breeze. Paper lanterns are cheap to pick up and look great hung from trees or inside a tent.
Bunting is a festival must-have, and you can drape it anywhere and everywhere. You can buy cheap bunting from supermarkets and high-street stores or make your own quite easily.
Flags are also a festival staple and make a great activity for children. Simply grab a few old sheets, some fabric pens and let them get creative. You can buy extendable flag poles online or use long sticks instead.
Emphasise the florals
Flowers and plants really make an outside area feel warm and welcoming, so if your garden is currently looking a little bland, you could consider moving your houseplants outside for the day to create some depth and interest.
Small displays of wildflowers in jam jars look gorgeous dotted around on tables or why not use dried flowers heaped in colourful bowls as your main table display.
It wouldn’t really be a festival without a few flower garlands and crowns, so invest in a few garlands for your guests to drape around themselves, or why not organise making flower crowns as a fun festival activity?
Hopefully you are now loaded with plenty of ideas to create the perfect festival vibe in your garden this summer.
Remember to head back to our blog regularly for seasonal inspiration including decor ideas and advice for new build homes.