The Kraken by Designs in Air
Designs in Air are a pioneering inflatable design company who create original inflatable sculptures and spectacular installations that have been featured around the world.
Our Kraken is a nod to our High Seas theme, whilst hopefully creating a renewed sense of awe for the special creatures we share our high seas with.
A note from one of our founders Ben..
It was 20 years ago today, well last week actually, that I put on my first ever show as a promoter.I grew up in a village in the Eden Valley of Cumbria with a population of 600 people. It was a bold plan to fill a venue in the local truck stop with two unknown bands from the other side of the county, 20 people showed up, a month later 120 people showed up, the month after that 10 people showed up. This summer, a lot of you are coming to the Eden Valley for a gig and I often wonder how on earth this all started.
It often feels like Kendal Calling has always existed, for anyone under 18 attending it always has, but there was a time that a festival in Cumbria was a mere pipe dream, a drunken conversation met with a wall of ‘that’ll never work round here’ from onlookers. The truth is that I would never have put on a gig if it was not for meeting Andy Halsey of the local charity Music Links one day while at work in a bank in Kendal. Lost in the corporate office world after dropping out of an art degree, I enquired about what he did for a living while running him ‘through security’ and seeing his job involved music. Twenty minutes of chatting later with a big queue of annoyed bank customers behind him, he’d explained how he was running a scheme to help wannabe Cumbrian promoters. I then explained how I’d always thought about putting on gigs as there were so many great local bands but nowhere for them to play, oh and all the local nights out had dreadful DJ’s, who finished every night with Bryan Adams’ “Summer of 69” when we’d have rather heard Primal Scream or Beastie Boys!
A week later I travelled to a meeting organised by Music Links and Generator (the North East music development agency) and I met a young guy called Andy Smith who was starting out as a promoter in Kendal. We got to know each other and through the support of Generator along with a youthful abandon for risk taking, we eventually worked together to put on a show at the Brewery Arts Center in Kendal. It was a full room and we needed a bigger one – the only issue is, we couldn’t find one so we thought.. what if we put up a tent… the rest you know.
This year we’re turning our attention back to the roots of the festival and have partnered with Cumbrian music development agency Soundwaves, BBC Introducing, local promoter Oh My Days and we welcome Generator back to Cumbria to host the new Roots stage.
Three days of carefully curated music by local people on-the-ground, ensuring the cream of the crop get their foot on the festival ladder. Catering to all corners of the Kendal audience with varying genres across the weekend, we’re certain everyone can discover something new in the fields this year.
With just three weeks to go, here are your maps for Kendal Calling 2024!
Few new things to note, including new venues The Stagger Inn, The Town Hall, Lost At Sea and our new emerging talent stage Roots, which we will have more information including the line up, next week!
After huge praise for them last year, we are pleased to say we’ve added more female urinals. We have worked with our supplier to create new units and we will have these situated at both Parklands and between Tim Peaks and Calling Out, only a short walk from the Main Stage through the snicket at the north of the field.
We have moved the wristband exchange location for Deer Lodge, Great Plains and Tangerine Fields to reduce the walking distance from car to camp. The check in desk has also moved to a more central location for all Deer Lodge and Tangerine Fields campers – where our reception team will be able to direct you to your abode for the weekend. You’ll also find the Deer Lodge bar, pizzas and a breakfast bar with fresh hot coffee by the check in area! The showers are located by the entrance closest to the arena.
For those of you staying in the Live-in Vehicle field, you will now need to collect your wristbands from the wristband exchange point once you have parked up within the Live-in Vehicle field. This is to limit any delays upon arrival.
You’ll be able to collect your Silent Disco headsets from the Silent Disco King stall by the entrance to the Woodlands. We have expanded our Silent Disco for 2024 – with new locations marked on the map with purple headphones. The usual Woodlands party is still the place to be but you’ll be able to tune into even more DJs after dark located around the festival. In Lost Eden, you’ll also have access to a very special third channel of accompanying music to listen to as you walk through the arts trail. To book your headphones, please click here.
Posh Privy is now located next door to The Green Room. The Green Room will now take a slightly larger footprint with more covered seating alongside all the newly announced facilities!
Please note, those staying in the campsite with accessible facilities, you will receive a separate map noting additional facilities as part of the info pack that is released in the week prior to the festival.
Kendal Calling has the privilege of taking place amongst the wonderful scenery of The Lakes each year, blending the magic of the festival experience with the serenity of the Lake District’s rolling hills and woodlands. As well as stunning views, our festival holds a thriving ecosystem with diverse wildlife thanks to the conservation efforts of the Lowther Estate, who lend us the Deer Park each year for our long weekend in the fields.
The pairing of Kendal Calling and Lowther seemed destined, as we both share a commitment to foster community spirit and a commitment to sustainability. Among its many conservation efforts one initiative stands out for its importance in sustaining biodiversity: beekeeping.
You probably didn’t know that colonies of bees get to call Kendal Calling their home all year round. Bees are crucial pollinators, playing a key role in the reproduction of greenery and plant life you see beautifully scattered throguhtout the site.
For many years, Jim Lowther has had a passion for bees – and in 2015, he began to farm them himself, making the project a family one while also benefiting the land. Bees are now an integral part of the estate plan, alongside the extensive planting of new trees and creation of new grasslands meaning the Lowther honeybees can enjoy a more varied diet. All this makes for a comfortable home and pleasant place for a grand total of 500 hives and counting to pollinate across 130 acres of the estate.
The efforts put into beekeeping at the Lowther Estate yield rewards in more ways than one, as Jim has been selling his incredibly delicious (if we do say so ourselves!) honey. Not only does Jim harvest and bottle the honey himself but he also makes the hive in his workshop at his Lakeland farmhouse.
A queen-breeding programme has also been underway since 2020, ensuring the future of the lovely lake district bee’s and their hives.
If you have the opportunity to visit Lowther Estate or are attending Kendal Calling this year, take a moment to appreciate the lovely contributions of our buzzing inhabitants. While they are kept far away from festivalgoers during our big weekend, you will certainly see the benefits of keeping our furry little friends everywhere you look!
Jim Lowther’s Honey is on sale here
Unbelievably, it’s April already and we are almost down to less than a hundred days before we return to Lowther for our next adventure! Our heads are already in the fields but even so, whilst we put the finishing touches on this years festivities we’re already hard at work having conversations about next year – our 20th birthday party (where did the years go?!)
It’s incredible how early the planning starts for each iteration of Kendal – it feels like it gets earlier and earlier each year – but as artists begin to plan their campaigns, we must throw our hat in the ring to bring them out to the Lakes. Earlier this week, we asked you all to contribute your ideas on our suggestions page and so we’ve took the top artists and put them into a poll for you all to vote on – if you have a minute, please hit the button below and help us mold the next adventure!
From top to bottom we’re always looking to make each year better than the last and as the music world is so competitive these days, this information is incredibly helpful in making sure we continue to bring you the best weekend possible.
Back to this year and we’ve had plenty to announce over the last few weeks – including some great new artists for the bill! Lucy Spraggan in the woods, Benjamin Francis Leftwich returning after over a decade, Bilk, Future Utopia, ADMT and plenty more join us for this year’s adventure. We know the poster looks like a condensed version of ‘War and Peace’ but there are gems to be found in each tier.
Elsewhere, we’ve revealed this year’s theme as we set sail on the High Seas for ‘24! Jack Sparrow, Poseidon, Spongebob, Donald Duck, Flounder, Captain Hook, Sinbad – the options for fancy dress are endless with this one so we do hope you’ll be decked out come Sunday when we welcome the annual Parade cascading through the site.
While in last month’s letter we confirmed the return of The Magic Teapot for Lost Eden we have also been working on a new concept venue for our woodland wonderland – one of two new venues on-site this year which we are excited to be announcing in the near future.
We’ll finish out with our usual ticket update! Deer Lodge is now almost entirely sold out. We do have one remaining accommodation left so if you fancy a few extra home comforts, you can bag the last one! We’ve sold around 92% of our weekend tickets now, so if you’re still yet to book, we’d recommend getting sorted as soon as possible.
Now the clocks have gone forward, we’re looking forward to a spell of better weather, lighter nights and getting that bit closer to our big reunion in August! See you in the fields!
Andy, Ben & The KC Team
With the festival season fast approaching, the anticipation for a weekend filled with unforgettable melodies, shared memories and a beer in the sun only grows stronger. We have some amazing moments in store, but to kick things off, here’s a run down of the top fifteen songs we can’t wait to hear at Kendal Calling 2024:
Sure to end the weekend with a bang, get your best dad-dance ready for this one! Come the iconic trumpet solo you’ll be itching to tap your foot along to the incredible swing inspired sound of ‘Pencil Full Of Lead’!
All right, have you seen those lads, there’s a brand new band in town and they’re joining us in the fields! The Reytons are one of our most requested acts and we’re buzzing to have them back, this time on the Main Stage! There’s going to be unbelievable scenes when this one goes off on Sunday evening…
Sugababes Saturday anyone? Now, I’m not sure there has ever been a mosh pit for Sugababes but you best believe we’ll be trying to start one. The 00s icons have an unbelievable amount of hits in their back pocket but ‘About You Now’ stands above the rest as the ultimate throwback anthem.
We can thank Paul Heaton for giving us many-a-classic over the years. Whether it was as frontman for The Housemartins, The Beautiful South or his solo ventures, he has solidified his place as one of the UK’s greatest songwriters. It’s this seminal Beautiful South classic though that will provide the perfect backing track to a raucous first night in the fields!
Are they detectives who are pigeons or are the detectives investigating pigeons? I guess we’ll never know but one thing we are sure of is that it will be absolute carnage as the indie behemoths take to the upside down garden of Parklands for an afternoon of up-for-it anthems. ‘Wait For Me’ is truly a classic of the era with ‘Take Her Back; still igniting a frenzy all these years later.
Who wouldn’t be down for an evening celebrating one of the most iconic and legendary artists of all time?! As one of the three different sets across the festival – The Untold Orchestra will grace the Woodlands stage for a tribute to the one and only, Stevie Wonder. Spend your Saturday night, dancing beneath the treetops to some of the grooviest tunes known to man – plus, you’ll be in prime position for the Silent Disco kicking off afterwards!
As the sun sets beyond the hills and we’ve sunk those first few pints of the weekend – we’ll be welcoming Declan McKenna to the stage for his third trip to the Lakes! Since he last joined us he’s released his brilliant new album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ but it’s still this classic protest song that will see us down in the mosh pit.
Unleashing our inner geezer for this one, this legendary blast from the past is a certified must on our watch-list. It will be a hit… but you know it, so to speak. Set to get everyone bouncing, the second this kicks in will be all the sweeter knowing we’ve waited four years for this very moment.
With a back catalogue has achieved platinum status more than 80 times, solidifying his status as one of the greatest to ever do it. ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is sung at the top of lungs in pubs and clubs up and down the country on a weekly basis – creating a moment of unity whenever it is played. Pull your mates in close for this one and get those pints in the air as we get ready to belt ‘Sooooo, Sally can wait!’
You’ll find us causing an absolute scene in the front row for this one. Sundara Karma first took to the fields all the way back in 2016 (unbelievably!) and they’ve gone on to conquer venues up and down the country since. We’re hoping to be transported all the way back to the early days with this one as ‘Flame’ still sticks out as a real highlight in their set.
Following their sold out UK tour – Keane head to Lowther to celebrate twenty years of their seminal debut album ‘Hopes and Fears’. Having had quite the resurgence in the last couple of years thanks to TikTok – there are few songs that resonate across ages quite as much as ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and we can’t imagine a more perfect atmosphere to witness it live. Against the backdrop of the Lake District fells, in the sunset slot, with a bev in hand – sounds unbelievable if you ask us.
We simply can’t wait to hear a field of 20,000 shouting the word ‘bitter’ as if their lives depended on it. The queen of witty-pop herself will take to the Main Stage on Sunday afternoon and we’ll be ready and waiting to scream-sing ‘Foundations’ like it’s the early 00’s again.
Simply put, it’s an absolute banger. Gun fingers at the ready for this one as Katy B takes to the upside down garden of Parklands! Unbelievably, it’s been fourteen years since Katy released this tune but it still hits the exact same as back in 2010.
In 2019, The Snuts played Kendal Calling for the first time – opening up Calling Out. Two years later, they returned to headline that very same stage. This year – they’ll make their Main Stage debut! The Scottish sensations will be venturing across the border, armed with their brand new album – including their smash hit ‘Gloria’ – see you down the front?
Anyone who saw The Hunna’s headline set in Calling Out last year will understand why they had to join this year’s adventure – what an unbelievable atmosphere! We expect nothing less as we transport that electricity onto the Main Stage for 2024. As one of the first acts on, taking to the stage on Thursday evening – we can’t think of a better way to kickstart a weekend in the fields.
It’s been a month or two since we last spoke – has anything much happened? I kid of course. We’ve unveiled our line up for this year’s adventure and so we have lots to talk about! It’s been a busy few weeks of finalising details, adding even more acts to the bill and filling you all in on what we have in store this year but it’s great to finally have a chance to sit down and write to you all.
We’ve been so pleased with the reaction to the bill – one of our best in our opinion! Each night will culminate in huge singalongs, whether that be the high notes of ‘Rotterdam (Or Anywhere)’ with Paul Heaton & Rianne Downey or the arms round your mate’s belter of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ with Noel Gallagher. We’re excited to (finally!) welcome back The Streets – they first headlined back in 2009 and there’s been a few mishaps since but we’re delighted they’ll be bringing the Saturday night party this year. Our biggest headliner to date comes on the Sunday night! Closing the weekend this year will be Paolo Nutini, a man we’ve long wanted to join us at Lowther, and we’re sure will bring touching moments and dad dancing in equal measure.
The headliners don’t stop there this year though! Fresh off the back of their sell out UK tour – Keane will stop by to air the classics in their Kendal Calling debut. Those of you who are regular attendees will know Kendal isn’t defined by one genre and we always love seeing a big pop show take to the Main Stage (see Melanie C in 2023, Years and Years in 2019) and this year is no different as we welcome 00s icons, Sugababes!
As variety is the spice of life – we’re trying something a little different as arena comic Russell Howard will open the Main Stage on Saturday afternoon! A good way to ease some of you back in after what we’re sure will be a heavy Friday night of singing Oasis tunes. Parklands will also have northern favourite Paul Smith take to the stage on Sunday so we won’t be short of a laugh across the weekend! Stay tuned for the full comedy and cabaret line up as usual in The Soapbox of course.
Shall we address THAT booking then? Yes, that is Gary Neville you see on the poster. The Manchester United legend will be making his debut on the decks over the Kendal weekend with our long-time pal Tim Burgess. We had already asked Tim if he’d be up for a DJ set in Parklands this year and he said, ‘I’ve got an idea!’ – a quick phone call later and we’d got an England international on the bill. An added bonus was that it made that leaked poster a little bit less believable…
We always pride ourselves on the depth in the bill, with interesting things to see and do at all times, while just wandering the site sometimes can be a visual spectacular in itself, we’ve lots of special moments and brilliant acts across the weekend! The Reytons & The Snuts – two of our most requested acts will both make their Main Stage debuts this year. We couldn’t have Kendal Calling without The Lottery Winners, they continue to move up the bill as they’ll be headlining Parklands! Temples will bring their psychedelic sounds to the Woodlands stage. Shy FX, Phil Hartnoll from Orbital and Craig Charles all return to take us late into the night. We’ve even got The Untold Orchestra coming to play three separate sets around the site, across the weekend, devoted to ABBA, Stevie Wonder and Queer Icons.
Of course, we always like to bring a few ‘weird & wonderful’ bookings as Dick and Dom return, The 900 will play a set of covers from the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack, Shaun Williamson brings back Barrioke and Alan Fletcher (also known as Neighbours’ Dr Karl Kennedy) will take to Parklands.
Now honestly, there really is too much to cover from the line up in this one letter and so we’d encourage you to have a listen to our official playlist below and get familiar with it all as there are some real gems down in the small print.
Our weekend in the fields is as much defined by the visual aspect as well as the musical one; each year it takes a huge crew to assemble our wacky ideas and merge them with the beautiful landscape we call home. Our planning for Lost Eden is fully underway as it begins to emerge from the undergrowth for 2024. We’re happy to tell you The Magic Teapot will be returning for some acoustic evenings around the open fire – and this year you’ll actually be able to get a tea in there!
Many of you are already asking about the theme for Kendal ’24 – we’ve been enjoying all your guesses – our favourite of which has been Christmas! Maybe one year we’ll do Christmas in the fields, but we’ve got something a little different in mind as we set out on this year’s adventure…
Last year, we had The Lathums play a very special set in Tim Peaks Diner. Thanks to Tim Burgess and his team’s magic, this was recorded and pressed immediately to vinyl, ready for sale on Sunday morning. We’re really excited that we’re going to be repeating this project this year, but which artist will play the coveted slot in Tim Peaks?
Ticket wise, we are currently well ahead of where we were at this point last year which is absolutely brilliant – we’re headed for another sell out year in the fields! Your support is never lost on us and continues to drive us to provide the best weekend possible for you all. As a heads up, we’ve got around 25 units left in Deer Lodge so for those of you looking for a few extra home comforts, we’d recommend getting your skates on!
Although we’d imagine a lot of you haven’t quite planned your route to the fields – we thought we’d take this chance to remind you of our coach services alongside the shuttle we run from Penrith station, making the show easily accessible via train too. Two thirds of the festival’s emissions come from audience travel and so we are on a mission to get as many of you here on public transport as possible.
That about wraps us up on our updates at this point in time but we will be back soon with more as our plans for the summer begin to take shape!
Take care, and we’ll see you in the fields!
Andy, Ben & The KC Team
Merry Christmas and a happy new year from all of us at Kendal Calling! We hope you’ve had a lovely break, whether that involved catching up and partying with family and friends or taking it easy over the holidays.
It is New Years Eve as I sit down and type. To me, this day always feels like a nowhere land, a day of waiting for evening festivities to begin, which lends itself well as a time of reflection and a perfect moment to pen an update. It wasn’t always so – this day 5 years ago we were busy prepping for the biggest New Years Party I’ve ever attended – when Everything Everything and Tom Grennan took to the stage for the inaugural Kendal Calling New Years Eve Party. A few months before the big night I was travelling to the venue when my taxi driver launched into his reasons why ‘no-one goes out on New Years Eve anymore’. To hear this in the height of summer was rather ironic because I hadn’t actually told him I was heading to the venue to sign a contract to host a New Years Eve party. Fortunately I held my nerve, we didn’t listen to him and come the big night many thousands of you came down and we had an evening to remember! One special person in particular travelled from Whitehaven for the show, and I’m so happy to say that since meeting for the first time that night, we’ve been together as a couple for 5 years. This is one of the many joys of live music – the magic of bringing people together.
Speaking of music, you may recall that we lost a headliner in our last newsletter. After an incredibly frustrating couple of weeks, we’re thrilled to tell you that the Saturday night headline spot has been filled, and we’re confident you’ll love it.
We know this will likely prompt a lot of comments asking, “Can’t you tell us now?” and as tempting as it is, we always like to bring the majority of the bill together before we reveal the line up and we’ve still finalising the last few slots. It’s been a trickier year than most to ensure a fun, varied and exciting line up – but we always relish the challenge and it’s shaping up to be an absolute cracker!
The reasons for this difficulty are many and varied, with no simple solution. Just the other day, Nile Rodgers said that no modern record label would have allowed David Bowie to blossom into a star due to financial pressures since the advent of streaming, as the lack of funds reduces appetite to take risks. Another factor, the lack of rehearsal rooms, is cause for concern. When I used to live in Manchester, my walk each day saw me pass 3 different rehearsal rooms, with music pouring out of various windows making a kind of musical soup. As recording studios are often in low cost, industrial areas these are seen as prime sites for redevelopment; sad to say the rehearsal rooms I bopped past have all closed down and been renovated into apartments, famed for their proximity to live music venues.
That’s why it’s so brilliant to hear that, closer to home, Lancaster’s Co-Op rehearsal room – which was under threat of eviction – have secured a 100 year lease from the city council. Sadly not everywhere is not safe from developers, as just round the corner local music venue ‘The Pub’ (where I first saw the excellent Massive Wagons) has lost its battle to block plans for new flats to be built opposite the venue. For those not aware, similar happened to the wonderful Night and Day venue in Manchester who now find themselves repeatedly in court with the potential to lose their license because someone bought a flat opposite a music venue in an area famed for its nightlife – and then complained they could sometimes hear music.
Grass-roots venues like The Pub and Night and Day are vital to a vibrant music scene. These venues are where future headliners are born. Coldplay were ‘discovered’ and signed at the (since closed) Roadhouse in Manchester, a favourite haunt of Elbow, and I remember meeting Ed Sheeran, playing to a dozen people at Night and Day round the corner. He said he’d come and play Kendal Calling if I gave him a rollup cigarette. Well, that was 2011 and we’re still waiting (it won’t be this year sadly!) Similarly, watching The 1975 play to 50 people in Sound Control (since developed into student accomodation) led to them performing at Kendal Calling a few months later. These venues are the lifeblood of our industry and need support. The Music Venue Trust, a charity which acts to protect and secure grassroots venues, says that 2023 was an absolutely awful year for Grassroots Music Venues with over 120 spaces permanently lost across the UK. A combination of the cost of living crisis, energy costs, rising cost of services and supplies, drove many venue operators out of business – and as a society were all the poorer for this. One of my resolutions this year will be to watch more grassroots gigs – and any friends this year, you’ll all be receiving gig tickets for your birthday presents. Come and do the same, you’ll have a great time.
In other news, we’ve been fortunate to receive a couple of awards recently – one for ‘Lottery Winners Favourite Festival’ and another for ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’. We’re very proud of both, but for different reasons. Lottery Winners are great friends of the festival, having grown with us over the years so it’s truly wonderful to know that the love is felt both ways. It’s an award we will really treasure, especially as they made it themselves out of loo roll and sellotape! The ‘Marketing Campaign’ gong was actually awarded for our Leave Nothing But Memories campaign which is making a real difference to sustainability of the festival. A lot of thought goes in each year to make positive steps towards our sustainable future but ultimately, we have all of you to thank for this one. We are so grateful to have such a receptive and caring audience, it’s fantastic that our pleas have been heard and meaningful change has been made over the last few years. This year there was zero waste to landfill and nearly 98% of tents were taken home again and we’re hopeful 2024 can see that number rise even further.
Well, we’d like to sign off by saying thank you for a wonderful 2023, it’s been absolutely grand! We’ve closed out the year with over half the tickets already sold for our return to the fields and we’re so excited to unveil more of our plans – who knows, by the next time we publish one of these, we may be able to chat about the line up!
From ours, to yours, a very happy new year to all.
Andy, Ben & The KC Team x
PS – Ah, news just in! Literally as I’ve been sat here, our Friday night headliner has just confirmed – a belated Christmas treat for us as we’ve been working on this one for months. Very tempting to give a little hint here but we’ll keep you guessing a little longer..
Back in 2006, events seemed to move a lot faster. We had an idea – a shindig in a field. We booked some bands, put up posters, and before we knew it, we were clearing away the remnants of an awesome party. If memory serves me right, the whole show took about seven weeks from start to finish. This rapid turnaround is remarkably different from how we operate today. Now, due to the complexities of scale and higher expectations, we find ourselves planning aspects of the next festival even before we even begin building the current one! It’s a testament to how the festival scene has evolved – what once took mere weeks now unfolds over months, or even more than a year. ‘Ain’t no rest for the wicked’, as they say!
Many people show curiosity about the inner workings of festival planning – from its inception to the behind-the-scenes action. When starting out, I was absolutely fascinated by every aspect of festival life, and every encounter was an education. To that end, we thought we would start a new series of letters. These regular updates will offer you a peek into our journey, keeping you informed about our progress and the unique challenges we encounter along the way. Stay tuned as we share insights and stories from the heart of festival planning – from confirming our Soap Opera shower provider or revealing when we’re all booked up on the headliner front. We thought this blog could be a good way to explain how we spend our ‘off-season’. So, without further ado…
The first few weeks post-festival are spent debriefing on what worked and what didn’t. This feedback is voluminous; we keep our own notes throughout the festival cycle and consult everyone involved or affected by the show. That includes contractors, local authorities, workers, residents, and of course, the audience. Their feedback, collected from messages, social media, and conversations, forms a ‘review bible’, allowing us to identify trends, weaknesses, opportunities. This feedback informs future meetings across various departments, such as programming, production, and site management.
Recently, we’ve been enjoying one of the most exciting parts of the process: creative meetings about the décor and on-site venues. We’re brainstorming fresh ideas, including a brand-new venue we think will be popular for those looking to let their hair down. We hope to share more on this in the new year.
Booking-wise, it’s been a tricky year piecing together the Kendal Calling programme. We strive to create the most exciting lineup, which involves hard negotiations with acts and aligning with their summer plans. The thrill of receiving a deal memo confirming months of discussions has turned into a confirmation is unmatched, though the disappointment when an artist pulls out is equally intense. Unfortunately, earlier this week we had just that. What was a done deal on Friday turned back to square one by Monday. But there’s no time for sadness – we’re back to our trusty spreadsheet to find a replacement. It’s these highs and lows that make festival planning so exhilarating.
In markedly different but nonetheless exciting news we can turn our attention to female urinals – a welcome addition to the facilities in the fields. For many years there had been a small but steady call for these urinals, and in 2023 the opportunity came to test them out. We’re pleased to say, the feedback was excellent – and so we needed more! However there as one small problem – there were no more female urinals in the UK, as we had hired all the available units. So we are very pleased to hear that one of our toilet providers (we have several across the festival) is manufacturing additional female urinals. The only issue with these is they require fairly flat land – something we don’t have an abundance of in our rugged landscape, but we’re determined to find more suitable locations around the site.
Sales-wise, it’s been an incredible year for Kendal, and we can’t thank you enough for the trust you place in us. Our new instalment plan system allows for all tickets to be booked via a payment plan, important in these times. We also have tiered tickets, with cheaper options available the earlier you book but do hurry as I believe the third release is dangerously close to selling out.
We’d also like to use this forum to gather feedback to aid our planning for Kendal 2024. Each year, we run coach services from across Cumbria and the North including places like Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. As part of our commitment to sustainability and to aid our traffic management plan, we’re interested in encouraging more travel by coach and we’d like to know what would encourage you to travel to the festival this way.
We’re sailing through November and into the festive season, and we aim to give another update before Christmas. We know many of you are eagerly awaiting lineup details, but you’ll have to wait a little bit longer – we’ll share more in the new year, as is traditional.
Enjoy these winter months – it won’t be long until we’re back in the Lakes for our annual gathering!
