MFF recommends: Family raving at Ministry of Sound

Yes that’s me in Ministry of Sound sipping on an alcholic beverage while my daughter takes in the array of visual and audio stimulants around us. I have loads of memories of Ministry, I had my 19th bday party there (many moons ago lol). It’s also where I first heard Masterstepz drop ‘Melody’ and Memphis Bleek host a Jay-Z concert after party.

So when I heard about Rave a Roo, a family friendly day party at the very same club, there was no way I was going to miss it. On Saturday 18th February my wife, daughter and I headed down to Rave a Roo’s first bday party. We arrived just after the 4.30pm start time and it was pretty surreal walking through the entrance of the historic venue. Instead of being searched like you would expect in a club, we were shown to the push chair parking area and handed a glow stick! As we entered the venue and into the bar area we immediately felt the good vibes with the DJ playing funk and club classics. What’s really great about the event is that there are different areas and activities. The bar area had messy play where the kids play with plasticine and arts and crafts and the ‘baby box’ room features a soft play setup for the smaller babies and toddlers.

Baby raving @ministryofsound with @RaveARoo #StartEmYoung #BabiesGotMoves #MustGetitFromHerDadda pic.twitter.com/owa0Rn98I0
— MFFonline (@MFFonline_) February 18, 2017

The real entertainment though was in the main box room. We entered the room to hear MC Porridge and DJ Cuddles playing some tunes from Nickelodeon with dancers handing out inflatable animals for the kids. The lighting setup, glow sticks, confetti blasts and disco balls added to the atmosphere and helped to make it as close to a real club experience as you can get with children at 5pm in the afternoon! The great thing about the event is that although it is catering for the children, they make sure the adults have a good time too. The highlight of the event for me was when DJ Cuddles dropped the classic Jungle tune ‘Incredible’ by General Levy. This was followed by some singalong songs from artists like Sigma and Rudimental, believe I was skanking out with my wife and 16month old on the dance floor! Lucky for us our daughter loves dancing (we play a lot of music at home) so she embraced the atmosphere and music fully.

Photo credit : Simon Jacobs

It has to be said that the event is not for the faint hearted as Rave a Roo make full use of the club’s sound system, so if you think this is going to be a tame event toned down for the children, think again. Another good feature of the event is the reasonably priced bar with bottles of Prosecco at £15 and near enough pub prices for the other beverages. The event has everything you to feel comfortable with your family. There are baby changing facilities and if you are like us and a bit OCD about cleanliness, there were no complaints about the environment.

Although we had a great time, the only thing I would say could improve the event is for it to be a little bit longer. We enjoyed it so much that 2 hours wasn’t quite long enough and I would have appreciated another 30mins or so of tunes! That being said, the fact that it is only 2 hours long forces you to make the most of it and creates a good party atmosphere for the time you are in there.

If you’re looking for a unique day out with other cool families, I thoroughly recommend heading out to Rave a Roo. The next event at Ministry is on Saturday 4th March and they also have events at other venues throughout the year. You can find out more information and buy tickets on their website.

Written by Elliott Rae

Disclaimer: we received a free entry in exchange for a review but rest assured, all opinions are completely honest and our own 🙂