Pink, Purple, Blue and Green

Our internet access has just been upgraded from a dongle to full wireless broadband in the press tent. This is very exciting for me as it means I can get photos and stories uploaded on-site much more easily. Thursday was a busy day, with the last of the preparations before the arena opened and the festival started properly in the early evening. The HATs are already a hit, with festival-goers asking all sorts of questions and playing along with the performances. They look amazing in their pink and black, with top hats and a whole variety of bizarre accessories.

One of the most fun things for me so far has been watching the painted sheep arrive. I was there with the film crew to watch them explore their new home for the week and it was really funny seeing them in all their strange, bright colours. They seem perfectly happy with the change from their usual white and black. This afternoon I'll be watching as two Radio 2 presenters have a go at hand painting some sheep in the guest area. It's this sort of thing that makes Latitude so quirky and different, and one of the reasons why I love the festival.

Caroline Bonser

Festival Republic volunteer projects co-ordinator and photographer