Alchemy's first day is enjoyed by a small crowd

This is a festival that deserves to survive and prosper. The things it got right, it got absolutely spot on right, the things that were wrong can be ironed out before next year if the organisers can survive the financial hit they must have taken on this inaugural event.

The festival is based on farmland alongside Hall Park Farm, around 6 miles from Market Rasen in North Lincolnshire. Arriving early afternoon on friday, it was an easy location to find and whilst I wouldn't have liked to do the journey by public transport without a prearranged lift from Market Rasen, car access was excellent and well organised. The walk from the car park to the campsite was less than five minutes on an established farm track and, like the rest of the site, completely flat. In other words, a doddle. It was clear from the number of cars and already pitched tents that we were amongst the first to arrive. Campsite provision was adequate with a block of toilets by the entrance - including a disabled loo with baby changing table - and a tanker for fresh water. With better ticket sales next year, the organisers may want to look at increasing this provision next year for those camped further into the field.

The 'arena' area itself was directly opposite the campsite. The layout of the arena was excellent if a little spaced out - bringing things closer together would have created less empty space. But the layout is a minor point, it's the things that were in the layout that made this a brilliant small festival. Alchemy had marketed itself as a family friendly festival and whilst other festivals do the same with little to back the claim up, this more than lived up to its marketing - much more. The circus skills people had an absolute array of stuff for kids to try out for free all day, from poi and diablo at one end of the scale to tightrope walking at the other.

The DIY cabaret they put on every evening, where anyone from the audience could get up and do whatever, was great fun - and all the kids seemed excited at showing off some tightrope walking they'd been working on, a bit of diablo or just a 'cockle over' for the littlest ones. Further down the field there were circus, magic and balloon sculpting shows throughout the day and fire juggling shows when the sun had gone to bed.

The Psychedelic Breakfast Crew down at the bottom of the field had put together a brilliant tent. During the day they had a bring your own music policy and would play anything people brought - and The Benny Hill Theme whenever one particular portly fellow went into the tent it seemed. During the day, there were board and children's games to enjoy over a brew and the tent seemed popular every time I popped in. At night, they had some excellent DJs playing an across the genres mix of dance tunes and the UV lighting and decoration brought the tent to life. And if you wanted a place to just hangout and chill and get your breath back, the tipi they provided, furnished abundantly with cushions, was an ideal place to do it. Alongside all of this were djembe drumming workshops - with free dance lessons thrown in. There were also a multitude of arts and crafts stuff for kids and adults to try their hands at, including painting, making a dream catcher or making a floating hat - and these looked brilliant as people wandered round the site with a hat apparently hovering over their head.

The 'arena' field had no floodlights at night and the rural location made it a very dark place. The artsy/crafty people used this to excellent advantage and lit up the trees around the field with some brilliant laser light shows. There were a couple of sound systems knocking about meaning most music tastes were catered for someplace or other - including a (literally) mobile disco run off a couple of car batteries and including an excellent light show that lit up the grass as a dancefloor and the people dancing on it in a very pleasing way as he dragged it round the site. I hope the organisers keep it this way next year.

By Friday evening, a couple of the organisational problems were becoming apparent. The festival hadn't produced a programme and it was difficult finding out who was playing and when - though this problem was compounded by bands failing to turn up and play their allotted slots. I'm not sure how much of this can be laid at the feet of the organisers. I cant recall a festival where at least one of the acts hasn't turned up and this must make it impossible to produce a line-up.

There was enough music going on around the site for it not to affect things too badly - including an excellent stage in the bar area. The bar had a selection of ale and real ciders alongside standard pub fare, at pub rather than festival prices. This was only the second festival the pub had run a bar at but were extremely friendly and professional - and I guess next year they'll know they need more real cider and more ale to satisfy the thirsty punters. The sad thing about Friday night was the number of punters not on site - though a family friendly festival held outside of school holidays could, perhaps, have expected this.

However, those who were on site created an excellent atmosphere at the mainstage for 3 Daft Monkeys, who played a crowd - pleasing set (even taking requests at one point). This was a festival crowd that took me back fifteen years and were always going to appreciate a 3DM set. There may not have been many of us, but those of us that were there were determined to have a party, and a party we had - from the youngest kids to Grannies and Grandads and all points in between. I love being at festivals where all generations feel welcome and happy, and this was one such festival. After 3DM it was a quick trip back to the campsite for supplies then a dance and chill out with the Psychedelic Breakfast Crew before a trip over to the dance tent for an Ed Tangent set of some storming psytrance - the guy plays all over the northern festival circuit and not only am I yet to see him disappoint, I'm yet to see him not get a tent full of people bouncing.

Whilst the music kept playing into the early hours, it was back to the campsite for me and a chill out round the camp fire with a few beers and some excellent friends - some I already knew well, some Id just met wandering round and chatting - this really was the friendliest festival crowd you could hope for. It didn't involve some food, however, and this is something the festival definitely needs to sort out for next year - the catering, as good as it was when you could get something, was far too sporadic over the weekend. It wasn't enough to spoil a great opening festival night though.

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