What SHAMBALA FESTIVAL LIMITED does

Shambala Festival Limited (operating through legal entity Kambe Events Ltd, Companies House registration 05427319) is the UK organiser of Shambala Festival, an annual four-day independent music and arts festival held at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens in Northamptonshire. Founded in 1999 and running for over 25 years, the festival operates each August (the 2026 edition runs 27th-30th August) and programs 30+ venues spanning music, talks, poetry, workshops, art, performance, and family-friendly activities alongside a youth-led sub-venue (Hertz So Good) where 90% of crew and artists are under 21. The festival runs on a small year-round core team of approximately 13 staff and seasonal contractors.

The revenue model is built on tiered ticketing (Adult Weekend, Young Adult 18-25, Elders 70+, Child/Teen, Local Sunday Day) sold exclusively via Humanitix, with tiered pricing, multiple instalment payment plans (Pay Monthly, Fortnightly, Weekly, in 5, in 3) finalising by July 2026, and a mandatory £25 refundable recycling bond. Ancillary revenue streams include on-site bars and food traders (cashless contactless), branded merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, bottles, beanies, art prints), commissions on third-party pre-pitched camping/yurts/glamping (Hearthworks, Hooe's Yurts, Vintents, Camplight, Fred's Yurts, Umami Camping), sustainable travel packages (Shambala Express coaches, Rail Shuttle, Red Fox Cycling), and Green Traveller ticket discounts. Technology surface is light: a public website, a mobile app used by 93% of attendees for programme/navigation, and the Humanitix ticketing platform — no proprietary AI, ML, or data platform is disclosed.

In April 2026 Shambala became the UK's first employee-owned festival, with the five co-founders (Chris, Dan, Jon, Oli, Sid) stepping away from ownership and transferring the business to the year-round staff team; co-founder Dan Raffety continues as Head of Music. The festival differentiates structurally through a zero-brand-sponsor policy, radical sustainability commitments (carbon offset fees via Onboard:earth, no single-use plastic bottles, free hot showers, mandatory recycling bond), inclusive access (instalment plans, subsidised youth and local tickets), and charitable infrastructure (Flags For... campaign having raised over £68,000 over 10 years; Pay It Forward raised £16,896 in 2024 and £11,204.53 in 2025). Customer outcomes from 2024 surveys include 95% of parents reporting sufficient children's activities and 93% of families sleeping well without arena noise disturbance.

Name

SHAMBALA FESTIVAL LIMITED

Legal name

Kambe Events Ltd

Website

https://shambalafestival.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shambala Festival Limited operates an annual four-day independent music and arts festival held at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire, founded in 1999. It sells tiered tickets exclusively via Humanitix and became the UK's first employee-owned festival in 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festivals

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led) (MPAGAEAF), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Independent music festival
• Live music events
• Festival ticketing
• Event merchandise
• Outdoor arts festival

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Tickets: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales across multiple tiers: Adult Weekend, Young Adult, Elders, Child, Teen, and Local Sunday Day tickets. Additional revenue from vehicle passes, camping upgrades (Dragonfly), pre-pitched accommodation, and coach/rail shuttle travel tickets. Sold exclusively via Humanitix.
2. Merchandise: Official Shambala merchandise sold through the online shop including t-shirts, mugs, bottles, beanies, art prints, and lunch boxes. Sustainably sourced and made to last.
3. Food, Beverage & On-site Trading: On-site bars, food traders, merchandise points, and the tobacco kiosk generate revenue during the festival. Cashless payments via contactless card are accepted across the site.
4. Pre-pitched Camping & Glamping: Third-party suppliers (Hearthworks, Hooe's Yurts, Vintents, Camplight, Fred's Yurts, Umami Camping) provide pre-pitched accommodation in Dragonfly Camping Fields and General Camping, generating revenue through accommodation bookings.
5. Recycling Bond Deposit: A mandatory £25 refundable recycling bond is added to all orders containing adult tickets. Refunded upon delivery of a bag of recycling to the onsite Recycling Exchange.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shambala Festival is a four-day independent music and arts festival held annually at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens in Northampton, UK, featuring over 30 venues with hundreds of bands, DJs, talks, poetry, workshops, art, and family-friendly activities. The festival sells tiered tickets (Adult, Young Adult, Elders, Child, Teen, Local Sunday Day) through Humanitix and generates supporting revenue from official merchandise, on-site bars, food traders, and third-party camping.

Product overview

Shambala Festival is a four-day independent music and arts festival operating as the UK's first employee-owned festival. The core product is the festival event itself, held annually at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens, featuring over 30 venues programming hundreds of acts across music, talks, poetry, workshops, and art. Supporting products include the Shambala App for attendee experience, Dragonfly Camping Fields and Pre-pitched Camping options for accommodation, Hertz So Good as a dedicated youth-led venue, Official Merchandise, Wellness & Activities facilities, and Sustainable Travel Options including coach, rail shuttle, and cycling tour packages. The festival distinguishes itself through radical sustainability commitments, zero brand sponsors, and community-focused values.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hertz So Good: Youth-led venue designed, built, led, managed and programmed by youth for youth, where artists under 23 perform including bands, rappers, DJs, singer-songwriters, and spoken word artists.
• Dragonfly Camping Fields
• Pay It Forward: Share The Love
• Flags For...

Products and services

• Shambala Festival A four-day independent music and arts festival held annually at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens in Northampton, featuring over 30 venues with hundreds of bands, DJs, talks, poetry, workshops, art, performance, and family-friendly activities. It is positioned as the UK's first employee-owned festival.
• Festival Tickets Tiered tickets for the four-day festival including Adult Weekend, Young Adult (18-25), Elders (70+), Child (5-12), Teen (13-17), and Local Sunday Day Ticket for LE/NN postcode residents. Sold exclusively through Humanitix with tiered pricing, instalment payment plans, and a mandatory £25 refundable recycling bond per adult ticket order.
• Hertz So Good (Youth Venue) A youth-led venue at Shambala Festival designed, built, led, managed and programmed by young people for young people, hosting bands, rappers, DJs, workshops and street artists. 90% of crew and artists are under 21 years old.
• Dragonfly Camping Fields A premium camping area at Shambala offering enhanced comfort and convenience, featuring pre-pitched accommodation options including tipis, yurts, bell tents, and upcycled vintage tents from third-party suppliers.
• Pre-pitched Camping (Tipis & Yurts) Pre-pitched camping options including tipis, yurts, bell tents, and upcycled canvas tents supplied by third-party providers (Hearthworks, Hooe's Yurts, Vintents, Camplight, Fred's Yurts, Umami Camping) for festival attendees in Dragonfly Camping Fields and General Camping.
• Official Shambala Merchandise Official Shambala-branded merchandise sold through the online shop (shambalafestival.org/shop) including t-shirts, mugs, bottles, beanies, art prints, vinyl slip mats, and lunch boxes, all ethically sourced and sustainably made.
• Shambala App A smartphone application that helps festival attendees plan their weekend, navigate venues, view the timetable, and access festival information. Used by 93% of attendees, with over 85% rating it excellent or good.
• Sustainable Travel Options Eco-friendly travel packages including Shambala Express coach services from Birmingham, Sheffield, London, Bristol, Brighton, and Manchester; Rail Shuttle transfers from Market Harborough and Long Buckby stations; and Red Fox Cycling guided tours from London. Bundled with Green Traveller tickets for a £40 discount on standard adult weekend tickets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of parents reported there was more than enough for their kids to do at the 2024 festival
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HumanitixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHumanitix is the sole and official public ticket agent for Shambala Festival. All public tickets must be purchased through Humanitix. The platform handles booking fees, transaction charges, instalment payment plans, ticket delivery, and official resale. The partnership is central to the festival's revenue operations.
• Onboard:EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnboard:earth is Shambala's carbon offset partner. Carbon offset fees of £1.50 per car pass and £3.00 per camper van pass are donated in full to Onboard:earth to balance carbon emissions from attendee travel. The partnership also funds vital ecosystem restoration projects.
• Red Fox CyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Fox Cycling partners with Shambala to offer guided cycling tours from London to the festival. Green Traveller discounted tickets (£40 off) are locked at tier 1 pricing for cyclists. Red Fox provides support vans, overnight campsite bookings, breakfast, lunch, and return coach transport for bikes. Red Fox Cycling is a disclosed agent with all responsibility and liability for rides resting with Red Fox Cycling.
• LiftshareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShambala partnered with Liftshare for the second consecutive year in 2026 to help attendees share car journeys to the festival, reducing travel emissions and making getting to the festival easier and more fun.
• EvrythngminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvrythng is Shambala's new spirits supplier from 2026. Festival-goers can vote on where Evrythng's Shambala profits will be donated, integrating the supplier into Shambala's charitable 'Flags For...' initiative.
• HearthworksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHearthworks provides pre-pitched tipis, trilodges, and yurts for Shambala in Dragonfly Camping Fields. Family and friends cohort, with sustainability at the heart of their work. Offerings range from 2 to 9 people.
• Hooe's YurtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHooe's Yurts supplies pre-pitched yurts with lockable wooden doors in Dragonfly Camping Fields. Fully furnished or bring-your-own-interiors options available, with extras including kids floor mattresses and wood burners.
• VintentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVintents provides upcycled colourful canvas tents from the 70s in Dragonfly Camping Fields. Full standing height with separate cotton canopied bedrooms. Vintents balances their operational emissions supporting sustainable energy initiatives with Onboard:Earth.
• CamplightminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCamplight provides salvaged and reconditioned tents with basic furnishings in General Camping. Priced from £15 per person per night, allowing attendees to travel light via public transport, bike, or lift share.
• Fred's YurtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFred's Yurts returns for its 25th year providing handmade yurts with comfy full height beds and luxury furnishings in Dragonfly Camping Fields. Also offers Bell Tents in Basic, Comfort and Luxury options.
• Umami CampingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUmami Camping provides bell tent packages in Dragonfly Camping Fields, offering community and connection alongside accommodation. Founder Gemma previously ran Firefly Camping as Shambala's bell tent supplier for 10 years.
• The ColabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Colab (the-collab.co.uk) handles brand partnerships for Shambala, managing any corporate sponsorship or brand collaboration enquiries on behalf of the festival.
• Help Rural NepalminorOthersHelp Rural Nepal was the founding charity behind Shambala's 'Flags For...' campaign. Established by co-founder Dan's mother Pam, focused on education and healthcare in Nepal's Dhading District. The campaign began in 2015 in response to the Nepal earthquake, raising over £7,000 in its first year and spawning a decade-long tradition.
• Big Green CoachminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBig Green Coach provides transport services for Shambala, referenced in the terms and conditions as a third-party supplier for which all responsibility and liability rests with the supplier.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glastonbury Festival: The UK's flagship independent music and arts festival. While vastly larger in scale (200,000+ attendees), Glastonbury shares Shambala's independent ethos, multi-stage programming, and emphasis on community and family-friendly amenities, making it the most relevant category benchmark.
• Kendal Calling: Independent UK music festival with a similar focus on emerging artists and a community atmosphere. Comparable mid-size scale, independent ownership ethos, and family programming make it a relevant direct peer.
• Boomtown Fair: Independent UK festival with a strong community ethos, theatrical/immersive programming, and a comparable independent ownership structure. Similar mid-large scale and emphasis on creative self-expression align with Shambala's brand.
• Camp Bestival: UK family-focused festival explicitly targeting the family camping and children's programming niche — the same segment Shambala dominates. Direct peer for Shambala's family positioning and Dragonfly Camping Fields offering.
• Green Man Festival: Independent Welsh music and arts festival of comparable mid-size scale with a similar emphasis on emerging artists, family programming, sustainability, and a non-corporate atmosphere. One of Shambala's closest like-for-like UK peers.
• Latitude Festival: Multi-genre UK festival combining music, literature, theatre, poetry, comedy, and family programming — directly mirroring Shambala's diversified programming approach beyond just music. Comparable mid-to-large size and family-friendly positioning.
• Standon Calling: Independent UK boutique festival with comparable mid-size scale, eclectic programming, and strong family/community positioning. Operates in the same mid-tier independent festival segment.
• Wilderness Festival: UK four-day independent music and arts festival with comparable programming mix spanning music, talks, food, and wellness. Targets a similar affluent, experience-seeking adult audience with comparable ticket pricing structure.
• End of the Road Festival: Boutique UK independent festival with comparable size, an eclectic music-led program, and a similar focus on community atmosphere and discovery of emerging talent. Operates in a similar mid-tier independent festival niche.

Broad incumbents

• All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP): Historically significant UK independent festival known for artist-curated programming and a community-focused ethos. While now operating at reduced scale, ATP represents a broader UK independent festival heritage and programming philosophy relevant to Shambala's positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hsgsounds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shambala-festival-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHAMBALA FESTIVAL LIMITED