Kendal Calling: What to Expect From The ‘Glastonbury of the North’
Written by Elliot Cox
The pure elation that comes from setting up your tent and opening that first ‘tinnie’ is enough to persuade anyone to sell an arm and a leg just to secure a ticket at one of the many music festivals in the UK.
Surely there’s nothing that could top that, right?
Well, what if you could enjoy the plethora of food, festivities and live entertainment right in the middle of the Lake District for just over half the price of many major festivals in the UK?
Kendal Calling is the event that facilitates this and, as a result, has placed it in the upper echelon of festivals in the UK, competing with the juggernauts of the UK scene such as Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds Festival.
Over the last few years, Kendal Calling has been the home to some of the most diverse, yet sensical, music lineups there is in the UK.
The likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Nile Rodgers, The Sugababes, The Streets, and even the illustrious Snoop Dogg have performed there.
The festival consistently offers a range of options for everyone without feeling forced or solely adhering to current music trends.
It would be fair to say that in the last few years, many major festivals in the UK have become lazy in their decision-making when it comes to various lineups.
Many have chosen to play it safe with trending artists, making many festivals feel like carbon copies of one another.
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A constant standout
Kendal Calling, however, has stood out year in and year out with their unique blend of genres and age ranges when curating their lineups, making for a fresh and enjoyable experience for festival-goers young and old.
This is evident from the general clientele that attend Kendal Calling each year.
When making your way closer to the stage for the headline act, it’s more than likely you’re going to have to navigate your way around many push-chairs, with the festival being heavily marketed as a family one, with their array of options for enjoyment away from the music.
From the ‘Picturehouse’, which is their on-site cinema, to their ‘Kids Calling’ area, the festival is dedicated to expanding its reach to every demographic possible.
Despite all of this, they are still very much aware of the prime festival demographic of teens and young adults, with the many unique bars and disco tents on-site, as well as a specific camp for the party animals; fittingly titled “24 Hour Party People” in reference to the Happy Mondays’ song who actually performed at the event in 2023.
This year’s lineup includes the likes of Fat Boy Slim, Courteeners, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Reverend & The Makers and many more exciting artists of new and old.
Whether you’re a first-time festival-goer or a seasoned veteran who’s never attended Kendal Calling, I would highly recommend the event for all the reasons mentioned, as well as the stunning decor and unique vibe that the site has to offer through colourful scenery and intelligent use of the surroundings.
It is quickly becoming a staple of the UK festival scene and one you do not want to miss out on.
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