Family-friendly festivals: WOMAD 2017

It may be fairly quiet on the Kent festival front this year, but there is no shortage of fantastic family-friendly events just a short drive away.

We'll be picking some of the best over the next few weeks, starting with the four-day global party that is WOMAD.

It takes place at Charlton Park in Wiltshire, just over two hours' drive from Maidstone, from July 27 to 30.

WOMAD has built up a fantastic reputation over the years and is renowned as one of the UK's most family-friendly events.

This year's musical line-up includes psychedelic Swedish tribal punks Goat, Benjamin Zephaniah and his new music project Revolutionary Minds, South African legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Malian powerhouse OumouSangaré.

But if the kids have their way, you may struggle to tear yourself away from some of the family activities.

It’s a world of adventure for kids at WOMAD, with the World of Children providing a cornucopia of fun, creativity and exploration for all ages.

This year’s nature-tastic theme, Earth, Fire, Water and Air provides the backdrop for activities galore for all members of the family.

There are arts and crafts making anything from a giant steam punk sea horse to fiery phoenix fun. Dance workshops, instrument making and playing, circus skills, den building, magical woodland walks, rocking out in your own band, and even tree climbing for the more adventurous mini festival-goers.

This year’s elemental theme is celebrating the power of Earth, Fire, Water and Air, encouraging kids to get arty and let their imaginations run wild as they create fantastic costumes, puppets, masks, flags and more for the famous finale procession around the whole festival site at 6pm on Sunday, where giant suns and shining phoenixes mix with steam punk dancing seahorses, shimmering fish and sparkling sea sprites.

A new addition to WOMAD 2017, Aveling Adventure will bring a whole new activity park to the festival with a climbing wall, boulder hut, Leap of Faith, cargo net climb, Jacob’s ladder and crate stacking challenges – fun, energetic and for all the family, this is perfect for the more adventurous festival-goers, young and old.

There will also be daily children's workshops at the Taste the World stage, ensuring that the whole family are able to expand their culinary horizons.

And there's even a Kentish angle, as this year’s World of Art commission will be with the Venezuelan artist Sol Calero.

Working in partnership with Folkestone Triennial, she’ll be creating new work to be installed at WOMAD and then in Folkstone in September.

Tickets are available at the official website.