Nestled in the scenic Lowther Deer Park, Kendal Calling welcomed 40,000 from Thursday 1st to Saturday 4th August, and it was an unexpected treat for our Edinburgh team.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly festival, this is it! Our weekend was a mostly magical experience filled with good vibes and a diverse range of age groups. The attendees were generally lovely – there were no shovers or pushers, just friendly faces and a communal spirit that made the event feel inclusive and welcoming for everyone.
This year’s theme, “The High Seas,” brought a wave of creativity to the festival. Everywhere you looked, there were pirates and dedicated lovers of fancy dress. The costumes added a fun, whimsical layer to the overall festival experience.
The campsite options were well thought out, catering to all kinds of festival-goers. The 24-hour party people campsite lived up to its name, buzzing with energy around the clock. Meanwhile, the quiet camp was a haven of peace, with regularly cleaned toilets – a rare but much-appreciated feature at festivals.
The pop-up Co-op also made an appearance at this year’s festival with many last-minute “I forgot to pack” items available for reasonable prices.
There were a few issues that could have been improved. Water refill points were sparse in places, leading to some long walks to fill up. The cup deposit system only worked one way this year – you paid £2 for your first cup, then exchanged it for a fresh one each time you bought another drink. You couldn’t trade in the cups to get your £2 back, but you could swap them for a token that gave you a ‘free’ cup with the next drink you buy without carrying an empty one around all day.
This new system meant the festival could send exchange teams to roam the crowds, swapping empty cups for tokens without the queues or security concerns you’d get if they simply used cash instead. However, the cups were still often scattered across the festival site, so while this system might work well, it seems removing the cash for returns has deincentivised both would-be theives and litter pickers alike.
Lost Eden, with its mystical ambiance, became our sanctuary within the festival. It was here we discovered The Magic Teapot. This super wholesome group of people brought music to life at their acoustic-only venue, playing well-known, easy-to-sing-along-to songs while serving up endless cups of tea. It was the perfect spot to relax and recharge amidst the festival’s hustle and bustle. We were delighted to learn that they have their own festival, The Magic Teapot Gathering, set to take place from 2nd – 5th May 2025 (early bird tickets have already sold out with only 300 people capacity!).
Lost Eden also hosted Gaia, a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, this stunning piece gave us the chance to appreciate our planet, floating in three dimensions among the Kendal Calling trees.
As for the music, the lineup was packed with well-known headliners and British staples like Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds, Sugababes, The Streets, and Paolo Nutini. One of our favourites, Beans On Toast, also returned this year. His set was full of positive energy and songs that are bound to resonate with anyone who listens.
Overall, Kendal Calling was a heartwarming and memorable experience, made even better by the lovely people we met and the unexpected heroes who made it truly unforgettable. The various age groups that visit the festival make it feel like a very safe place to be, both for adults and little ones – and there are plenty of activities for both! If you’re considering attending next year, we highly recommend it!
EXPERIENCE: “I dropped my phone in a toilet at Kendal Calling!”
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