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The Manc -
9th March 2020
The Manc -
9th March 2020 Trending
Britain’s beloved Bongo’s Bingo is coming to Kendal Calling for the very first time
Danny Jones
One of the UK’s biggest, silliest and best nights out, the almighty Bongo’s Bingo is making its festival debut at Kendal Calling 2025.
The crazy, comedy-driven mix of traditional bingo, dance-offs, rave intervals, crowd participation and all manner of shenanigans began over a decade ago, and has genuinely grown into a cultural phenomenon.
Be it a random weeknight or peak Friday-Saturday pint time, Bongo’s Bingo venues all over the country pack out with people ready to make a fool out of themselves in hopes of winning random prizes – even the completely pointless ones.
In case you’ve never seen it for yourselves before, here’s a little glimpse at the standard and frankly chronic level of chaos:
Sorry, why would you go to normal bingo when you can go to one where drinks and dancing are compulsory, and you can leave not just a life-sized Gary Barlow cut-out but even a Henry Hoover all in the same night?
Personally, we’ve been going to Bongo’s Bingo since pre-pandemic, as we’re sure lots of you also have; it’s now in over 50 locations, having recently tested the waters across the pond in the US, and they’re only planning to expand further this year.
Come 2026, we’re betting on them going well and truly global.
Founded by Jonny Lacey (a.k.a. ‘Jonny Bongo’ himself) and Joshua Burke back in April 2015, fast forward to the present day, and you’ll find a soul who hasn’t at least heard of the ridiculous bingo-themed party, if not experienced the madness for themselves.
With Kendal Calling promising plenty of other live entertainment and activities that quite literally cater to just about everyone, we think it’s the perfect place to make some noise and leave a mark, not to mention create another Northern stronghold.
Lowther Deer Park isn’t the only festival location on their list either: Bongo’s is also set to make a splash at BeatMasters Festival in Norwich and Oxford this summer. Speaking ahead of the festival debut, host Jimmy Sweets said, “Bongo’s Bingo is ready for Kendal Calling.
“We’re bringing the magic and mayhem for a special festival set this weekend, packed with bangers, classics, and hands-in-the-air madness as the UK’s most talked about night out comes to Cumbria.
“There’s nowhere else like Bongo’s Bingo to be immersed in pure escapism and nostalgia – this is going to be wild. Myself and Rich Furness are DJing back to back both nights, so come and get involved this Saturday and Sunday at The Soapbox. We can’t wait to see everyone.”
Bongo’s Bingo will be taking place this Saturday and Sunday, 2-3 August, from 11pm until gone half past midnight at The Soapbox tent. You can read our full Kendal Calling 2025 festival guide HERE, and we’ll see you in the fields – or at the very least in the bingo hall.
Read more:
- Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever music festival
- Oasis are clearly doing something deliberate for the as-yet-unconfirmed Live ’25 reunion album
- Beat-Herder Festival 2025 – a magical weekend of music, madness, miniature worlds and more
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Supplied (via Bongo’s Bingo/Albert Hall)
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Kendal Calling 2025 festival guide – everything you need to know ahead of a milestone year
Danny Jones
The fields are beckoning us back once more as Kendal Calling returns for its 20th anniversary, and we’re to deliver all the important information to you yet again, from the stellar lineup, stage splits, site map and more.
It’s hard to believe the Lake District‘s leading live music event has been going for two whole decades now and, as cliché as it may sound, it really has gotten bigger and better each and every time.
Having been three years in a row ourselves, we can certainly vouch for the recent form.
In fact, their big birthday edition saw the beloved Northern favourite festival sell out – as it has done every 12 months since it began – in record time and now we can’t think of anything else other than singing our hearts out in Lowther Deer Park. Hence why we wrote this guide.
Kendal Calling guide 2025 – all the key info
Without further ado, here are all the important details you need to know ahead of Kendal Calling’s milestone anniversary festival. Let’s start with the bread and butter, shall we?
Kendal Calling 2025 lineup and stage splits
We announced the Kendal Calling’s 2025 lineup late last year, which is set to be headlined by Greater Manchester’s very own Courteeners and The Prodigy, with other big names packing out the main festival stage and beyond.
Other regional acts were looking forward to seeing include Leigh’s The Lottery Winners, Sheffield’s famous sons and daughters, Reverend and the Makers; Leeds legends, Kaiser Chiefs, as well as The Wombats and The K’s, just to name a few.
You can see the full stage splits via Clashfinder HERE.
A party 20 years in the making…🙌 RT + Like for your chance to win 4 x VIP upgrades, Emperors Field camping & a £100 bar tab!
— Kendal Calling 🦌 (@KendalCalling) November 1, 2024
Escape to the Lakes with The Prodigy, @FatboySlim, @thecourteeners, @KaiserChiefs & more!
Register now for pre-sale access 👉 https://t.co/vsh02Dllfo pic.twitter.com/Vgy1r71vNq
What are the Kendal Calling stages this year?
- Main Stage – Where all the action and big headliners are playing at the northernmost spot.
- Parklands – The second largest stage, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the site; there’s also a brilliant Glow takeover by night.
- Calling Out – Rounding out the trio of Kendal stages with even more big acts to the west.
- Woodlands – Exactly what it sounds like: a cosy stage set within the Lost Eden forest.
- Chai Wallahs – Another large tent towards the North East of the site, boasting a variety of genres.
- The Soapbox – Just northwest of Parklands, it’s where most of the live comedy is taking place.
- Tim Peaks Diner – Named after Salford icon Tim Burgess himself, this little hut is built for more pared-down sets.
- Desert Island Disco – Where the electronic scene goes to shine and usher in the late-night fun.
- Roots – Built to spotlight emerging talent from across the region, there are gems to be found here.
- The Town Hall – The latest addition to the festival alongside the official Kendal Calling pub, which debuted last year.
Kendal Calling 2025 map
Now, while Kendal Calling is just generally considered a Lake District festival, it’s technically located in the sloping valley that dips down into Lowther Deer Park.
The large, woodland-lined expanse is situated within the Cumbria town of Penrith; the park itself is roughly 3,000 acres but forms part of the much larger 75,000-acre Lowther Estate.
For context, the increasingly popular event now welcomes around 40,000 festival goers every year, with Kendal Calling having grown from a 900-capacity seed to a giant, forest-spanning attraction.
Not much has moved around since last time, so you can always check out our video tour from 2024, but you can find an up-to-date site map down below.
Travel info – how to get there, parking and more
If you’re wondering how to get to Kendal Calling, once again: the festival takes place at Lowther Deer Park in Hackthorpe near Penrith, Cumbria (no, it’s not quite Kendal)
For the sake of ease when it comes to popping the location into the SatNav, the postcode is CA10 2HT.
By car
Located roughly 25 minutes north of its namesake Kendal, you can drive up there via the M6 and south down the A6 from Penrith. You can easily download full directions on Google Maps.
Parking
The general car park is adjacent to the general campsites, but BE AWARE, the further away you park, the longer the walk up that hill – and it is a big one, we’re afraid.
Also, pre-warning, you must bring any alcohol purchased from outside the festival site up on the first trip up to your pitch. We found out the hard way…
Hoping to encourage people to carpool and ride share where possible, with Kendal remaining a dedicated and environmentally-conscious event (see their ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ mission statement, for example), there is a charge for parking separate from festival admission.
Passes can be purchased online in advance for £24.50, or you can pay on the day for £40, but just like downloading/printing out your tickets prior to entry, we’d obviously advise you plan ahead and get them ready beforehand.
Emperors Field, Great Plains, Deer Lodge and Tangerine Fields all have their own respective car parks, which require specific parking passes as part of campsite upgrade packages. You can see all the options and secure your parking HERE.
By train, then taxi/shuttle
The nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith (also known as Penrith North Lakes), which is just a 15-minute taxi journey from the site.
Alternatively, you can hop on the special shuttle bus service that runs from the station to the festival at various points over the weekend. Various services are available from Scotland, Birmingham, London, here in Manchester and across the North West – for example:
- From Birmingham New Street to Penrith (2h31m) — trains every hour
- From London Euston to Penrith (3 hours) — trains every 30 minutes
- From Glasgow to Penrith (1h21m) — trains every hour
- From Edinburgh to Penrith (1h30m) — trains every hour
- From Lancaster to Penrith (34 mins) — regular service
- From Manchester Piccadilly to Penrith (1h41m) – trains every 30 minutes, change at Preston
Shuttles will run to and from Penrith (North Lakes) Station to Kendal Calling from 10am-18:45pm on Thursday and 8:30am-19:15pm on Friday. They won’t resume again until early Monday, with the final service lasting from 8:30am-13:15pm.
The festival has a dedicated pick-up and drop-off point (PUDO) outside at Green Gate. Follow the road signage as you get closer to the site for directions to the PUDO, which is also where you’ll find the taxi rank alongside our coach drop-off spot – just a short 5-10 minute walk to the wristband exchange too.
By coach/mini-bus
Speaking of coaches, you can find ticket prices for official services from destinations like Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and many more places across the UK HERE.
For all other info on other options for getting to Kendal Calling 2025, consult the travel section on the festival website.
What else is on besides the music?
Now, it’s not all airborne pints and tunage, though there is plenty of that; one of the things that makes Kendal one of our favourite festivals not only in the North but the entire country is the wide range of entertainment, activities and spaces it offers beyond just bands and artists.
For instance, this special anniversary year also marks the debut of Bongo’s Bingo at Kendal Calling, which we simply cannot wait for.
As well as child-friendly facilities like laid-back Picturehouse social cinema, the annual parade, a dedicated ‘Kids Calling’ zone for said little ones, and the chilled-out Green Room outdoor area, there’s live alternative theatre, silent disco and tonnes more.
For instance, Mancunian comedy veterans Jason Manford and Justin Moorhouse will both be performing their own stand-up sets, which should provide a nice sense of home even while you’re away in the fields. And that really is just the tip of the iceberg.
We here at The Manc will be there in person as part of our Audio North team as somewhat of a boots-on-the-ground representation of our Kendal Calling 2025 guide, so feel free to say hello if you happen to spot the logo bouncing around.
Not if we’re in the middle of the pit or dancing though – that’s private time and you daren’t interrupt one of us mid-groove.
And if any of you are first-timers facing some newbie jitters or simply wondering how good a time you’re about to have this weekend, we think our most recent review sums it up pretty well.
See you in the fields!
Read more:
- Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever festival
- A look back at Tramlines 2025: one of the best Northern music events there is
- Beat-Herder Fest – a magical weekend of music, madness, miniature worlds and more
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Audio North/The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied)
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