REVEALED: Your guide to camping at Victorious Festival 2017

The News first revealed last year that Victorious fans would get to stay overnight in tents for the first time for the 2017 summer music bash, which will feature cult ska band Madness.

Now organisers have revealed more information about the location where campers will stay – and what’s in store for those who choose to buy into the full festival experience.

Portsdown Hill Campsite – which bosses say will be ‘family-friendly and relaxed’ – is to be held on fields behind the Peter Ashley Activity Centre, eight miles from the Southsea festival arenas.

A camp-and-ride service will be rolled out for spectators so they can hop on shuttle buses to and from the attraction.

The campsite will be able to hold 7,000 guests and be full of all the facilities needed to enjoy the camping lifestyle, from essentials such as port-a-showers and toilets 
to cooking and barbecue zones.

Plus there will be food stalls and traders offering general store items, lockers, mobile phone charging and non-alcoholic refreshments.

James Ralls, one of the festival organisers, said the camping was part of efforts to ensure more people stay and spend their cash in the city.

He said: ‘People will be able to see some amazing views of the city from up there.

‘Last year, we had people staying away as far as Southampton.

‘They were getting the train in and then leaving again.

‘So from our perspective, it’s better to bring people in, and keep them here so they can spend money in the city, and boost the economy, rather than spend their money in Southampton, where they were staying before.’

Car parking is available at an additional cost close by, so you can pull up and park for the weekend.

It comes after a 61-page independent dossier by Bluegrass Research into the success of 2016 Victorious saw total attendance 
soar to 113,413 over the two days, compared to 99,658 in 2015.

The spectacle also pulled in £8.47m of economic benefits; £5.46m of which came from visitors who splashed the cash on food, drink and merchandise.

New to this year’s Victorious is an opening ‘party-night’ on the Friday, which will feature Madness. Other big-name artists have yet to be unveiled.

For festival tickets and off-site camping passes, go to victoriousfestival.co.uk