A three day festival of all things vintage, lifestyle and cycling returns to Bakewell this June!
Now in its third year, Eroica Britannia – fast becoming known as the ‘The Most Handsome Family Festival in the World’ – takes everything from the heart of Great British traditions and dishes it out in spectacular style for families to enjoy with equal measures of quintessentially English curiosities.
Friday 17th – Sunday 19th June, 2016
The pinnacle of The Festival is The Ride, hosted on Sunday, the last day of The Festival.
The exhilarating challenge involves riding a pre-1987 road bike, dressed to the nines in flamboyant fancy dress on a choice of 30, 55 or 100 mile routes across the breath-taking views of The Peak District.
The first Ride of its kind in the UK, 2,000 riders took part in 2014 and 3,500 in 2015 and more than 4,500 are expected to take part this summer attracting adventurers from 50 different countries.
Riders travelling between villages of the Peak can enjoy the ultimate local showcase to replenish and re-fuel at ‘feast-stops’. Villages will put on huge spreads of locally made food and drink and turn their village hearts into a series of mini festivals, with music, singing and dancing along the route.
Festival visitors will have the chance to cheer on stage three riders from the Aviva Women’s Tour before they arrive at the Festival showground on Friday 17th June. They’ll be issuing top tips on the best places to cheer on the riders close by to Festival access points.
Advance online tickets are now on sale!
A 3 day family holiday pass including 3 nights camping, parking and festival access is £120. Day passes start from just £10 per person with kids under 12 going free.
What’s new for Eroica Britannia 2016?
- A giant Swing dance-off will be hosted on the Main Stage on Friday.
- Last Day at the Proms: A huge welcome home party for the 4,000 riders flooding back to the Festival to the cheers of thousands of spectators.
- A new area, The Settlement: A collection of campfires and craft and makers tents designed to celebrate the best of British.
- New Categories for Best in Show: The Great British Cake Off. Looking for the best cake and Best Home Brew dedicated to slow gins. Ciders, beers and home brew vodkas et al!
- More family fun: Our dedicated family area, named Vim and Vigour, a family ride.
- The Great British Beach: (complete with ice-cream vans and deck chairs) and a vintage fairground including a helter-skelter and steam gallopers.
- A new shopping experience: In addition to the magnificent British Bazaar, The Country Living shopping experience brings a further 20 artisans selling high-quality crafts and lifestyle products. Come for the first night of the festival and you will be treated to the spectacular Shopping Preview – and fabulous discounts.
- More parking and even more camping: Making the Festival accessible to all.
Back by popular demand
- Best in Show: the immensely popular vintage dressing up competition will return on Saturday 18th. Savile Row tailor and judge from BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee Patrick Grant will return to judge the fashion categories for Best in Show.
- The British Bazaar: home once again to 250 uniquely splendid vendors, including the World’s Greatest Bike Jumble at The Purchasable Exhibition of Treasures and acres of vintage. In addition, The Best of Britannia and Country Living shopping experience which will include an exclusive shopping preview on Friday 17th for generous opening day discounts.
- GRAZE: the roaming Food and Drink Festival crammed full of local, regional and national award-winning street vendors will fuel riders and festival go-ers alike.
- Hullabaloo: Three-days of electrifying live performances from some of the most exciting names in independent music, hosted on multiple ‘Hullabaloo’ stages.
- The three-day festival builds to a crescendo on Sunday 19th June when riders are welcomed back to the festival with a welcome home party including a RAF Spitfire flyover.
So, whether it’s a trip down Pudding Lane for something sweet, a quick spin on Swing Night, building a sand castle at the Great British Beach or even a refreshing tipple of our own Handsome Ale at the Thornbridge Tavern- there really is something truly British for everyone at Eroica Britannia this Summer.
Little and Loud: A lifestyle blog 