It's a rapid turn-around for the Lulworth Estate festival site in Dorset, with festival-goers attending Camp Bestival having beaten a hasty retreat during Sunday's deluge of rain, the site has now become home to the music and entertainment wonderland of Bestival, taking place this weekend. JOANNA DAVIS previews Dorset's biggest festival.

THE first ever mid-summer Bestival takes place this weekend.

Big names will be taking to the stage for three days of incredible music and good times.

The festival, which began as a 4,000 people knees-up, moved to its new Dorset home from the Isle of Wight last year.

It was previously held in September but was shifted forward to take place four days after family festival Camp Bestival to enable more people to come, festival curator Rob da Bank said.

Former Radio 1 DJ Rob, who also curates Camp Bestival, remembers the early days of Bestival.

He said: "It started with a strong fancy dress angle and Basement Jaxx and Fatboy Slim headlining. We doubled capacity every year and never looked back. It was a lot of fun in the early days as we were a bit more carefree and irresponsible, but it's still a buzz now."

Today, the second day of the festival, will see the opening of the castle stage and the first ever UK performance of Diplo and Mark Ronson’s Silk City.

Silk City are said to be the hottest dancefloor act on the planet right now, and this a chance for festivalgoers to catch a bit of history.

Today there will also be essential performances from Mura Masa, Bicep (DJ set), Sundara Karma, IAMDDB, Django Django, IDLES and lots more. Bass bin pressure comes from the likes of Metalheadz, DF Tram, Mabel, Lotto Boyzz, Not3s, Kojo Funds, and more. And tongue-in-cheek fun comes courtesy of Jodie Harsh & Friends and Sink the Pink presents Ta’Dah.

Tomorrow festival-goers can look forward to another UK festival exclusive headline set, this time from London Grammar. The Notts trio have worked their way up the ranks and deservedly command Saturday’s headline spot.

There will be much more music throughout the day from the legendary Grace Jones, plus First Aid Kit, Thundercat, David Rodigan & The Outlook Orchestra, Stefflon Don and many more.

They will go head to head with Oasis festival featuring Amelie Lens, and more, Ram Jam ups the sound system ante, a Madchester dance icon throws Bez’s Acid House Party and we have a reggae set from the one and only Vic Reeves, among many other marvels throughout the day.

Sunday, the final day of the festival, will be MIA’s only scheduled UK appearance of the summer and it’s got 'momentous' written all over it. It will be followed by a finale featuring a high wire on fire, a huge choir, a virtuoso violinist and a dazzling firework display.

Music throughout Sunday will include Plan B, Chaka Khan, Rudimental (DJ set), Flava D, Dubioza Kolektiv, Gentleman’s Dub Club, and Solardo. There’s Yuletide thrills with East 17’s Christmas Party, and Mike Skinner & Murkage present Tonga, and we have Camelphat, RAM Records, Chali 2na & Krafty Kuts, Gilles Peterson, Jaguar Skills, and many more.

Persuading Kate Bush to do a set at Bestival would be a dream for Rob, but he says he's 'really pleased' with the line-up this year.

"It's kinda easy to book those big radio-friendly acts and imagine it will put bums on seats but actually if you look at the reactions to many festival line-ups, they don't all want the same acts. Aside from headliners, it's crucial we have a fat middle line up and loads and loads of new bands which is our forte. Bestival has always been about everything from Balkan beats to trance, funk to folk, pop and rock."

Bake Off star Mary Berry surprised everyone at Camp Bestival when she appeared on stage during Rick Astley's set as a drummer.

With this in mind, people should stayed tuned for mystery guests at this year's Bestival, Rob says.

A non-musical treat new to this year's Bestival is a Gin Festival.

Rob & Josie’s Gin Festival will feature more than 50 gins, from the craft-distilled to the globally acclaimed. There's even going to be a very special da Bank gin on sale.

This year will see Bestival set a very strong example when it comes to going green - all on site bars will stock recyclable CanO Water instead of plastic bottles.

The move follows Camp Bestival and Bestival's Final Straw campaign - which banned plastic straws from its festivals.

Rob said: "We're very serious about reducing the plastic waste at our festivals, which we know is a problem that needs solving.

"We'd love for all the traders on site to be plastic free right now but we’re also realistic that can’t happen overnight. Our goal is 2021 but we’re going to do as much as we can before that date and bringing in CanO Water is an important step that we’re pleased we can make this year."

Circus freakery, audacious action and curious capers will astonish all weekend with a real life Human Cannonball, Lords of Lightning, the World’s Largest Confetti Cannon, and Dubstep Dodgems. Explore incredible venues like Temple, Stacey’s, Caravanserai, Bollywood, Ambientland and many more, and experience Wellbeing and Healing feelings with Spiinbox Spinning Raves, Slow Motion Therapies, Gong Baths, Hot Tubs and more. And there’s a host of delicious food and drink from Rob & Josie’s Gin Festival to the Feast Collective and beyond.

*Bestival, Lulworth Estate, Dorset, August 2 to 5. See bestival.net for more information.