The Big Chill festival

Our parents used to call it relaxation. In the post-rave era, of course, it has become chilling, an act in which people invest a lot of effort — not just the organisers of this annual event, but the punters who clothe their children in ballgowns from the fancy-dress stall, then sit them on their shoulders to watch a similarly attired Lily Allen introduce Smile as “that song that might be really annoying you”.

It wasn’t difficult to have a pleasant time over three days. The lake lit up with coloured balls as the sun set; Southern belles from the Lost Vagueness tent wandered the site singing American Gothic versions of Old McDonald; and balloon-sword jousting at the Village Green field presented a humorous diversion.