Welcome to the Noughties Renaissance
The 2000s weren't just a decade—they were a cultural explosion that gave us iPods, flip phones, low-rise jeans, garage music dominating the charts, emo defining a generation, indie becoming mainstream, and pop reaching dizzying heights of creativity. Now, Back to the 2000s at Butlins Big Weekender brings that incredible era roaring back to life, creating the ultimate celebration for anyone who lived through the noughties or discovered its brilliance later.
Whether you spent your 2000s in indie club nights, garage raves, emo mosh pits, or singing every word of pop bangers while getting ready for nights out, Back to the 2000s is the weekend you've been waiting for. It's time to dig out those Von Dutch trucker hats, straighten your hair to within an inch of its life, and prepare for the party of the year.
Why Back to the 2000s Big Weekenders Are Unmissable
Back to the 2000s has rapidly become one of the most popular Big Weekender events, and it's easy to see why. The 2000s are recent enough that attendees are still in their prime partying years, but distant enough to trigger serious nostalgia. Plus, the music was absolutely incredible across every genre imaginable.
The Ultimate Noughties Party
Butlins transforms their entire resorts into 2000s wonderlands for these special weekends, with thousands of guests arriving ready to relive the decade of Razr phones, MSN Messenger, and the best nights out of their lives. From Friday afternoon check-in to Monday morning checkout, you're immersed in non-stop entertainment across multiple venues, surrounded by fellow noughties enthusiasts who know every word to "Mr Brightside" and aren't afraid to prove it.
The Big Weekender format delivers everything on-site: accommodation, entertainment, food, and venues all within the resort. Dance until 4 AM, stumble back to your room without worrying about taxis, wake up, and do it all again. It's the ultimate stress-free nostalgia experience designed for adults who want to party like they're 21 again (without the hangovers lasting quite as long—hopefully).
Chart-Topping Artists Live
Back to the 2000s brings the actual artists who dominated the decade to Butlins stages. We're talking chart-toppers, festival headliners, and the voices of your formative years performing the songs that defined the era. Past events have featured everyone from garage legends to indie heroes, pop icons to rock bands that soundtracked your teenage years.
Multiple stages run simultaneously throughout the weekend, each dedicated to different 2000s genres. Whether you're into early noughties garage and R&B, mid-2000s indie and rock, or late 2000s electro-pop and dubstep, there's always a stage playing your soundtrack at full volume.
Planning Your Back to the 2000s Weekend
Choosing Your Butlins Resort
Back to the 2000s events happen at all three Butlins resorts: Minehead, Bognor Regis, and Skegness. Each offers the same incredible entertainment lineup with slight variations in atmosphere and facilities.
Minehead sits on the stunning Somerset coast with modern facilities and that holiday resort village feel. Bognor Regis offers convenient access from London and the South, with beautiful coastal views and excellent venue spaces. Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast provides traditional British seaside charm with thoroughly modern entertainment facilities.
All three resorts feature multiple performance venues, numerous bars and clubs, restaurants and food outlets, plus accommodation options ranging from basic rooms to premium apartments and luxury chalets. The entertainment is identical—choose based on location convenience and accommodation preferences.
Booking Strategy
Back to the 2000s weekends typically run multiple times throughout the year, scheduled across spring, summer, and autumn months. Tickets and accommodation packages are released months in advance and frequently sell out, especially for peak summer dates.
Book early to secure the best accommodation options and take advantage of early bird pricing. Follow Back to the 2000s and Butlins social media channels for announcements about new dates and booking windows. These events are hugely popular with the millennial crowd, so hesitation means disappointment.
Accommodation Options Explained
Butlins provides accommodation to suit every budget and group size:
Standard Rooms offer the essentials—comfortable beds, bathroom facilities, and storage. Perfect if you plan to spend minimal time in your room and maximum time at the venues.
Silver Rooms provide upgraded space and amenities, better for couples or those wanting a bit more comfort between dance sessions.
Gold Apartments deliver apartment-style accommodation with separate bedrooms, living spaces, and kitchenettes—ideal for groups of friends sharing or those wanting more space to spread out.
Premium Accommodation includes the finest chalets and apartments with luxury amenities like hot tubs, sea views, and superior furnishings for those wanting to treat themselves.
Choose based on your priorities: if you're there purely for the music and won't see your room much, standard works perfectly. If recovery space and comfort matter, upgrade accordingly.
What to Wear: Noughties Fashion Guide
The 2000s offered spectacularly diverse (and sometimes questionable) fashion, giving you endless outfit options for the weekend. Embrace it all—this is your chance to wear things that seemed cool then, feel ridiculous now, but are absolutely perfect for Back to the 2000s.
Early 2000s Vibes (2000-2003)
Channel the millennium era with low-rise jeans (yes, really), crop tops, velour tracksuits (Juicy Couture if you can find them), bandanas as tops, cargo pants, and platform flip-flops. Accessories include butterfly clips, tinted sunglasses, Von Dutch trucker hats, and chunky highlight streaks in your hair.
For guys: baggy jeans, oversized sports jerseys, baseball caps, and shell-toe Adidas were everywhere. Frosted tips were a genuine hairstyle choice people made.
Mid-2000s Scene (2004-2006)
The emo and indie explosion defined mid-noughties style. Think skinny jeans (the tighter, the better), band t-shirts, studded belts, Converse or Vans, hoodies, and striped arm warmers. Hair should be side-swept, straightened, or teased into that distinctive emo fringe. Heavy eyeliner is non-negotiable regardless of gender.
Indie kids rocked skinny jeans with vintage band tees, leather jackets, and desert boots or Converse. Both crowds loved checkered Vans slip-ons.
Late 2000s Style (2007-2009)
Shutter shades, neon colors, leggings as pants, oversized sunglasses, gladiator sandals, and the rise of electro-pop fashion. Think Lady Gaga's early aesthetic, the beginning of festival fashion, and skinny jeans reaching their tightest moment.
Guys embraced the "indie sleaze" look: skinny jeans, American Apparel hoodies, thick-rimmed glasses, and that deliberately messy hair that took ages to style.
Genre-Specific Looks
For Garage Fans: Burberry caps, tracksuits, Nike Air Max or TN trainers, Berghaus jackets, and that distinctly British garage scene aesthetic.
For Pop Lovers: Full commitment to the pop princess look—sparkly everything, denim on denim, crop tops, mini skirts, and enough body glitter to be visible from space.
For Rock/Alternative Crowd: Band merchandise, distressed denim, leather, Converse, and that studied "I don't care about fashion" look that actually required considerable effort.
Practical Packing Tips
Beyond fashion, pack smart:
- Multiple outfit changes - Different vibes for different events
- Comfortable shoes - You'll dance for hours across multiple days
- Straighteners or styling tools - 2000s hair was HIGH MAINTENANCE
- Phone charger and power bank - Document everything for the 'gram
- Basic toiletries and pain relief - For those morning recoveries
- Light jacket or hoodie - Coastal weather and air-conditioned venues
- Fancy dress options - Some events have specific themes
The Back to the 2000s Weekend Experience
Friday: Getting Started
Most guests arrive Friday afternoon and evening. Check-in, get settled in your accommodation, and start spotting the growing crowds arriving in their 2000s finest. Evening entertainment kicks off with DJ sets and warm-up performances, easing everyone into weekend mode.
Friday serves as reunion central—meeting friends you're attending with, connecting with people you've chatted with online, and realizing you're surrounded by thousands of people who also know every word to "Seven Nation Army." Multiple bars and venues mean you can explore, find your preferred atmosphere, and start planning your weekend strategy.
Saturday: The Main Event
Saturday delivers the biggest lineup, with headline acts performing across multiple stages from afternoon through to the early hours of Sunday morning. The schedule is absolutely packed with back-to-back performances, so planning helps maximize your experience without missing must-see acts.
Daytime Programming features DJ sets, tribute bands, and early evening performances. This is pacing territory—you want to experience everything, but you also want to remain standing until 3 AM when your favorite act plays.
Evening and Night bring the major headliners and peak energy. Main stages host the biggest names while specialist venues run genre-specific events—dedicated garage stages, indie rooms, pop parties, emo nights, and more. The diversity means you're never stuck watching something you don't love—just move to another venue.
The multi-venue setup is crucial: if the main stage doesn't excite you in a particular slot, somewhere else on the resort is playing exactly what you want to hear. Explore freely, follow your ears, and let spontaneity guide you.
Sunday: Marathon Mode
Just when you think your body can't take another dance session, Sunday delivers another full day of entertainment. Morning and afternoon sessions cater to those with stamina (or better recovery), while evening programming keeps the party alive for the truly committed.
Sunday has special energy—everyone knows the weekend is ending, creating that beautiful mix of exhaustion and determination to extract every possible moment of joy from the experience. Some of the best sets happen Sunday night when the crowds are smaller but more dedicated.
Monday: The Comedown
Monday morning brings checkout and reluctant returns to reality. You'll leave exhausted, probably hoarse from singing, definitely with destroyed feet, and absolutely already planning your return to the next Back to the 2000s event.
Navigating the Resort
Understanding the Venue Layout
Butlins resorts feature numerous entertainment spaces during Back to the 2000s. The main Centre Stage or Skyline Pavilion hosts headline acts and biggest crowds. Mid-sized venues like Reds offer excellent performances in more intimate settings. Smaller bars and clubs provide genre-specific nights and continuous DJ sets.
Collect your weekend schedule upon arrival and highlight your essential acts. But also leave flexibility for spontaneity—some of the best memories come from wandering into random venues and discovering incredible sets you hadn't planned to see.
Food and Drink Options
Multiple food outlets span the resort, from quick grab-and-go options to sit-down restaurants. During Back to the 2000s, expect queues during peak times, so plan accordingly or eat at off-peak hours.
Many attendees stock their accommodation with snacks and drinks, enabling quick energy boosts without missing performances. Resort bars serve everything from craft beers to elaborate cocktails to soft drinks. Pro tip: alternate alcoholic beverages with water to maintain stamina across the three-day marathon.
Meeting People and Building Community
One magical aspect of Back to the 2000s is the instant community. Everyone shares this love for the noughties, creating immediately welcoming vibes. Don't hesitate to chat with fellow attendees—you'll meet people from across the UK and beyond, united by nostalgia for the decade.
Pre-event group chats form on social media, with attendees connecting to coordinate meetups, share excitement, and plan group activities. Join the conversation online before arriving to enhance your weekend experience.
The Music: What to Expect
Genre Diversity
The 2000s offered extraordinary musical variety, and Back to the 2000s reflects that beautifully. Expect everything from:
UK Garage and Grime: Early noughties garage anthems that defined British clubs, plus the emergence of grime as a genuine force in UK music.
Indie and Alternative Rock: The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, and the bands that made indie mainstream.
Emo and Pop Punk: My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Paramore, and the soundtrack to a generation's teenage angst.
Pop Perfection: Beyoncé, Britney, Christina Aguilera, Kylie, Girls Aloud, and the artists who dominated charts and radio.
R&B and Hip-Hop: The golden era of R&B with Usher, Nelly, 50 Cent, and the artists who soundtracked every house party.
Dance and Electro: The rise of electro-pop, dubstep's emergence, and festival anthems that closed the decade.
Universal Sing-Along Moments
Certain songs transcend genre and unite entire crowds. When "Mr Brightside," "Sex on Fire," "Since U Been Gone," or "Yeah!" drops, thousands of voices join in perfect unity. These moments create goosebumps and remind you exactly why you came. Don't hold back—everyone's doing it, and it's glorious.
Beyond the Music
Themed Activities and Events
Back to the 2000s weekends include activities beyond performances. Noughties quiz nights testing your pop culture knowledge, fancy dress competitions celebrating iconic 2000s looks, retro gaming areas with PlayStation 2 and Xbox setups, and photo opportunities capturing the decade's aesthetic.
Some events feature themed silent discos where you choose between different 2000s genres, karaoke sessions where you can murder your favorite noughties anthems, and meet-and-greets with artists.
The Fairground and Resort Facilities
Butlins resorts include traditional fairground areas with rides and attractions. Taking breaks from music to ride roller coasters or play arcade games adds to the carefree, nostalgic weekend vibe. The resorts also feature swimming pools (some indoor), though most attendees forget these exist.
Daytime Recovery Options
Each resort sits on or near the coast, offering beach access and seaside walks for those rare moments when you need fresh air and natural light. Sunday afternoon beach walks are particularly popular for clearing heads before the final evening's entertainment.
Tips for First-Timers
Pace Yourself Strategically
It's a three-day marathon, not a Friday night sprint. Going too hard on Friday means suffering through Saturday's best acts. Pace your drinking, take strategic breaks, and remember—there's always another incredible set starting soon.
Footwear Is Critical
Your fashion might demand specific shoes, but your feet will stage a rebellion if you ignore comfort. You'll walk miles between venues and dance for cumulative hours. Choose footwear that can handle the abuse, or bring backup comfortable options for daytime.
Plan Loosely, Flow Freely
Having a rough schedule ensures you catch must-see acts, but the best moments often come from spontaneity. If you hear an amazing set drifting from an unexpected venue, follow it. Some of the weekend's highlights will be acts you didn't know you needed to see.
Embrace the Cringe
The 2000s featured some spectacularly questionable fashion, music, and cultural moments. That's entirely the point. Embrace it all without irony or cynicism, and you'll have infinitely more fun. Everyone's there to celebrate, not judge.
Balance Documentation and Experience
Take photos and videos to remember the weekend, but don't live the entire event through your phone screen. Sometimes the best moments happen when you're fully present, dancing without worrying about content creation.
Why Back to the 2000s Keeps Growing
The success of Back to the 2000s isn't just nostalgia—it's about recapturing feelings from a specific moment in time. For many attendees, the 2000s represented their teens and twenties, those formative years when everything felt intense and possible. The music triggers powerful memories of first relationships, best friendships, and nights that felt infinite.
The 2000s also represent the last moment before smartphones and social media fundamentally changed how we experience entertainment and community. A Back to the 2000s weekend offers permission to disconnect from 2025's pressures, reunite with friends (and yourself), and lose yourself in music that shaped who you are.
The all-inclusive Butlins format removes all logistical stress. No worrying about transport, accommodation logistics, or finding after-parties. Everything happens within one resort, creating a temporary community where everyone shares the same mission: celebrate the noughties and have the absolute time of their lives.
Ready to Go Back to the 2000s?
Whether you spent your 2000s in indie clubs, garage raves, emo nights, or pop parties, Back to the 2000s Big Weekender at Butlins offers an unmatched experience. It's three days of non-stop entertainment, thousands of like-minded people who also think "Gold Digger" is a masterpiece, legendary performances from artists who defined the decade, and memories that'll sustain you until the next event (which you'll definitely book before leaving).
The noughties are calling. Dig out those skinny jeans, charge up those straighteners, and prepare for the weekend of the year. Back to the 2000s isn't just an event—it's a celebration, a reunion, and a reminder of exactly how good the music was when you were young and everything was possible.
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