We love Spring. It stops us missing Winter.

Natasha Whiting,

At Festival in a Box HQ we’ve packed away winter in a box

After a concoction of gloriously decadent winter parties, electrifying light shows, too much cake and very excellent loud music – we’ve now shut the lid until next time.

The change in season heralds a change in mood here in the office. It’s time to swap winter coats for sunglasses, red wine for white wine (cocktails), roaring fireplaces and sofas for fire bowls and hay bales, candle lit dinner tables for outdoor grazing and twinkly lights that flicker into life at dusk….

We didn’t really go in for the whole New Years Resolutions thing – we think New Year is a funny old night and nothing really feels new enough to warrant a change of heart – but spring! Now there’s a reason for a resolution! So, in the hope of finding new favourites we are going to try a new cocktail every month and we will post the recipe (and the results) of our endeavours here… Please let us know what you think.

Here’s some of what has inspired us, reminded us and generally got us in the springtime mood this month:

Flowers

What would spring be without that eruption from underground? The colour and the expectation it brings with it. Flowers. Lots and lots of gorgeous, bright flowers. Woods hung thick with a haze of bluebells – an exquisite setting for woodland dining, chandelier hung trees and secret bars… We love it all. Flowers in ice cubes, flowers on cars, flowers in vases…

We love flowers and always try to use flowers from the country we are working in and what’s in bloom at that time. We work with nurseries and florists who care passionately about using the right bloom at the right time. No air mile heavy roses for us! Spring rules the floral party season, offering up everything from delicate wedding hues to bold and in-your-face bar decorations for even the most raucous of parties.

Lighting

It’s that wonderful twilight thing – capturing that moment when the spring light turns golden and keeping it going with a perfect balance of warmth even when the sky mutes the colours and the moonlight takes hold.

 Under canvas

It’s getting warmer but it’s not that warm. Evenings cling on to the last rays but the earth lacks the warmth that August brings. Spring is when our glamping options come into their own. Each tent is sumptuously equipped with the perfect party survival kit. Hot water bottles already installed in your many duveted, feather filled bed. Lanterns to light your way and the warmth of the dying embers of the fire bowls keeping the conversation flowing into the early hours of the next day.

The music

Where would we be without all the emerging talent that, like the flowers of spring, emerge from the embers of winter and offer up their exceptional shows. Last season we were unbelievably lucky to book James Bay, Lucius (a personal favourite here at Festival in a Box), Veronica Falls, The Intermission Project, Roddy Woomble, Bare Knuckle Parade, Kelston Cobblers Club… the list goes on and on and on.

Here’s the April cocktail: We hope you enjoy it

Classic Martini – the most classically classic of all cocktails and one to help you through this particularly year end of a month:  Nothing dirty about this one.

It’s a simple one because life is short!
50ml  London Dry Gin
5ml Dry Vermouth
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the gin and Vermouth and shake away the pain of the day.  Stir until really lovely and cold. Strain through a cocktail strainer and drink.

Bliss.

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