About SmeeFest

I don't really do the in-between birthdays, but I've always gone large on the big ones. And for some reason, 50 feels like the biggest of the lot. So, naturally, I thought the best way to mark the occasion would be to throw a big old party.

But I wanted this to be about more than just Smee (see what I did there?). So many of my mates have either hit, or are about to hit, the big 5-0, and it felt like a pretty good excuse to bring everyone together and celebrate a few half centuries along the way.

It's a cliché, but life really does move at a frightening speed. Before you know it, years have passed, people have moved on, families have grown and, despite the best intentions, you don't get to see or spend anywhere near as much time with people as you'd like. Such is life, I suppose.

And that's really the inspiration behind SmeeFest. An opportunity to get as many of the people who've been part of my life, in all sorts of different ways and at different times, together in one place for a proper celebration.

It might sound a bit w*nky, but I genuinely feel incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by such amazing, brilliant and occasionally questionable individuals, groups of mates and, of course, family throughout my life. Each of you has played your part in making it what it is, and I'd love nothing more than to have you there to celebrate it.

I cannot wait to get right royally 'on it' in June, make some more memories, probably make a few questionable decisions and celebrate 50 years on this floating piece of rock with so many of my favourite people.

Much love, and I really hope you can make it.