A Guide to Victorious Festival Portsmouth

One of the highlights of the UK festival season, Victorious Festival brings three days of fun and frolics to the south coast this August. A true family affair, Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival won Best Family Festival at last year’s UK Festival awards thanks to its astonishing array of amusements for old and young alike. Boasting a world-class line-up of the biggest bands and up-and-coming artists, there’s no better way to get your rocks off this summer during a stay at our holiday cottages or B&B accommodation!

From 23 to 25 August, Southsea seafront turns into Party Central as Victorious gets underway. The Quay Quarters crew loves nothing more than a music festival, and we’re truly blessed with such a fabulous line-up again this year. We’ve broken down the line-up for each day so you can plan your festival trip as best as possible. With both individual day tickets and weekend passes on offer, you can easily tailor your festival experience to fit with a stay with us just a 30-minute drive away, between Chichester and Portsmouth.

MUSIC

Friday

The first day of Victorious Festival Portsmouth gets off to a flyer with a main stage performance by UK ska legends The Specials, back this year as part of their long-awaited reunion tour. The Coventry band are true British icons with a trilby hat-load of hits to match, as well as a huge and loyal fanbase. Our top festival tip: make sure to get to the main Common stage nice and early, as this town will be nothing like a Ghost Town when The Specials come on!

Fans of mid-2000s British indie bands are well served with sets by The Zutons and Doves, plus a nostalgic turn from Britpop survivors Dodgy – all on the main stage. Over on the Beats & Swing stage, there will be plenty of acts who are, well, beating and swinging! Dub Pistols bring their trademark mash-up of dub, reggae, ska and drum ‘n’ bass for a musical experience quite unlike anything else. Finally, on the chilled-out People’s Lounge stage, witness some local talent with the Pompey Underground Hip Hop and Grime Show, featuring rap battles and freestyle galore.

Saturday

Saturday is the wildest and best-attended day of Victorious Festival and, as such, there’s an incredible line-up to sink your teeth into (provided you’ve brushed them after one of our hearty breakfasts!) We’re already counting the days for ‘Special Afternoon Guests’ All Saints to take the stage – you’ll Never Ever see a better band live and on Southsea’s Pure Shores, no less! Later in the evening we’ll try to Hold Back the River for James Bay to make an entrance with his winning formula of acoustic-driven pop songs.

Over at the Castle stage – named for Henry VIII’s great fortification just next door – it’s indie o’clock with a double-whammy of two noughties big hitters: London legends Bloc Party and loveable Swedish rogues The Hives. If you prefer a mellower brand of music, Saturday sees the unveiling of the Acoustic stage as well as Mercury Prize winning singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy back at the Castle stage.

Sunday

Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival bows out in style with the biggest name of the entire weekend –New Order. The Manchester legends will be dipping into their vast back-catalogue of hits and deep cuts, leaving you on an end-of-festival high that may result in a Blue Monday the following morning! Earlier in the day, the Common stage will be Jammin‘ with a nostalgic set by Ziggy Marley, son of Bob, who’ll be serving up a thick dollop of the finest reggae.

Kings of the UK pop charts Clean Bandit headline the Castle stage and are sure to attract a court of teenaged fans. Trust us when we say there’s no place we’d Rather Be on Sunday evening than with Grace Chatto and her band! At the Seaside stage, mewanwhile, a full-blown party is guaranteed with dance music legends Basement Jaxx, supported by festival stalwart DJ Yoda. Last, but not least, David Bowie fans can get their fix of the Thin White Duke with the tribute act Rebel Heroes – almost as good as the real thing!

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Victorious Festival isn’t all about music. This year’s line-up features a supporting mix of stand-up comedy, book readings, kids activities arts and crafts, and more. Those planning to stay in one of our child-friendly holiday cottages will be pleased to hear that The Kids Arena styles itself as a festival within a festival, offering a veritable fantasy world of larger-than-life characters and fun adventures for the little ones. We recommend the Peppa Pig Summer Festival to all Peppa peeps, with storytelling sessions and “fun festival crafts” on offer aswell as a chance to meet Peppa and George!

When it comes to food, Victorious has thought of pretty much everything to satisfy both devout foodies and hungry punters. From the delicious-sounding £Teriyaki Shack” serving Japanese comfort food to the classic cream tea sets of “Twisted Tearoom”, you’ll never go hungry (or thirsty) at Victorious

THE PRACTICAL STUFF

One day tickets cost more depending on which day you plan on attending. For adults Friday-only standard entry is £40, rising to £45 on Saturday and Sunday. A full weekend pass, which gets you in for all three days, cost £125 if you eschew the bog-standard tent camping and stay in one of our luxury holiday cottages. for children aged 5 to 12 years old, every day is £8 (£24 for the weekend) and for those aged 4 or under it’s only £1 per day!

As for getting there, Victorious Festival is located in Southsea beside Portsmouth Harbour, only 30 minutes’ drive from Quay Quarters. It’s just a quick hop back home after a long day in the festival mud where you can take a well-earned shower or take a soak in the tub before a comfortable night’s sleep.

Every year we get plenty of festival goers who stay with us for Victorious Festival rather than slum it in a leaky tent. Demand is always high around this time of year, so book now to secure one of our holiday cottages near Hampshire before it’s too late. We look forward to seeing you all happy and glorious!¬