Latest news with #KendalCalling
ITV News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Sell-out crowd of 40,000 festival goers head to Kendal Calling as it marks its 20th anniversary
A sell-out crowd of 40,000 festival goers are expected to fill Lowther Deer Park across the next four days as Kendal Calling celebrates its 20th festival anniversary. The festival started as a small showcase for local talent and has now grown into an event that attracts some of the biggest UK acts. This year's headliners include the Courteeners, Fat Boy Slim, The Prodigy and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. One mother who has attended the event six times, said: "It's really family-oriented. We're looking forward to Fat Boy Slim and The Royston Club because we're from Wrexham." Speaking about an exciting few days ahead, a young man said: "It's my first time in Kendal. It's all about meeting people and having a laugh." Two girls who have come back for a second time, said: "We're looking forward to seeing the Courteeners. We came last year and we loved it, we wanted to come back. It's not as chaotic as the others." With the festival marking its 20th year, the Co-founders of Kendal Calling, Andy Smith and Ben Robinson, say it 'feels like a daydream'. He added: "We are so fortunate in so many ways, whether it's growing up in such a beautiful part of the world or being able to have a career in an industry that we love so much, and that we're so passionate about. We've been very fortunate, and not a day goes by that you don't look back at it and smile." The police are urging those attending the festival not to take a chance on bringing drugs to the event. Chief Superintendent Matt Kennerley, from Cumbria Police, is encouraging people to use the amnesty bins available. He said: "If you get caught taking drugs into the festival, you are liable to arrest and are very likely to spend the weekend with the police. "We'll have police in and around the footprint of the event, supporting the event organisers and security. There will be a number of searches being conducted... We'll be there if the security team need us to step in."
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Kendal Calling 2025 line-up, how to get there and gate times
Tens of thousands of music lovers will be taking to the fields later as one of the biggest UK festivals begins. About 40,000 people are expected to attend Kendal Calling, at Lowther Deer Park near Penrith, in Cumbria, where Kaiser Chiefs and DJ Fatboy Slim will headline. From just 900 attendees in its first year, the four-day festival is celebrating its 20th year. Founder Andy Smith previously described its growth as "quite extraordinary".Here is everything you need to know ahead of Kendal Calling, which runs until Sunday. What time does it start and are tickets available? All tickets for the festival have sold organisers are encouraging those who have missed out to join their waiting list on their partner site, Tixel, for safe, last-minute, fan-to-fan added that no tickets will be available to buy at the gates. Gates for the campsite open at 09:00 BST and will remain open until 21:00 for those with Thursday entry tickets alongside their full weekend Friday, gates are open from 08:00 to 21:00, and between 10:00 and 21:00 on Saturday and Sunday. The campsite will close at 14:00 on arena opens from 16:00 on Thursday with music beginning at 17:00 and 10:00 on Friday, Saturday and said those aged 11 to 15, with weekend tickets, must be accompanied by a ticket-holding parent or guardian over the age of 21 - and must camp in the same area as their families. Teen ticket holders - aged 11-15 - are not allowed in the arena unaccompanied after 22:00. Adult ticket holders aged 16-17 must have ID to allow them to enter the festival without an adult. Who's in the line-up? More than 100 artists will take to the nine stages across the site, including the return of Kaiser Chiefs, who will kick things off on the main stage on Thursday. The Courteeners will headline on Friday, while Fat Boy Slim takes over on Saturday and The Prodigy on Sunday. Pop singer Daniel Bedingfield, who had a string of hits in the early 2000s, will headline the festival's Parkland's stage, with Scouting For Girls and Maximo Park also featuring. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Wombats and comedian Jason Manford are also set to make an appearance. Full details of the festival's stages are available via Kendal Calling's website. Stage times are not released ahead of the festival but acts are split across nine stages, which include:Main StageParklandsCalling OutWoodlandsChai WallahThe SoapboxTim Burgess' Tim Peaks DinerDesert Island DiscoThe Town Hall How can I get there? The festival at Lowther Deer Park is 25 minutes north from the market town in are encouraging the use of public transport as part of their sustainability goals at the festival. A number of coaches are in operation on Thursday and Friday, returning on Monday, with tickets still available via their website, travelling from: Barrow-in-Furness, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Bradford, Carlisle, Dumfries, Glasgow, Kendal, Leeds, Liverpool, London Victoria, Manchester, Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Stockport, Sunderland, Warrington, Whitehaven, Wigan and nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith, which is a 15-minute taxi journey. Organisers are also running a shuttle bus service from the train station. There are also shuttle buses that run from Penrith station to the site, which run on Thursday, Friday and Monday. The times are:Thursday 10:00 – 18:45Friday 08:30 – 19:15Monday 06:00– 13:15Further details can be found on the festival's website.A designated pick-up and drop-off point is also located at the festival's Green Gate, which has road signage. Car travel and road closures Organisers are warning that traffic can be busier when travelling on a Friday and are encouraging drivers to either arrive on Thursday or make their journeys in plenty of time. Those travelling north are being advised to leave the M6 at junction 39 and head through to Shap on the A6, and then follow signage. Those travelling south should leave the M6 at junction 40 and head through to Penrith via the A66, and follow the festival signage. Car parking tickets can be booked in advance or be paid on the day at an extra cost, organisers say, and are urging festival-goers not to park next to their tent but in designated car parking areas. Roadworks taking place on the A66 from Kemplay Bank Roundabout in Penrith, which include 40mph speed restriction, may cause congestion, organisers have warned. They said to allow extra time for travelling, stating on their Facebook page: "If arriving on Friday, we'd recommend avoiding arriving between the hours of 12:00 BST to18:00 to avoid the bulk of traffic in the local area owing to the Center Parcs changeover day, end of week work traffic and of course, the influx of festival-goers."Cumbria Police said it was expecting travel disruption with busier than normal roads in the Eden area. Security and safety In the run up to the festival, police said it had been been working closely with organisers and local authorities to ensure all attending had a safe and enjoyable will be in place around the site and will be assisting event security staff where there are any incidents of crime and Supt Matt Kennerley, of the Cumbria force, is encouraging festival-goers not take valuable items, to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to security or police. He said: "The event organisers have a range of security measures in place to assist with this including searches on entry and the use of drugs-scanning dogs."Surrender bins will also be in place at entry points. These bins are an opportunity to surrender any prohibited items."I urge anyone considering bringing drugs or weapons to the festival to consider their actions and the consequences this could have not only for yourself, but for others around you."Anyone found in possession of drugs or weapons will be dealt with appropriately."Finally, I'd like to welcome all those travelling into the county for the festival - please look out for one another and have a great time." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Fewer police officers to search Kendal Calling festival-goers
Fewer police officers will be at a major festival after its organisers opted to hire more private security. Cumbria Police said there would be a "slightly decreased" number of officers at Kendal Calling because its organisers had hired a larger security team to search festival-goers. Fourteen people were arrested at last year's event, most on suspicion of drug Supt Matt Kennerley said officers would still be working at the festival and urged people to act responsibly or risk spending the weekend "in the police cells". Despite a reduced police presence, Ch Supt Kennerley said the force's response would still be comparable to similar events. "There will be an increase in security from the event organisers who will be conducting the search regime and from a policing response perspective it's around the same that we would normally have at an event of this size," he said. About 40,000 people are expected to attend the festival which starts on Cumbria force said drugs were its main concern and it would have a "full command structure" in place over the weekend."We will have officers there ready to step in," Ch Supt Kennerley said. "If event security turn up items that shouldn't be going into that event - weapons or drugs - then we are likely to have to make an arrest and we are likely to have to bring people in. "And that's the last thing we want to do."He also said Amnesty bins would be on site for people to safely dispose of drugs and urged visitors not to put themselves at risk. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
You need laser-sharp vision to find 5 hidden microphones in baffling brainteaser
Put your visual skills to the ultimate test with this devilishly difficult brainteaser where you need to find five 'sneaky' hidden microphones in just 10 seconds or less Discover whether you have eagle-eyed vision with this festival-theme brainteaser that's leaving most Brits scratching their heads. Solving cryptic riddles and challenging puzzles is one of life's best boredom busters. But, research has suggested they're so much more than that - and can actually positively impact your central nervous system. This isn't enough to transform you into a modern-day genius, but could improve your attention span and concentration levels. However, the brainteaser below is deceptively difficult, and may also lead to bursts of fury when you inevitably fail. Seriously, you'll need some pretty impressive visual skills and rapid reactions to solve this within the time limit. READ MORE: Only 1 in 3 can work out which hat contains the cat in baffling brainteaser Created by Best New Bingo Sites, the image above shows a bustling festival scene filled with singers, musicians and dancers. It'll be a familiar sight for the swathes of Brits heading to the likes of Kendal Calling, Boomtown, and Leeds Festival this summer. But amongst the party are five sneaky microphones hiding in plain sight. You'll need to spot all of them in just 10 seconds or less to prove you have laser-sharp vision. Feeling stuck? We're not going to give away any clues (that would make it far too easy) but zooming in on the picture may help you find the mics quicker. Still struggling, or think you've cracked it in the nick of time? Scroll down to the bottom of the article to reveal the answer... Want to avoid the doom and gloom? Get the latest positive news sent straight to your inbox with our Bright Stuff Newsletter If that mind-boggling brainteaser was no match for a smarty pants like yourself, fear not. This viral puzzle is much trickier, and can only be solved by those with a sky-high IQ. Reckon you're brave enough to take it on? The image above shows a goat munching on some foliage in the countryside - but there is one thing missing: his owner. That's right, hidden within the black-and-white picture is actually a woman, and you have got to find her in just five seconds to prove you have perfect vision. Again, we're not giving away any clues for this one - but if you're feeling completely stumped, ignore the five-second rule and take all the time you need to crack it. You can check your answer here - but no cheating! Up for another mental workout? Check out our full collection of tricky brainteasers, baffling riddles, and mind-boggling puzzles here - or, learn more about your hidden personality traits with these fascinating optical illusions.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Remembering Kendal Calling: the homegrown festival that's flourishing
THIS year marks the 20th anniversary of Kendal Calling, and we're looking back on the festival that put Cumbria on the music map. Charlotte Morrison-Larton and Lisa Jackson at the festival in 2015 (Image: Harry Atkinson) The music and arts event is held annually at Lowther Deer Park, with this year's beginning on July 31. It has grown from a two-day, 900 capacity festival in 2006 to a 40,000 capacity four-day extravaganza. Crowds gather ahead of Snoop Dogg performing on the main stage Kendal Calling has nine stages and has featured live performances from notable artists such as Blondie, Pendulum, Doves, Dizzee Rascal, James, Mumford & Sons, Calvin Harris and British Sea Power. Wigton group Aimee Kirkbride, Joanne Charters, Gary Armstrong, Trevor Charters, Becky Kirkbride and (front) Mark Armstrong In 2010 it was named the Best Small UK Festival at the UK Festival Awards, as voted by the public. It also won the industry award 'Best Small Festival' at the LIVE UK awards 2011. Laura Doggett performs on the Calling Out stage (Image: Newsquest) Kendal Calling was originally held in Abbot Hall Park overlooked by Kendal Castle. It had a capacity of 900 with a circus big top housing the majority of the performances. Friends from Appleby watch Less Than Jake perform on the main stage In 2007 it relocated to Grate Farm on the A591 on the outskirts of Kendal and saw an increased capacity of 2,000 with more stages added to accommodate additional artists. The following year saw the festival increase capacity again to 4,000 and extending to three days, with the winner of the Best Urban Act Dizzee Rascal flying in from Ibiza to perform on the opening Friday night only to fly back again straight after the show for a performance back on the island. Hens from Lancaster at Kendal Calling in 2015 In 2009 the festival relocated again, moving to its current home of Lowther Deer Park, near Penrith, and raising its capacity to 6,000. The 20th anniversary festival has Courteeners, Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy and Kaiser Chiefs topping the bill. Other big names set to perform this year include Sophie Ellis Bextor, Travis, The Wombats, Frank Turner, Maximo Park, Corinne Bailey Rae and Jason Manford. Fans watch Grandmaster Flash perform in the Glow Tent (Image: Newsquest) Founder Andy Smith described Kendal Calling's growth as 'quite extraordinary'. He said: 'It's become a celebration for people who travel from all over and for the community we're deeply rooted in. Molly Warburton from Lancaster performs on the Woodlands Stage (Image: Newsquest) 'When we started, it was just a group of teenagers with this wild idea of bringing music and arts to the Lakes. 'Now, 20 years on, it's grown beyond anything we could have imagined. Record ticket sales have poured in and it's honestly humbling.'
