Features
98% Of Tents Taken Home From Kendal Calling UK
Kendal Calling has been nominated at the first ever UK Live Awards for its sustainability practices implemented this year. One noticeable success includes the campaign to encourage festivalgoers to take home their tents after the event.
See: The UK’s Cheap Tent Epidemic
Kendal Calling is one of seven nominees in the Green category, joining A Greener Festival, AEG Europe, Green Phoenix, Overheated, OVO Hydro, as well as Reading & Leeds Festival x Music Declares Emergency.
Kendal Calling ramped up its sustainability efforts noticeably, when the large amount of abandoned tents tarnished what was otherwise another successful festival edition 2019.
Kendal Calling co-founder Andy Smith recalled, “An unconscionable number of tents – estimated at more than 2,000 – had been left behind by revellers and destined for landfill. Tent abandonment is an infamous problem which plagues the UK festival scene and one which contrasts alarmingly with Kendal Calling’s home on the beautiful Lowther Estate, set within the magnificent Lake District National Park. It was clear we had to pull together and tackle this horror.”
“Thus,” Smith continued, “we launched the Leave Nothing But Memories campaign – and the results were spectacular. Walking through the campsites on Monday afternoon was the difference between night and day when compared to previous years.”
‘Bringing Artists To Beautiful Locations’: Q’s With Andy Smith, Co-Founder Of Kendal Calling
98% of all tents were taken home from the festival site post event, “the largest percentage in festival history,” according to promoters, who said, “it’s a pointer to the increased awareness and engagement Kendal Calling festival-goers experienced in 2022 and a sign that the message of Leave Nothing But Memories truly made an impact.”
In addition, Kendal Calling reported zero food waste from the festival – “with leftover food being distributed across local food banks, recycled within compost or taken away from the festival and distributed in other methods by food traders who all formed part of the Kendal Calling Eco Pledge.”
This pledge ensures that everyone – from festivalgoers, traders and staff to artists, management and local authorities – does their bit to support a campaign aimed at preserving the festival environment Kendal Calling fans have come to know and love.
Other highlights from Kendal Calling’s 2022 sustainability efforts include a dedicated 20 strong sustainability team; 211 hours spent litter-picking in the campsite over the weekend; an increase in sustainable food purchases.
Said Smith, “Thank you to every person who packed up and left nothing but memories. It’s an inspiring feat, a huge effort and one that is truly appreciated. Thank you to everybody who played a part and everyone who came and created such an amazing atmosphere of joy and love.”
Winners of the first UK Live Awards will be revealed Dec. 13 at the awards ceremony in London.
2022 marked Kendal Calling’s 15th Anniversary. The lineup featured Bastille, Stereophonics, Supergrass, Hacienda Classical, The Wombats, Tom Grennan, The Kooks, Craig David’s TS5, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Cribs, Bill Bailey, The Vaccines, Pale Waves, The Snuts, Working Men’s Club, Joel Corry, Sea Girls, Declan McKenna and many more.