Behind the Scenes: RAVE & PLAY
Joel Lowson, Director of Tyne for Business behind the scenes filming Ashleigh King and Holly Iriving (Rave and Play) at Cake Stories, Hoults Yard.
📸 Image credit: Flamingo Heights Podcast Studio
Behind the Scenes: We met Holly from Rave and Play
Joel Lowson, Director of Tyne for Business behind the scenes filming Ashleigh King at Cake Stories, Hoults Yard.
📸 Image credit: Flamingo Heights Podcast Studio
We just wrapped filming with Holly Irving, the founder behind Rave and Play, and left buzzing with the kind of energy only a wholesome, creative, noisy experience can bring you.
Rave and Play started as Holly's brainchild while she was pregnant with her first baby. She missed entertainment and hanging out with her friends.
Holly now has two, and the idea has grown into something bigger: family-friendly events built around mature music, not the cheesy, condescending stuff kids' entertainment can sometimes lean on. Parents get to actually enjoy themselves, and kids get to be part of it too, dancing, playing, and soaking up music they'd never usually hear at a typical family event.
Holly talked us through how it all began with a simple gap she noticed: mum and baby classes that left the parents standing on the sidelines while the kids had all the fun.
She built something where both got to move together, and from there it grew into pop-up parties and now a full festival at West Benridge Farm near Morpeth, running from the 14th to the 17th of August, with an outdoor stage, an indoor barn, and three days of workshops covering everything from drumming and singing to circus and dance.
What stuck with us most was how independent the whole thing is. No sponsorship yet, just ticket sales, a lot of belief, and a community of artists and friends who show up because they care. We also got to hear from Sophie, one of Holly's regulars since the earliest days at the Grove, who summed it up best: a genuinely great family day out where everyone leaves smiling.
The full episode is still in the edit, so consider this your first look. Keep an eye out for the full Tyne for Business Rave and Play episode dropping soon, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss it.
Key Takeaways
Rave and Play began as a gap Holly spotted: family events where parents could enjoy real music too, not just kids' entertainment
What started as pop-up parties has grown into a full festival at West Benridge Farm, running entirely on ticket sales and community support
It's built on a simple idea: families dancing, playing and letting loose together, no judgement required
Tickets for the Rave and Play festival are on sale now, running the 14th to 17th of August 2026 atWest Benridge Farm near Morpeth.
If you've got a family and miss a proper dance, this ones for you!
Buy your tickets here: https://raveandplay.com/
