Shambala Festival to celebrate ‘25 years of adventures in utopia’

Shambala will be back at its regular home at a ‘secret countryside estate’ in the north of the county from Thursday, August 21 to Sunday, August 24.

There will be more than 40 venues and stages to explore with more than 600 performances, activities and workshops across the four days.

Fewer than five per cent of tickets remain which are available from £239 in advance before fees.

Acts including Asian Dub Foundation, Digable Planets, Fat Dog, Hak Baker, Moonchild Sanelly, Dub Pistols, DJ Yoda, My Baby and Queen Omega & The Royal Souls will join hundreds of other artists.

Chris Johnson, Shambala’s Director and Co-Founder, said: “We started as a bunch of 100 mates in a field, with a farmer’s trailer for a stage.

“It's been an amazing journey and life experience – a privilege to be part of a radical community who know how to have a wild time and stand up for what matters in this crazy world.

“This year we will celebrate 25 years in style, with stacks of exciting changes. Expect an adventure.”

Aside from the live music, there will also be hundreds of workshops, performances, art installations, talks and experiences.

Shambala will host spoken word performances from Lemn Sissay and Vanessa Kisuule and a dose of political satire and activism with Led By Donkeys.

Longtime Shambala favourite, Jess Thom (aka Touretteshero), will also host ‘The We Are Here!’ cabaret, celebrating disability culture, creativity and resistance.

For the movers and shakers, there’ll be dance workshops in a variety of styles (hip hop, salsa, Bhangra) ahead of Saturday’s fancy dress carnival which this year has the theme of ‘pun intended’.

Shambala’s wild twist on Olympic sports, the Shambolympics is making a comeback while The Healing Meadow also returns in full bloom, hosting daily yoga, breathwork, gong baths and massage.

In a UK first, Shambala will become the only festival where 100 per cent of gas used on-site for cooking and showers will be biogas made from UK-sourced by-products.

A pioneer in green principles and practices, Shambala has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 90 per cent since it began in 2000.

The festival runs entirely on renewable energy, has eliminated single-use plastics, as well as being completely meat and fish-free. Festival-goers are also encouraged to travel green and leave no trace.

Discounts for travelling to the festival via the Shambala Express coach, train or on bicycle as well as for concessions, teens and children.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://www.shambalafestival.org.