What is on site
Facilities
- Showers
- Cashless payment
- Family area
- Glamping / upgraded camping
- Shuttle service
About Kendal Calling
Kendal Calling is a four-day music and camping festival held at Lowther Deer Park, near Penrith in the Lake District, Cumbria. It began in 2006 in Abbot Hall Park in Kendal, overlooked by Kendal Castle, with a capacity of 900 and most acts in a circus big top. That first year sold out, with Pendulum headlining the Saturday and British Sea Power, a band from Kendal, closing on Sunday. The festival then moved to Grate Farm outside Kendal with a capacity of 2,000, and later to its current home at Lowther. It won Best Small UK Festival at the 2010 UK Festival Awards. It is now owned by Superstruct Entertainment, after Superstruct bought several festivals from Global and Broadwick Live.
The site at Lowther Deer Park has several distinct areas: an upside-down garden for late parties, a woodland area, a stage for new acts, a nightspot, and a natural amphitheatre with views of the Lake District fells. Campers can choose General Camping, Saddleback View family camping, the upgraded Emperors Field and Great Plains campsites with free hot showers and their own arena entrances, pre-pitched Tangerine Fields, or the boutique Deer Lodge campsite. General campers can pay for the Soap Opera, a shower and pamper lounge in the Village Green. There is also a dedicated kids' area.
The 2026 festival ran from Thursday 30 July to Sunday 2 August. Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice and Two Door Cinema Club headlined, with The Kooks on the Thursday.
Kendal Calling 2027 runs from Thursday 29 July to Sunday 1 August, and tickets are on sale through See Tickets. In October 2026 the festival said more than 60% of tickets had gone and payment plans started from £22.80 a month. No acts had been announced.
The festival is entirely cashless and accepts major cards and contactless payments. Water points are in each campsite, and phone charging is available for an extra fee. Children aged 5 and under get in free with a ticket-holding parent. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian aged 21 or over, and each adult can accompany up to two children aged 11 to 15. Penrith station is linked to the site by a shuttle bus costing £15 return.
Image credits
- Logo: Kendal Calling Ltd, Official logo from the festival's own website (logo source 3). Trademark of Kendal Calling Ltd; no licence wording on the page, use for identification only. · source
Photos may be resized or cropped. Logos belong to their festivals.
Frequently asked
When is Kendal Calling 2027?
Thursday 29 July to Sunday 1 August 2027, at Lowther Deer Park near Penrith in the Lake District.
How do I buy tickets?
Through See Tickets. Payment plans start from £22.80 a month, and more than 60% of tickets had sold by October 2026.
Is it family friendly?
Yes. There is a family campsite and a kids' area. Children aged 5 and under are free, and under-16s need a parent or guardian aged 21+.
Are there showers?
General campers can buy the Soap Opera shower add-on. Emperors Field, Great Plains, Tangerine Fields and Deer Lodge include hot showers.
Is it cashless?
Yes, entirely cashless, including the Silent Disco. Major cards and contactless payments are accepted.
How do I get there by train?
Travel to Penrith station and take the festival shuttle bus, which costs £15 return.
Contact the festival
Last verified 2026-10-20. Dates, prices and lineups change — always confirm on the official festival site before booking.