The magical woodland transformed into a family paradise only an hour from Birmingham

There's a beautiful woodland - just one hour from Birmingham - that's being transformed into a paradise for families of all ages. The Just So Festival turns the picturesque grounds of the Rode Hall Estate near Stoke on Trent into a haven for music, costumes, colour and adventure every summer.

Kids can discover all the glades via a hand-drawn map featuring mythical places such as Marauder's Cove, Shangri-La and the Spellbound Forest. Organisers are also promising a 'breathtaking' high wire spectacular and giant puppets bringing to life the gods and demons from south Asian tales.

For those looking for a little mischief, there will even be a family blancmange fight! And, if relaxation is more up your street, there's a woodland spa where parents can indulge in a sauna session followed by an invigorating ice plunge. Read our Just So review here

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Taking place during the summer holidays, the festival will run from August 16 to 18. New for 2024 is an area called ‘The Mind Palace’ where families will find giant puzzles, 'mind-bending' workshops and engineering challenges.

There will also be music, performance and comedy in the Woodland Theatre, dance in the fields, street food vendors, midnight feasts, arts and crafts workshops and headline acts on the Footlights stage from Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet, Kasai Masai, Bonfire Radicals, Dana Gavanski, ICHI and Cut a Shine.

"We are thrilled to unveil our incredible line-up for Just So Festival 2024," said Rowan Cannon, Festival Director. "From world-class music to immersive woodland adventures, we offer families a chance to step out of their everyday routines, and enjoy an unforgettable weekend of mischief, mayhem, and anarchic play!"

And, in a show of solidarity with families facing the challenges of the current cost of living crisis, festival organisers have made the decision to keep ticket prices the same as 2023 to enable as 'many people as possible to provide their family with a weekend adventure beyond their wildest dreams!'

Find out more and order tickets via the Just So Festival website. Listen to our Brummie Mummies podcast here about the Just So Festival here:

How to get to the Just So Festival from Birmingham

The Just So Festival takes place at Rode Hall Estate, Scholar Green, near Stoke on Trent, ST7 3QT. It takes an hour to get there from Birmingham, via the M6, traffic permitting. Alternatively, you can catch a train from Birmingham New Street to Stoke-on-Trent, via Stafford, then hop on another train to Kidsgrove. The festival is three miles from Kidsgrove station.