Shambala Festival 2009

The line-up might be kept under wraps, for this Shambala's tenth year, but this great family friendly festival promises four days of fun, with a large kids area, masses of workshops, woodland antics, crazy carnivals, roaming theatrics, and everyone in fancy dress.

Shambala is a family orientated festival which is held at a secret location on Bank Holiday Weekend from Thursday 27th until Sunday 30th August with the site closing on Monday 31st at Midday.

For ten years, the same five friends behind Shambala have notoriously avoided pre-announcing their entertainment line-up. However a few acts have been confirmed and include Dub Colossus, Quantic and His Combo Barbara, The Blessing, The Demon Barber Roadshow, The Bays, The Correspondent, Crazy P Soundsystem, and Dogshow Techno Circus. Plus Compass of Desire present weird and wonderful acts, surreal encounters and libidinous beats in their late-night boudoir.

The festival has five stages of music programming including a main stage, lakeside stage (powered by the sun, or if Shambala isn't bathed in glorious sunshine, by a back-up bio-diesel generator), and big top, plus a roller disco, karaoke, contemporary circus performances (tightrope walking, stunning swinging trapeze, pole dancing), and loads more is sure to be planned.

To celebrate Shambala Festival's tenth birthday anniversary they want everyone to come armed with a small wrapped gift that they want attendees to give to a stranger. There will be a massive present swap on Saturday at 6.00 pm. They'll have wrapping paper and string at the public info tent for those that forget to wrap their gifts at home.

Protest is the theme for this year's carnival. Bring back bendy bananas! Bring back the rainforest! Bring back useful politicians! Bring back knickerbockers! The festival will provide the card and ink to make a banner or placard and get shouting.

There will also be a table tennis championship on Sunday 1.00pm in the Kamikaze Tent for costume clad wannabe Kings of Ping.

In 2009 there will be a whole new meadow opening up featuring it's very own boating lake. Surrounded by trees, and only accessible over two bridges, this will become the tranquil area of the festival, with healing, workshops, sauna, hot-tubs, and possibly a small stage. The amazing art trails in the woodlands re-invents itself. Expect other new spaces to emerge, which they probably won't tell festival goers about.

Twist and Spout have joined forces will bring a programmed tent. A place for people who like music, tea and cakes, and dialogue, all in healthy measure.

The Amazing Geisha House and the Recursive Function 360 cinematic dome both return by popular demand. Expect the usual concoction of silly outdoor and indoor games, with special guests Lost and Found hosting a very special afternoon. There's also the Kings of Pong table tennis championship.

This small family-friendly green festival focuses on environmental issues and offers the chance to learn new skills and crafts like silver jewellery, a lantern, or a hobbyhorse. There are also independent films, workshops, talks and debates, comedy, a fresh organic market, fair trade coffee, practical demonstrations, speaker's corner, site art (an art trail and a range of get-involved sculptures), survival courses, a real ale and cider bar with a beer garden, multiple stages and lots of fancy dress.

Kids activities include a full and diverse program of activities for all ages, such as trampolines, inflatables, music workshops, circus skills, art tent with full programme each day, play equipment and swing-boats, festival newspaper team, puppet shows, cinema, co-operative games, a kitchen academy, DJing, magic, and even a bedtime story tent. Many activities will have themes around cultural awareness, and the environment. New for 2009, the Shambala Spa opens in a totally new area, the lakeside meadow.

Tickets are on sale, including some at 'early bird' prices, the 'super early bird' offer has now finished. Prices are:-
Adult EB £89
Adult Full Price £99
Teen (15-17 tears) £59
Child (5-14yrs) £25
Under 5's FREE. No registration needed
Van/Car+Caravan £25 Vehicle camping fields
Car Pass £15 One per car
Motor cycles £5
To buy, click here.

Tickets are e-tickets so ticket holders must make sure they have their PIN and password ready for entry. Routing passes must be placed in the windscreen before arrival on site.

Venue details aren't available until you buy a ticket and band line-ups aren't made public in advance. Ticket holders find out who's performing when they get there.

Festival-goers are encouraged to leave their cars at home and cycle to the site (while raising money for the National Cycle Network if they want to get sponsored). The initiative combines Shambala's commitment to encouraging low-impact, fun ways to travel to the event with Sustrans unquenchable enthusiasm for cycling. The free, professionally guided rides to the festival will depart from Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, lasting between 1-3 days, travelling along the National Cycle Network to the festival site in Northamtonshire.

All the information is available on downloadable info sheets www.shambalafestival.org/cycle Participants can book festival tickets online, using the relevant city ticket codes to book a 'cycle ticket'.

Participants aged 9-16's must be accompanied by an adult. Cyclists should take: packed lunch and water, cycling kit, camping equipment, cycle helmet, locks and lights... plus outrageous fancy dress for the festival's customary Saturday night parade.

More information will be here when available.

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