About Us

Shambala began in 1999, with 150 people in a field with a farmer's trailor for a stage, and one porterloo! Having hijacked a sound system from a students union, we revelled for a weekend with good music, cream teas and general sillyness. Such a good time was had, that the next year a few more folk came, and each year since people have got involved or wanted to come!

Shambala is a wild, creative, low-profile, green and family-friendly festival. We have endeavoured to cultivate a down-to-earth mix of creativity, the unexpected, a warm & friendly atmosphere, and quality entertainment. We offer plenty of stuff to get involved with, cinemas, many workshops (dance, spritual, craft, loads of kids activities, circus performance, talks, sauna, cafes, massive site art, a lovely crowd and a lot of suprises!

The festival is completely independent from advertising and sponsorship! Having never promoted it, Shambala has grown through word of mouth.

The festival attracts people of all ages and ilks, and has a beautifully warm and open atmosphere. You can relax or go loco...

We are a responsible event; recycling almost all waste, investing in compost loos, using solar, wind & biodiesel, and carefully selecting traders and suppliers. For more on this see the links at the bottom.

Who are we... we are essentially a group of friends that has grown over the years. We love creating the festival, with its connections, creativity, warmth, challenges and suprises. We all have other jobs for income, but devote what time we can to the event. It's not a money-spinner, or an ego booster; perhaps an obsession though!

Find out more about us: