Our Bank Holiday BBQ - the etiquette of last minute alfresco dining

An unexpected sunny Bank Holiday Weekend has seen many of us Brits hosting a last minute, impromptu barbecue or picnic, making the most of the late summer alfresco dining opportunity. We were no exception. We decided to dust off the barbecue and gather the family to enjoy vegan burgers, sweetcorn, chips and dips and salads in the sunshine. A lovely way to spend the day with good food and good company before the kids go back to school next week.

Sainsbury's have been looking into the nation's attitudes to alfresco dining and have asked 2000 people about their outdoor dining habits. The results found that 90% of those asked consider themselves to be good guests at friends' and family barbecues. 45% would never muscle in on the barbecue cooking uninvited, 35% will top up drinks for other guests and 32% consider dressing up as a top attribute for attending a summer event. However, 60% of those asked said that they enjoyed the relaxed attitude that comes with picnicking and barbecues, suggesting that fun wins out over formality and we are happy to throw out the etiquette rule book. We definitely enjoy kicking back and having fun with our food!

There are of course some annoyances associated with eating outdoors. Worrying about the unpredictable British Weather (78%), not having enough seating (69%), not knowing how many people to cater for (63%) and the fear of animals or seagulls stealing the food (60%) are among the top peeves when it comes to hosting a BBQ. Although for us it was the wasps, which were our biggest annoyance, sending the kids running for safety several times with the black and yellow buzzers chasing after them! A definite downside of being outdoors.

The other concern that seems to affect us when dining alfresco is how to fit all the guests, the bowls and plates of food and the condiments around the table. Sainsbury's have coined the term "Table Squish" to describe the act of squeezing everything in, likening it to a game of Tetris. We definitely filled our space to full capacity and ended up using foldable chairs alongside our garden furniture to fit us all in. But it all adds to the fun of the occasion. For me, laughter, family and delicious vegan food are the perfect ingredients for a successful family barbecue. With some help from Sainsbury's who stock a great range of food for hosting the perfect vegan barbecue (including their meat free frozen burgers and brilliant vegan cheese range, which are absolute must-haves) we definitely enjoyed a relaxed, informal lunch out of doors.

You can find out more about Sainsbury's at www.sainsburys.co.uk.

Our Day Out at the Geronimo Festival 2017

Arley Hall is the beautiful setting for this year's Geronimo Festival. The festival is running across this bank holiday weekend, and we visited today and had an absolutely amazing time. I'd go as far to say that this is the best Geronimo Festival yet! Freddy had a day filled with some incredible experiences and activities where he learned new skills, tested his nerve and had a huge amount of fun.

Animal encounters form a big part of the Geronimites' day. Little ones can meet exotic reptiles with Ranger Rob and learn about them in a hands on wildlife experience. Freddy and Kezia held a huge black and white lizard, which was stunningly beautiful. The Parrotman is there with a collection of colourful birds while The Feathery Folk have a selection of beautiful birds of prey for children to learn about. The Giant Tortoises are just wonderful and we loved petting them in their enclosure. Freddy rode on Geronimo the Donkey! We also saw some shows in the arena with horses and there were sheep for little ones to meet. Add to this the performing T-Rex, Bear's Big Bear Hunt and a host of weird and wonderful animal models and puppets, and kids are in for a wild time!

Arley Hall is in a gorgeous estate, surrounded by trees and fields giving the festival the most perfect venue. The colourful tents and decorations across the festival ground make Geronimo a wonderland for families, where there is so much to see, do and explore. There is a main stage where stars of CBeebies and other kid friendly acts perform. There are two circuses and also a main arena where you can watch knights on horseback, a stunt show and BMX riders. There is also a theatre zone where you can take in a show or you can go and listen to some magical storytelling.

If you prefer getting hands on there are plenty of craft activities to do, a funky junk workshop or a Play Doh area. There is music and dancing and lessons where you can have a go at playing a musical instrument. However your family likes to have fun, Geronimo has something to keep you happily entertained.

Freddy's favourite activities are the high adrenaline ones. He learned some trapeze skills, did archery, threw axes and fired a crossbow. He scaled a climbing wall, went caving in an interactive, replica caving trailer, had a go on the Ace inflatable obstacle course and zipped down the Skyfall zipwire. Freddy also learned how to fence and did some pretty impressive parkour over obstacles.  His favourite thing was The Air Bag, which saw him jumping from a high platform and landing on an inflatable crash mat. He was like a proper little stuntman!

There is absolutely loads of fun things to do at Geronimo. We missed so much that we are going back tomorrow to do the rest. Freddy really had a great time today, and speaking to other mums and also to my sister who came with her two little ones, the general consensus is that this year's Geronimo is a really fantastic family day out. With so many things included in the entry price, it's really good value. (The funfair costs extra, but with everything going on, Freddy didn't even have the time to ask to ride the carousel!)

There is still two days of Geronimo to go. Find out more at http://www.geronimofest.com.

A Lovely Day at Geronimo Festival at Tatton Park

Today we visited Tatton Park to attend the Geronimo Festival. The sun was shining and it was the perfect day for a family festival!

There was so much to see and do and we were impressed with how well the event was managed from the car park attendants to the litter pickers. The festival was very well attended and quite busy in parts. All the activity zones had plenty of things to entertain the children. Some things had huge queues - like the helter-skelter, the My Little Pony bus, the zip wire and the carousel - but we were able to walk straight into other attractions. The main stage and the central arena had a programme of shows running all day. So wherever you were, there was always something to do. 

Highlights of Freddy's day included learning circus skills including the trapeze. His gymnastics classes are certainly paying off, as he was able to do some quite technical moves. The donkey riding was something he was keen to do and he got to ride on Geronimo, the biggest donkey, which made him very happy. The Bear Gryll's Assault Course was brilliant. Freddy was able to take on all the obstacles and complete the course that ran through the woods. The craft tents were amazing! Freddy made a wooden spoon puppet, a decorated rubber duck and a beautiful flower crown made from real flowers. He also had his face painted and his hair sprayed with green stars. Freddy learned how to play some tunes on the harp and also learned some of the basics of fencing, both of which he thoroughly enjoyed. 

We managed to catch some of the shows and displays. We saw Andy Day rap about dinosaurs and Justin Fletcher dancing and singing. There was an impressive display of stunt cycles doing some great tricks, a motorbike display team, circus performers and a wonderful display of falconry from horseback that we enjoyed watching. There was also lots of entertainers wandering or riding around the festival adding to the fun. The life size giraffe puppet was fabulous!

On the way back to our car, Freddy said he had had a wonderful day and that he had loved everything. I think that says it all. He learned so many new skills and enjoyed a range of activities both physical and artistic. This is everything I want from a family festival - Geronimo really delivered this year.

Tomorrow is the second day of the festival, I hope everyone who goes enjoys it as much as we did. Tickets for Bank Holiday Monday are still available. Find out more at:
 http://www.geronimofest.com/tatton-park-tickets

Geronimo Festival 23 - 25th May

If you are looking for something to do with the kids over this bank holiday weekend, then check out the Geronimo Festival in Tatton Park, Cheshire on the 23/ 24 and 25th of May.

With six fun zones: Groovy Zone, Geronostage, The 3ft and Under Zone, Funky Junk Zone, Adrenaline Zone and the Circus Zone, there is loads for kids up to the age of 13 to see and do.

Celebrities such as Mr Bloom, Alex Winters, Katy Ashworth and Cook and Line from Swashbuckle will be there along with a host of other performers.  Activities include building models with the Legoland Discovery Centre, meeting creatures in the SeaLife touch pool, tree climbing, den building, storytelling, BMX shows, a petting zoo, crafting, dancing and circus skills. All activities, performances and workshops are included in the price of the ticket. 

The event is focused on quality family time, imaginative play and bringing families together to play, learn and have fun together.

Find out more at: www.geronimofest.com.

Family Bank Holiday Days Out Infographic

With two May bank holiday weekends ahead, it is the perfect excuse to organise a family day out.  Fingers crossed for a bit of sunny weather!

In the below infographic you'll find a variety of suggestions for great days out, along with some great money saving offers to help stretch the budget. It also reveals the results of a survey that was carried out in which 70 parenting bloggers (including me) were asked about their family habits for days out.

Image source: MoneySupermarket Travel Insurance