As someone who’s not going to Glastonbury this year, I’m feeling somewhat glum at the moment. Not only is the weather for the three-dayer supposed to be glorious, but three friends are off to frolic though Shangri-La and the Healing Fields, so there’s no escaping the Glasto vibes. *Sob.

 
I was therefore heartened a couple of weeks ago to stumble across the line-up for a festival I can go to – the Manchester International Festival. Having only moved to the area last year, I must admit I’d not heard of it before. I was excited to read that MIF is the world’s first festival of new work and special events, which celebrates Manchester’s ‘pivotal role in music, culture, innovation and the arts’. From a PR perspective, it’s a great way to raise Manchester’s profile and showcase what the place has to offer, especially given the mixed media response to the BBC’s move north.

 
The line-up really does seem to have something for everyone, from Damon Albarn’s opera Dr. Dee to Sinead O’Connor, Dave Haslam and Snoop Dogg. With many events being put on free of charge, the festival is certainly a fantastic way to see world-class artists in my own city.

 
Apparently, MIF is aiming to become one of the biggest events on the international calendar over the next few years, with increased opportunities for community participation. I’ve booked tickets for this year (Dr. Dee, if you’re asking) and I’m really looking forward to experiencing the buzz that events like this usually bring to the city centre – not to mention a bit of celeb-spotting!

The IOW Festival notwithstanding, Glastonbury is undoubtedly the springboard for a whole summer of festival fun, kicking off the season in full throttle.

Whilst I love a good dance in a field, festival season is also a good opportunity for a bit of PR spotting.

The presence of the National Trust at last weekend’s 40^th anniversary was by far the best piece of brand alignment at this year’s festival – contradictory enough to get middle England talking; sensitive enough to charm those music lovers.

I read about this particular news story back in February and over the following few months it has proved to be the story that keeps giving – topped off nicely by the lighting of the National Trust owned Glastonbury Tor (for the first time in festival history).

So it’s hats off to the National Trust PR bods for bringing the tranquillity of the countryside to the heart of the festival. Their outing perfectly combined experiential with the perfect photo opportunity – and a heavily boosted Twitter feed along the way. I for one am sold.  Now where’s my twin set?

Our two week holiday in Devon is looming, and we’ve been poring over weather forecasts with growing alarm.

Listening to Radio 4 this morning, any remaining hope of sunny days making sandcastles well and truly evaporated.  My brain was too fuddled from a night calming a wailing child to make sense of the percentages and probabilities that the bloke from the Met Office was spouting.  But the crux was this: the ‘Barbecue summer’ tag had, apparently, been hatched by an over-enthusiastic press office which coined the phrase ‘to help journalists’ headlines’. The term was duly latched onto by the media, to be lapped up by all us grateful staycationers.  It seems that this pithy little prediction was vastly over-simplified and that it over-stated the actual likelihood of us getting some decent weather.  Oh cursed false hope!

So, with growing resignation, I’m swopping the kids’ t-shirts and shorts for fleeces and waterproofs whilst googling ‘things to do in Devon to occupy 3 kids when it’s weeing it down’.   Being a glass half full sort of gal I’m looking for positive angles to all this. So far, I’ve come up with the following: no need to attempt to construct complicated irrigation system for my tomatoes; no need to squeeze in and fork out for leg wax; and, er…….. .

Well, I’m still working on more reasons to revel in the drizzle. Can anyone help?

Cheesecake (homemade by the Jean-Philippe’s own fair hand) was eaten and side-splitting stories were exchanged – all extremely wholesome (for the most part) and brilliant fun. So refreshing was Peppermint’s first picnic that it’s been made into an annual institution. The weather in this country is so unpredictable that if there’s a time to revisit the forgotten lunch hour, it’s definitely when the sun’s shining – your emails will still be there when you get back!