Historical HESFES ticket prices
Compare the family prices in the early Dorset adverts with weekly admission in Suffolk. HESFES bookings closed when the original festival ended.
HESFES bookings are closed. These are historical prices for the original Home Educators’ Summer Festival. If you want to attend a gathering today, the current events directory links to organisers.
From a family ticket to individual prices
| Gathering | Price quoted at the time | What to read alongside it |
|---|---|---|
| Monkton Wylde, 1999 | £30 per family in the December 1998 advert | By April 1999 the advert specified £32 in advance or £40 on arrival |
| Charmouth, 2000 | £65 per family | The February advert invited families with tents, campervans and caravans |
| Mersea Island, 2008 | Adult £65, ages 6–17 £52, ages 5 and under £1 | The online booking page listed a £1 processing charge per item |
| Stonham Barns, 2012 | Adult £78, ages 7–17 £60, ages 3–6 £20, under 3 free | Prices advertised for the week, including camping |
| Stonham Barns, 2014 | Adult £80, ages 7–17 £62, ages 3–6 £20, under 3 free | An electric hook-up was advertised separately at £40 |
An early family price and a later per-person price bought different things. In 2012, for instance, two adults with one child aged eight and one aged five would have been quoted £236 for the week. That example uses only the advertised age bands and covers camping and activities.
What admission covered
At Rougham in 2011 the notice described seven nights’ camping with access to site facilities and workshops. Day and overnight tickets were also available. A camper might still budget for meals or a separate electrical connection where the venue offered one. The original July 2011 ticket page also describes wristbands and a printed programme for each family. A day ticket included the night, with departure by 11am unless the person also held admission for the next day.
For the printed forms and the practical decisions families made, see the booking archive.
Sources and further reading
- HESFES, the original 2011 ticket and gate arrangements Checked 2026-11-08
- HESFES, online booking page, captured July 2008 Checked 2026-11-08
- HESFES, postal booking form, captured April 2012 Checked 2026-11-08
- HESFES, the original 2014 booking information, captured June 2014 Checked 2026-11-08
- Education Otherwise, December 1998 advance advertisement (PDF) Checked 2026-11-08
- Education Otherwise, April 1999 booking advertisement, p. 25 (PDF) Checked 2026-11-08
- Education Otherwise, February 2000 advertisement, p. 43 (PDF) Checked 2026-11-08
- Education Otherwise, March 2011 notice for Rougham Airfield (PDF) Checked 2026-11-08
- eFestivals, HESFES 2012 advance listing Checked 2026-11-08
- eFestivals, HESFES 2014 advance listing Checked 2026-11-08