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It’s no wonder Kendal Calling sells out every year – it’s one of the most well-rounded festivals in the North

Our love for Lowther Deer Park grows stronger every year.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 5th August 2024

Another year, another absolutely stunning festival in the fields at Kendal Calling 2024, which also happened to be the 19th consecutive sell-out year – and it really is no wonder.

The massive music, arts and cultural event, along with tens of thousands of festival-goers, descended upon the beautiful multi-coloured, flag-laden valley of Lowther Deer Park to kick off August in style and, naturally, Audio North just had to drive down for another taste of it.

Arriving early on Friday after already seeing the superb scenes on Thursday’s opening night – with the likes of Paul Heaton, Declan McKenna, The Covasettes and more all playing – we were keen to get stuck straight in and we did just that, landing at the main stage just in time to see CMAT.

Start as you mean to go: by waving your cowboy/bucket hat in the air with pride.

Safe to say our day one was pretty packed, ticking off some names that for many might be considered bucket list gigs, not least the likes of Keane, Noel Gallagher and, of course, Dick and Dom (no, seriously, they’re genuinely mint).

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And that’s just the day-time music. From walking around the expansive 3,000-acre national park, sampling far too many of the fantastic food vendors than our waistlines would care to admit, to walking through the forest village and seeing bits of live theatre, comedy and more, there was something different around every corner.

One of the things we love most about Kendal Calling is the all ages crowd, with countless families in fun festival fits, bucket hat-wearing teenagers enjoying their first big live music weekend, plus plenty of older punters still gigging only from the comfort of a camping chair, it all warmed the heart just the same.

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We also had some pretty stunning weather this year, with much warmer temperatures than 2023 and plenty of sunshine throughout to the point that the short spells of spitting rain came as merely a faint and somewhat refreshing little reminder that we were in fact in the Lake District.

Credit: Tom Martin
Credit: Abbie Jennings
Credit: Nat Argent
Credit: George Harrison
A different vibe every few yards.

Once again, Kendal Calling 2024 also had a theme, so it was fun to stumble across hordes of pirates, sailors, sea creatures and pretty much anything related to the ‘High Seas’, not to mention to see the continued committment to being one of the most evironmentally friendly events of its kind.

The ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ initiative underpins the entire festival’s approach to delviering a good time, from creating carbon neutral productions wherever they can to making the facilities as sustainable as possible, it’s no mean feat given the 40k people that attend each day, let alone the artists and all those beind the scenes.

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This stuff doesn’t go unnoticed either; even in a short chat with our very own Manchester-based music collective The Untold Orchestra, when pressed for an answer on what makes it so special and why the Northern music indsutry is the best, the first thing they did was shout out all the staff making it happen.

Another big higlight for us was watching Gary Neville’s b2b DJ set with The Charlatans frontman and Manc music legend Tim Burgess over at the Parklands stage. The Man United legend may have been a bit shy at first but he definitely grew into things.

As The Manc representatives attending the festival, we particualrly enjoyed this moment…

Last and certainly not least, a special mention simply has to go to Kendal Calling’s after hours scene, where you can potentially have an even better time than you ever would have expected.

We certainly got a great glimpse of it last year but, in all honesty, perhaps we didn’t throw outseves into it as much as we should have. We didn’t make that mistake this time.

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It only takes walking through the aforementioned forest village known as Lost Eden to literally feel transported to some kind of flourescent, kaleidoscopic alternate reality where fantasy and sci-fi seem to merge in a perfect marriage.

Whether you pull on a pair of headphones for the silent disco, stare up at the night sky with a rainbow of streamers hanging overhead, or do we what we did and literally stand mesmerised by the floating Earth for what felt like half an hour, it does feel like some much-needed escapism.

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All in all, it was another incredible year for Kendal Calling, with some incredible perfomances across the whopping 17 stages.

Some of our highlights included Peace, Franz Von, the masterful DJ set from Vookoo inside the Chai Wallahs tent; Manc locals Sugarstone, finally hearing The Streets play ‘Blinding Lights’ live, and being part of a pub quiz hosted by The Lottery Winners at the festival’s flagship pub, The Stagger Inn.

In the spirit of that wonderful name, we can’t wait to do just that again next year and we’ll see you back in the fields come August 2025 – consider that a promise.

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kendal calling 2024 pictures
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As vibrant and wonderful a world as it looks. (Credit: The Manc Group)

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Featured Images — Nat Argent/George Harrison (supplied)

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The family-run gem doing tapas, craft beer, cocktails and live music just outside Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Katie Jackson outside Gin & Brews

A good neighbourhood restaurant should be somewhere you can pop in to at any time of day, for just about any occasion. 

Whether it’s coffee and a bake after the school run, a tapas night with your mates, a cosy cocktail with your partner, or even somewhere to end the night listening to live music, Gin & Brews is one such neighbourhood gem.

This brilliant family-run venue opened in an old bank in Garstang in 2023 and quickly spilled over into the unit next door, expanding its offering as it went. 

It’s gone from a cosy bottle shop and microbar to a true neighbourhood haunt, with fantastic deals (like two pizzas and a bottle of wine for £25 on Thursdays) and cocktails made with their own distilled spirits. 

The food is a big part of the appeal, particularly the tapas.

There’s bread and oils, chorizo and prawns, goat’s cheese and loaded potatoes, with plenty designed for sharing – you might want to order more than you think you need, but at £12 for three dishes, that’s no hardship.

You can get three tapas dishes for £12
You can get three tapas dishes for £12
Lemon curd French toast
Lemon curd French toast

Then there’s the homemade honey and sea salt butter. It’s the sort of butter you try once and immediately want to tell everyone about. 

For daytime visits, the brunch menu brings out perfectly poppable eggs and seriously good French toast, with the lemon curd a particular must-try.

And if you have dietary requirements, Gin & Brews is unusually well set up for gluten-free diners, with almost everything on the menu gluten free – even the beer – plus a generous selection of gluten-free bakes.

The drinks offering is where things get particularly interesting.

The team make their own spirits under the Garstang Gin name, with the distillery growing from just three spirits to an impressive 46.

It’s a natural progression for the owner, who previously worked in the drinks industry before leaving to set up her own gin distillery.

They distill their own Garstang Gin spirits for cocktails
They distill their own Garstang Gin spirits for cocktails
Inside Gin & Brews
Inside Gin & Brews

Those spirits now make their way into the cocktails at Gin & Brews, giving the bar plenty of its own character and making it a particularly good shout if cocktails are your thing.

There’s also a constantly changing selection of craft beer, with the range switching up regularly, alongside the bottle shop, so there’s always something new to discover.

For somewhere that has grown so quickly, Gin & Brews still feels firmly rooted in its community.

Much of what goes onto your plate is sourced from businesses on the high street, including local butchers and egg suppliers. Even some of the cakes and cookies are made by one of the members of staff.

It feels fitting for a venue in Garstang, which is recognised as the world’s first Fair Trade Town.

Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff
Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff
Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff

And while Wednesday and Thursday evenings are already busy, the team are keen to bring more people through the doors during the day. They certainly have the offering for it.

There are coffee-and-cake afternoons, brunch dates, tapas lunches, craft beer, cocktails and plenty of gluten-free treats to take away.

Then, when the sun goes down, the music comes on, with live performances at weekends and regular events bringing the place to life.

If you’re looking for a reason to venture out of Manchester for something a little different, this might just be it.

Gin & Brews has only been around for a few years, but it already feels like one of those places that has been part of the local scene forever.

And if the homemade butter doesn’t convince you, the cocktails probably will.

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Featured: The Manc Group

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Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life

A magical new Christmas experience is coming to Manchester this winter, bringing The Polar Express to life. 

The fully immersive walkthrough experience will invite you on an enchanting journey to the North Pole, as you whizz past beautiful landscapes – all without actually leaving Manchester. 

The all-new BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS Experience brings the beloved story to life, following the Hero Boy and Hero Girl. 

Taking place at the O2 Victoria Warehouse, the experience begins in Hero Boy’s bedroom, before you step foot into the iconic The Polar Express carriage as a passenger. 

Then you’ll be glued to the windows as you whizz through the Caribou Forest, past icy lakes, and dazzling Northern Lights displays. 

Entertaining passengers every step of the way are beloved characters like the Conductor, Hero Boy, Hero Girl, and the mysterious Hobo. 

You can get your golden ticket punched, warm up with a complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie, and be swept along by the festive tale. 

Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar Express
Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar Express
You can visit the nice-o-meter
You can visit the nice-o-meter
And meet Santa himself
And meet Santa himself

At the ‘North Pole’, the magic continues, with a Pyjama Party, a Letter Writing Station where you can send a note to Santa, visit the Naughty or Nice Machine, and craft a special Christmas decoration to take home. 

You’ll even get the chance to meet Santa Claus himself… 

While THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride has welcomed over 1.7 million riders in 2024, BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Experience is a brand-new experience – no moving train, no stations. 

Instead, the wonder of the story is brought off the tracks and into a hands-on environment. 

The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to life
The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to life
Follow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole
Follow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole

Photo opportunities are available throughout the experience, and little ones (or grown-ups, we’re not judging) are encouraged to wear pyjamas to fully embrace the story. 

BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS comes from Warner Bros., Discovery Global Experiences, Rail Events Inc., and Plus Live Events.

BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS takes place between 14 November and 31 December at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, with tickets now available and expected to sell out quickly HERE.

A Relaxed Performance Day for guests with neurodiverse conditions will also be held.

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Featured image: Supplied

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