The Shambala Festival is a small family-friendly festival based in Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom.
It is a small diverse festival and features a variety of music, including rock, pop, folk and world music. There are also independent films, workshops, talks and debates, comedy, a fresh organic market, fair trade coffee, practical demonstrations, a speakers' corner, site art (a new art trail and a range of get-involved sculpture) and "music with a mission". Permaculturists from across the UK create a welcoming garden/ workshop space incorporating art, crafts and sounds.
On Saturday night, there are usually 7000 people in fancy dress. DJs and speakers headline a green venue, which hosts talks about world issues, an anti-GM opera, workshops and independent films.
Kids' activities include a full and diverse program of activities for all ages, such as creative workshops (e.g. shadow dancing), trampolines, circus fun, games, music, performances from Helen the Hat and others, and a samba procession on Sunday. Many activities address cultural awareness, the environment and rights. Children are able to add their messages to the Rights Tree, to be posted on the website for the world to see.
Though it has been held at Kelmarsh Hall for years, venue details are not provided to attendees until they buy a ticket and band line-ups are not made public in advance. Ticket holders find out who's performing when they get there because the event is kept secret unless you have a ticket, this helps stop gate-crashers.
Shambala Festival 2010
The 2010 event was held on 26–30 August and featured Fool's Gold, Rodney P, The Nextmen and The Gaslamp Killer.