General Information
Travel
The location of Shambala is revealed only with the puchase of tickets.
We encourage travel in a 'low-impact' way to Shambala. Options are:
Cycle to Shambala: FREE guided cycle tours from 5 cities in partnership with Sustrans. click HERE for more info.
The Shambala Express (Coaches). Meet 10am for 11am departure, Thursday and Friday from: Bristol, Birmingham, London and Sheffield, and 9am fore 10am departure from Brighton. On board entertainment includes Shambala movies and big prize bingo! More info available during the ticket booking process.
Public transport: FREE shuttle bus (donations welcome to offset the carbon and cover costs) from the local train station (Market Harborough). Service available:
From Market Harborough train station to festival site:
Thursday 26th: Midday - 9pm
Friday 27th: 11am - 9pm
Saturday 28th: 2pm - 5pm
From Festival site to train station
Sunday 29th: 2pm - 5pm
Monday 30th: 8am - 12noon (Site closes Monday midday)
*Be aware that if you miss the last one, we cannot offer alternative arrangements. Please take an earlier shuttle bus to make sure you get your connection!
Car Sharing: A brand new lift-share facility on-line HERE soon!
Coming by car / Van:
Please offset your travel miles when buying tickets (see below).
Make sure you have the correct vehicle pass
Follow the correct route, and observe the gate times given with your e-ticket.
Distances for guidance:
From Birmingham it is only 45 miles and takes a ridiculous 47 minutes
From Bristol it is only 120 miles and takes a very manageable 2 hours
From London it is 80 miles and takes a very do-able 2 hours
From Sheffield it is 95 miles and takes a measly 1 and half hours
From Penzance it is a long way but its worth it!
Offset your Carbon: Our carbon offset initiative has been carefully worked out to reflect the real cost of replacing carbon. This is not a guilt-easing excercise - we believe some activities (this festival) are worthwhile despite the impacts, but we must act to reduce CO2 where possible, and replace the remaining carbon footprint. We will offer YOU the option of where to spend the carbon offset revenues, by website vote, after the festival. We will be contributing approximately £2500 (dependent on the results of this years carbon audit) to offset the carbon costs of the event itself. Please do your bit!
Detailed info in the download sheet below (coming soon)
Disabled Information
Shambala aims to be a festival which everyone can enjoy. We are working with various organisations to make sure the event is as accessible as practically possible.
Tickets: We offer a free ticket for a carer if you recieve middle or higher rate DLA. This ticket must be puchased over the phone (0844 870 0000). Proof of DLA support must be provided on entry. Other requests for free support tickets will be considered on an idividual basis. Email us via the access email address on the contacts page
Access: As a disabled ticket holder, you will recieve a specific email with instructions and info about access in advance of the event, and will have the opportunity to ask questions to the Disabled Camping Area coordinator.
Camping: The Disabled Camping Area (DCA) will be located close to the main event (so please expect some noise at night), and will be accessible via a hard standing track. This area will be flat, can accommodate tents and cars/vehicles, has an accessible toilet and an indoor wheel chair charging point. You may choose either (1) to camp in this area as a disabled ticket holder (2) to camp elsewhere in general public camping with friends who do not hold disabled tickets and use the facilities when required. Please note each DCA camper may have 3 guests (includes adults and children). However Disabled pass holders may only camp next to their vehicle in the designated DCA field, as we are not permittesd to have vehciles in the main general public camping area. If anything is unclear, feel free to email us! We aim to be flexible as far as is possible to meet your needs.
Toilets: There will be carefully located wide-access toilets with Radar key locks throughout the site. Please bring your RADAR keys. If you do not have one, we can lend you a key for the duration of the event. Let us know when we send out the advance email requesting info. Keys will be held by the DCA manager, Lisa.
Wheelchair Charging: This will be available in a covered tent in the DCA.
Viewing platforms: There will be platforms where possible / necessary on the larger venues.
Food & Drink
There will be the usual impressive array of reasonably priced cafes including vegetarian and vegan foods, a mean Jerk chicken BBQ, pizza, the famous Thali Cafe, cycle powered smoothies, and a kid friendly food cafe.
Shambala has a policy of inviting cafes that use locally produced, organic (where possible) and/or 'happy animal' food. We stipulate the use of biodegradable serving materials.
Drink
We have several fully licensed, rather special bars, serving real ales, lager, cider, spirits and cocktails. We have established relationships with co-operative and organic brewers. And everything we sell is VERY reasonably priced.
Note we do not accept any roving traders and will be very strict with unlicensed trade.
Drugs Policy
Shambala has a no drugs policy. In particular we are keen to discourage people from using Cocaine and Nitrous Oxide due to their unforgivable impacts on ecololgy/the environment and the communities where they are produced.
In our recent audience survey, the Shambala public rated the banning of Nox use on the festival site as one of their key priorities. We are a family-friendly festival - children are attracted to balloons. We have always made efforts to confiscate supplies and eject people from the site, but this year we will have a dedicated team to both prevent the sale of it on-site and educate all about the impacts.
We are in the process of writing a detailed drugs policy for the 2010 event which explains our approach. For now see these links with explain the damaging effects of production and use:
The Impacts of Nitrous Oxide on global warming, DEFRA.
Recent Guardian Article on impact of Cocaine on rainforest destruction.
A more in depth look at impact of cocain on ecology.
