Kendal Calling 2026 turned 21 this weekend and another sell out crowd descended on the picturesque Lake District Lowther Deer Park for another four days of fun, dancing and high quality music. With around 40,000 attendees its easily the counties largest festival, in fact it temporarily becomes the 3rd biggest town in Cumbria for the duration. Such is the attraction that I would say the majority of the crowd were returning from previous years, just about everyone I spoke to had been here before. As a returnee myself I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large attendance on the Thursday evening (which is an optional extra), such is the draw and love for this festival.
The weather gods smiled, pretty much throughout, which always helps. Thirteen stages, spread nicely around the vast site, from the Main Stage, set in its natural amphitheatre, the large tented Parklands, so popular it even has its own large screen outside for those that can’t squeeze in, down to the more intimate BBC Introducing/Roots stage and many more in between showcasing over 120 artists, local to global, first timers at the festival and returning fan favourites.
Which artists to go see? A once predominately indie festival now has something for everyone, this years main stage top headliners were The Kooks, Two Door Cinema Club, Biffy Clyro and Wolf Alice and just before them The Cribs, Scissor Sisters, The Libertines and Primal Scream, all of which gave memorable performances and had the fields dancing and rocking.
I’m pretty sure most people had drawn up their own list of stages to visit and artists to see but hopefully like me they were also attending in the hope of discovering new talent or ones you had heard on the grapevine were worth checking out.
This year my personal discoveries, who I’ll be following for sure in the future and I recommend you check out included a local group, ElfJaw, a dynamic 5 piece classifying themselves as “post-human crab pop”! 21 year old Betty Lou, a former BBC Introducing “one to watch” who blends traditional country/folk music with heavier alt rock delivered with powerful vocals. Issey Cross, singer songwriter and electronic vocalist who had a packed late night Woodlands stage crowd up and dancing. Josh RoeParkin returning to the music scene after a break with some great pop/rock songs and a performance to match.
Ruby Duff, indie pop with soulful edges. The Northern Threads, from Sunderland, upcoming with a gritty indie-rock sound. Keo, the London based 4 piece who lived up to their growing reputation and meteoric rise as one of the most exciting new UK bands with an electric set. Another Mister Band, usually a female threesome but added band members for this set to create a bigger sound to compliment there already amazing voices. Omega Nebula, always a KC favourite with their future-dub fusion sound and an unsurpassed rave energy performance once again. Rianne Downey, an amazing performance as ever , a personal fave and deserving of all the recognition she is now getting.
And finally mine and I suspect a lot of the people lucky enough to catch them, THE best performance of the whole festival, Girl In The Year Above, blown away doesn’t come close and I’m going to write a separate review just on them but wow, only formed in November and fronted by the amazing Jen Ball they had the audience screaming and shouting one minute and complete silence in awe the next especially for the song “Wet Paint”, definitely a “I was there” moment.
Special final mentions to the whole production: the sound quality, lighting, amazing visuals , fireworks, the crews, the PR team and you the audience for the vibe and the energy which rubs off on all artists and all makes it the best Festival experience you can have.
Tickets go on sale for Kendal Calling 2027 on Thursday 6th August 2026, I’ll see you there next year.
