So, you missed out on tickets to your favourite festival; maybe Glastonbury sold out before your Wi-Fi had even warmed up and Green Man is now a distant dream. When even the local folk festival is booked up, what’s left? Quirky Campers has the solution – create your very own festival! Who says you need to queue online for hours or fight your way through crowds to enjoy live music, great food, and unforgettable moments with your mates?

At Quirky Campers, we believe if the big names aren’t calling, it’s time to get creative. Why not host your own festival at home? Just you, your favourite people, and the freedom to do it exactly your way. Whether it’s in your back garden, a borrowed field, or a hired campsite, we’ve seen campervan crews across the UK put on some cracking DIY festivals – and we’re here to help you do the same.

Here’s your full guide to creating your very own mini-festival, campervan-style.

Why Create Your Own Festival?

If you’re already sold on the idea, scroll down for the good stuff. But for those still unsure, let’s lay it out.

Pros of Creating Your Own Mini-Festival

No ticket stress – No need to battle online queues or pay hundreds for the privilege.

Custom musical vibes – Love folk in the morning and dance at night? You make the rules and the playlist.

No portaloos – Bring your own toilet (and shower!) with a campervan, and say goodbye to the dreaded festival loos of doom.

Your people only – Festivals can be incredible but also packed. Here, it’s invite-only, just your crew, your family, your vibes.

Dog-friendly, child-friendly, whatever-you-like-friendly – You set the agenda and make all the rules.

Eco-friendly – Use reusable cups, cook your own food, and limit travel emissions with car shares and group campervan hire.

Cons (just so you’re prepared)

Organisation – It’s not just turn up and go. But we’ve got tips to make it easy.

Weather – This is Britain, after all – but that’s why a van or marquee is your best friend.

How To Organise A Mini Festival – Top Tips and Tricks! 

Who’s Coming Along?

Think about who you’d like to invite, whether that’s just a handful of close mates or a bigger bash with extended family and friends. Having a rough number in mind will help when it comes to choosing a location and sorting things like food and facilities.

When and Where?

Pick a few possible dates and locations, but be ready to be flexible. British weather can be unpredictable, and availability for sites or campervans might vary, especially around bank holidays or summer weekends. Having a couple of backup plans is always a good idea.

What’s the Budget?

Be honest with yourself about what you’re happy to spend. Is this a treat you’re covering yourself, or are you planning to chip in as a group? You could ask everyone to contribute a small amount to cover essentials like food, loo hire, or decorations – or even create fun ‘tickets’ for your mini fest to help split the costs in a light-hearted way.

Choose Your Festival Name! 

One of the most fun parts of your festival organising is that you get to pick a name! Whether it’s Dave-Fest, Camp Besties, The Great Family Fest, or whatever your vibe is, pick a name to suit!

Start with the Basics

Location, Location, Location

You don’t need acres of land or a full team of sound engineers. Here are a few places you can transform into a festival wonderland:

Your garden – If you’ve got the space, it’s free, it’s familiar, and you’re always near the kettle. Add fairy lights, a speaker setup, a mini bar, and some picnic rugs, and you’re already halfway there.

A friend’s field – Know someone with land? Ask to borrow it for a weekend. It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of open space and a gazebo or two.

Campsites – Many campsites across the UK will let you book out a field or section for group hire. These are great because they often have water, loos, and waste disposal already sorted. Plus you can park up all the campervans in one place and really get into the festival spirit.

Woodland clearings or off-grid sites – For the more adventurous, some off-grid campsites or eco-retreats offer hire of secluded spaces. Great for a more rustic vibe (just check permissions and access).

Wild With Consent Sites – Legal wild camping where you can a small group can gather and share the mini-home festival vibes.

When choosing your spot, think about:

• Accessibility – Can people get there easily? Is there parking?
  
• Facilities – Will you need to bring toilets, or are there some on-site?
  
• Noise – Are there neighbours or animals that might not love a midnight drum circle?
  

Bring the Stage to You

No festival is complete without a bit of music. But you don’t need a line-up of signed acts to get people dancing.

DIY Entertainment Ideas

Open mic night – Invite mates and family to bring instruments or spoken word. Acoustic guitars, ukuleles, drums, or even a violin – there’s always someone with a hidden talent.

Custom band challenge – Split into groups and create a ‘band’ each. Give everyone 30 minutes to come up with a song. Perform them around the campfire. Guaranteed laughs.

Silent disco – Hire or borrow silent disco headphones and create playlists for a proper late-night dance-off without waking the neighbours.

Projector Screen – Hook up a projector screen and play videos of your all-time favourite festival performances to relive the live music experience from the comfort of your own homemade festival! 

Fuel the Fun – Food and Drink Ideas

Food makes or breaks a festival. And you’ve got complete control here. You could do the classic bring-your-own approach, or go all-in on stalls and shared meals.

DIY Festival Food Options

Pizza night – Got an Ooni Pizza oven? Bring it along for wood-fired pizzas on the spot. Set up a make-your-own station and let everyone top their own.

Food stalls – Set up little zones for different food types: one person brings curry, someone else does wraps, another does breakfast burritos.

BBQs and fire pits – Nothing beats burgers and halloumi grilled outdoors. Just make sure fire safety is top of the list.

Campervan kitchens – If you’re hiring a Quirky Camper, they all come with full cooking set-ups. Great for boiling a brew or cooking bacon baps for brekkie.

Drinks

BYOB bars – Set up a table as a ‘festival bar’. Everyone adds their drinks to the stash, and take turns bartending.

Gin & tonic tent – If you’re feeling fancy, have a separate gin tent with garnishes and mixers.

Mocktail stand – Not drinking? Create some colourful mocktails with fruit juices, herbs, and soda water.

Don’t forget cool boxes, plenty of ice, and reusables to cut down waste.

Festival Setup – The Little Details

Tents vs Campervans

We’re obviously big fans of campervans, and for a DIY festival, they’re game changers.

Why Hire Campervans for Your Mini Festival?

1. Comfy sleep – Proper beds, no air mattresses deflating at 3am.

2. Power & fridges – Keep your food chilled and your phone charged.

3. Toilets and showers – Some vans come with loo and shower facilities, which is brilliant for longer weekends.

4. Cosy spaces – If it rains (again, Britain), campervans are warm, dry sanctuaries. No soggy tents here.

5. Group bookings = fun & affordable – Many of our customers book 2–4 vans as a group. Share the cost, share the fun, and set up a mini-campervan village.

Decorations

• Bunting, solar fairy lights, painted signs – easy ways to transform a space.
  
• Handmade wristbands for guests.
  
• Chalkboards for the “line-up” of events.
  
• Blankets and beanbags for lounging.
  
• A covered chill-out area with rugs and low tables.
  

Mini-Festival Activities

To keep everyone entertained, scatter a few fun extras through your festival. You don’t need to spend loads – it’s more about the vibe.

Face painting station – Adults and kids alike love a glittery design.

Craft Corner – Bracelet-making, tie-dye, or even badge design.

Scavenger hunt – Perfect if you’ve got kids (or big kids).

Outdoor games – Think giant connect four, giant Jenga, swingball, or a makeshift football pitch.

Yoga or meditation session – A gentle start to the day in a sunny field.

Fancy dress theme – Choose a day or night to go all out. Think glitter, feathers, retro vibes.

Practical Considerations (A Few Grown-Up Bits)

• Toilets – Compost loos, portaloos, or campervan toilets – plan ahead.
  
• Water – Bring containers or check if your site has a water point.
  
• Waste – Have a recycling and rubbish system. Don’t leave any trace.
  
• Noise – Be respectful if there are neighbours or wildlife nearby.
  
• Licences – If you’re using public land or serving alcohol, check if you need a temporary events notice.
  
• First aid – Always have a kit on hand.
  

What’s the Best Time of Year for a DIY Festival?

Summer’s the obvious choice for the best chance of sunshine, but spring and early autumn can be beautiful – especially if you’ve got campervans to keep everyone warm and dry.

Bank holiday weekends are brilliant for giving everyone a bit of extra time to relax, but they also book up fast for van hire, so get in early.

Why Quirky Campers are Festival Experts…

At Quirky Campers, we’re not just campervan fanatics – we’re full-on festival veterans. When not helping people find their dream vans for weekend adventures and wild road trips, we run our very own festival, Camp Quirky.

What started as a small gathering of a few hundred mates with a love of campervans grew into a buzzing, full-blown event with thousands of people. Over 3,000 happy campers, hundreds of beautiful vans, multiple stages, food stalls, workshops, kids’ zones, and the kind of late-night dancing that only happens when you’re fully in the festival spirit.

We’ve lived the DIY fest dream – from dodging the rain while setting up gazebos to navigating sound systems, pizza ovens, loos, lighting rigs and, of course, a whole field full of campervans. So when we say creating your own mini festival is one of the most fun, rewarding things you can do with your favourite people… we mean it.

You don’t need a huge budget or a festival-sized field to make it happen. With a bit of imagination, some good planning, and a campervan or two, you can pull off something truly special.

So whether you’re dreaming of an intimate garden get-together or something a bit more ambitious, we’ve got the vans, the know-how, and the experience to help you bring it to life.

Your Festival, Your Way

You can go all out with a full weekend of programming or keep it chilled with a barbecue, a playlist, and a few fire pits. The beauty of a DIY festival is that it’s yours to shape. Want a full weekend of acoustic music, yoga, and wood-fired pizza? Go for it. Prefer a big Friday night followed by a lazy Saturday of hammock lounging and countryside walks? That’s fine too.

At Quirky Campers, we’ve helped countless customers bring their dream weekends to life. Whether it’s a micro-wedding, a mates’ reunion, or just a much-needed break from the world – nothing beats the magic of doing it your way.

Top Tips for Making a Mini Festival

Whether you’re hosting in your back garden, a rented field, or a secluded campsite, these top tips will help turn your gathering into an unforgettable festival experience.

1. Get Comfy with Hay Bales

Hay bales are a festival classic – perfect for informal seating, campfire circles or even makeshift tables. Check with local farms, where they often go for £3–£5 each. Lay down some colourful throws or blankets to make them extra cosy.

2. Set the Mood with Creative Lighting

Lighting isn’t just practical – it’s a vibe. String up solar fairy lights in trees or around tents, add some festoon lights over the dining area, and hire UV or strobe lighting for when the sun goes down. Lanterns, LED balloons, and battery-powered tea lights are great for pathways and chill zones.

3. Make It Official with Wristbands

Personalised wristbands add a brilliant touch and make your festival feel like the real deal. Use different colours to separate adults and kids or as tokens for food and drink if you’re running stalls.

4. Sort Out Tickets the Easy Way

If you’re collecting contributions, make life simple with an online ticketing site like Eventbrite or Ticket Tailor. You can share your event page, track who’s coming, and avoid chasing cash on the day.

5. Create a Chill-Out Zone

Even the most energetic festival-goers need downtime. Set up a chill-out tent or shaded corner with rugs, beanbags, hammocks, deck chairs and cushions. Add herbal teas, iced drinks, board games, or a craft station. It’s also a great space for kids to play or nap.

6. Add a DIY Glitter & Face Paint Bar

No festival is complete without a bit of sparkle. Set up a self-serve glitter station with face paints, biodegradable glitter, and mirrors. It’s cheap, fun, and always a hit with both kids and grown-ups.

7. Build a Stage (or Fake One!)

You don’t need scaffolding and rigging – a couple of wooden pallets, a rug, and a backdrop of bunting or fabric will do nicely. Even a “stage corner” inside a marquee or under a gazebo gives your performers somewhere to shine.

8. Run a Fancy Dress Theme or Costume Parade

Add some theatrical flair by choosing a theme – woodland creatures, 70s disco, glitter rave, space explorers… the wackier the better. Host a mini catwalk or prize for the most creative outfit.

9. Plan Some Low-Key Activities

It’s not all about the music. Fill the daytime with relaxed activities:

• Morning yoga or stretch session
  
• Tie-dye workshop or bracelet making
  
• Nature walk or scavenger hunt
  
• Storytelling circle or acoustic sing-along
  
• Campfire cook-off or bake-off challenge
  

10. Include Outdoor Games

Keep energy levels high with a few big outdoor games. Think:

• Tug of war
  
• Rounders or five-a-side football
  
• Giant Jenga or Connect Four
  
• Sack races or egg-and-spoon
  

11. Bring in a Cinema Tent

If you’ve got access to a projector or even a large tablet and some blankets, turn part of the site into a mini cinema tent. Show a film after sunset, perfect for winding down with popcorn and blankets.

12. Add Personal Touches

This is your festival – so make it feel personal. Why not add

• A big welcome sign with your festival name (custom banners are cheap to print!)
  
• Hand-drawn line-up boards with times for music, food, and games
  
• A memory wall or photo board where guests can peg up polaroid photos or messages
  
• Custom T-shirts or tote bags as keepsakes
  

Whether you go full-scale with lighting and live bands or keep it stripped-back with a fire pit and some fairy lights, your mini festival is all about celebrating in your own way, with your favourite people.

And remember – with a few Quirky Campers parked up, you’ve got the ultimate festival accommodation sorted: warm beds, working kitchens and even toilets and showers if you need them.

Your festival, your rules. Let the good times roll.

Ready to Hit the Road?

Our vans are ready when you are. With campervans available all across the UK, group bookings, pet-friendly options, and off-grid beauties, there’s something for every kind of mini festival.

Skip the ticket scramble. Leave the crowds. Make your own stage. Light your own fire. Dance in your own field. Let’s make your very own festival weekend one to remember.

Hire Campervans for Your Own Mini Festival and Get Planning Today!