Shindig Festival - 27th - 30th May 2027

Shindig is an independent music and arts festival held at Charlton Park Estate in Wiltshire over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

With a capacity of around 10,000 people, Shindig sits somewhere between a small independent festival and a full-scale weekend adventure. It combines live bands, DJs, immersive production, art, family entertainment, late-night dancing and camping in one of the most unusual festival settings in the UK.

Shindig is particularly known for its mix of funk, soul, disco, hip-hop, house, breaks, drum & bass, electronic music and international live acts, alongside a strong family programme and plenty happening away from the main stages.

For people discovering Shindig for the first time, this page is designed to give you the full picture in one place.

Shindig Festival 2027

Main festival dates: 28–30 May 2027
Thursday 27 May: Early-entry day included with a 4-day ticket or as an add on
Location: Charlton Park Estate, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Festival size: Around 10,000 people
Festival type: Independent music, arts and camping festival
Weekend: Late May Bank Holiday
Camping: included in ticket price, upgrade options available on site
Children: Families and children are welcome, 0-12 years go free
Tickets: From £175 for adults, with other age categories and options available

Ticket prices, availability and accommodation options can change as the festival approaches, so always check the ticket page for the latest information.

What kind of festival is Shindig?

Shindig is difficult to put into one musical or festival category.

During the day you might see an international live band, discover something completely new on a smaller stage, wander through the trees, stop for food, catch some comedy, explore an art installation or spend time with the family.

As the sun goes down, the festival changes gear.

DJs, live electronic music, disco, house, breaks, drum & bass, funk and late-night parties take over across the site.

That combination is a big part of what makes Shindig different.

It is family-friendly, but it is not a children’s festival.

It has serious DJs and late-night music, but it is not simply a dance festival.

It has live bands, but it is not built around one giant main stage and a single genre of music.

The idea is to create a festival that people can explore rather than simply watch.

Who comes to Shindig?

Shindig attracts a broad mix of people.

There are lifelong festival-goers, music obsessives, DJs, families, groups of friends, people who grew up clubbing and now have children, and people attending their first festival.

A large part of the atmosphere comes from the fact that many people return year after year and bring their friends with them.

If you like smaller festivals where the crowd, surroundings and atmosphere matter as much as the headline acts, Shindig will probably make sense to you.

Is Shindig good for families?

Yes.

Families are a major part of Shindig, with dedicated children’s entertainment, activities and spaces across the weekend.

At the same time, Shindig has deliberately kept the adult festival experience intact.

Parents can spend the daytime exploring the site with their children and still find proper live music, DJs and late-night venues later on.

That balance is one of the reasons Shindig has developed such a loyal family audience.

Children aged 12 and under can attend free, with reduced-price tickets available for teenagers and young adults.

Check the ticket page for the latest age bands and prices.

What music does Shindig play?

Shindig has always been deliberately eclectic.

Across the weekend you can expect a mixture of:

• Funk
• Soul
• Disco
• Hip-hop
• House
• Breaks
• Drum & bass
• Electronic music
• Reggae and dub
• Afrobeat and global music
• Live bands
• DJs
• Emerging artists
• Established festival names

Previous Shindig line-ups have included artists and DJs such as De La Soul, Sister Sledge, Roy Ayers, Groove Armada, Soul II Soul, Goldie, Todd Terry, Norman Jay, Gilles Peterson, War, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and many more.

The programming is less about sticking to one genre and more about finding artists that fit the atmosphere of the festival.

Where is Shindig Festival?

Shindig takes place at Charlton Park Estate near Malmesbury in Wiltshire.

The estate covers around 300 acres and includes parkland, woodland and an arboretum.

The setting is a major part of the festival.

Stages, bars, installations, chill-out areas and entertainment are spread through different areas of the site rather than being concentrated into one arena.

Shindig is within easy reach of Bristol, Bath, Swindon and the wider South West, while still being accessible from London, the Midlands, South Wales and further afield.

What is there besides music?

Shindig is designed as a festival to explore.

Alongside the music you will find a mixture of:

• Art and installations
• Family entertainment
• Workshops
• Wellness and holistic activities
• Bars
• Independent food traders
• Creative spaces
• Performers
• Processions
• Hidden corners
• Late-night venues
• Places to sit, meet people and take a break from the music
• Luxury Camping Options

Every year new areas, installations and ideas are added to the site.

Is Shindig a small festival?

Shindig has a capacity of around 10,000 people.

That makes it considerably smaller than the UK’s major festivals while still being large enough to support multiple stages, major artists and a substantial programme across the weekend.

For many people, that size is part of the appeal.

You can see plenty of music and explore a large site without the experience feeling overwhelmingly crowded.

Is Shindig an alternative to Glastonbury?

They are very different festivals, but people who enjoy the more exploratory side of Glastonbury often find plenty to like at Shindig.

Both place importance on more than simply watching bands.

Shindig combines music, art, unusual spaces, late-night venues, family entertainment and the feeling that something unexpected might be happening around the next corner.

The main difference is scale.

At around 10,000 people, Shindig is much smaller and easier to navigate.

For people looking for an independent UK festival with a wide range of music and a strong sense of community, Shindig can be a good alternative to the country’s much larger events.

Can you camp at Shindig?

Yes.

Shindig is a full weekend camping festival.

Standard camping is included in the ticket price alongside a range of additional camping and accommodation options, which can include:

• Boutique camping
• Bell tents
• Live-in vehicles
• Park & Pitch
• Other upgraded camping options

Some accommodation types sell out much earlier than festival tickets, so it is worth checking availability when booking.

What are the ticket options?

Shindig offers several ticket categories.

These can include:

Adult tickets
Weekend tickets for adults.

Young Adult tickets
Reduced-price tickets for people aged 18–25.

Teen tickets
Reduced-price tickets for ages 13–17.

Children
Children aged 12 and under can attend free.

Local resident tickets
A limited discounted ticket is available for eligible people living close to the festival site.

Day tickets
Day tickets are also available.

Payment plans and payment options can change during the year.

Visit the ticket page for current prices and availability.

When should I buy tickets?

Shindig operates ticket tiers, which means buying earlier usually means paying less.

Prices increase as ticket allocations sell through.

Camping upgrades, boutique accommodation and live-in vehicle spaces can also reach capacity before the festival itself sells out.

If you already know you are coming, booking earlier normally gives you the widest choice.

What is the atmosphere like?

The crowd is one of the things returning visitors talk about most.

Shindig has grown gradually since it began in 2014 and has deliberately remained independent and relatively small.

That has helped create a festival where many people recognise each other from previous years and where new visitors quickly become part of the weekend.

Expect dancing, fancy dress, families, groups of friends, serious music heads, people discovering new bands and plenty of people who have been coming for years.

The aim has never been to become the biggest festival.

It is to keep making the festival better while protecting the atmosphere that made people fall in love with it in the first place.

Is Shindig independent?

Yes.

Shindig is independently run.

The festival began in 2014 and has grown from a much smaller gathering into an established UK independent festival while retaining its own identity, programming style and community.

Why is Shindig different?

There are lots of brilliant festivals in the UK.

What makes Shindig unusual is the particular combination of:

• A relatively intimate 10,000-person capacity
• A beautiful Wiltshire estate and arboretum
• Serious live music and DJs
• Funk, soul, disco and electronic roots
• Late-night dance music
• A strong family programme
• Art and immersive spaces
• An independent approach
• A crowd that returns year after year

It means you do not necessarily have to choose between a family festival, a live music festival and a proper weekend of dancing.

Shindig tries to bring all three together.

Planning your first Shindig

If this will be your first year, the best places to start are:

Tickets
Check current ticket tiers, age categories and payment options.

Line-up
See the latest artists, DJs and stage announcements.

Camping & Accommodation
Choose between standard camping and any upgraded options still available.

Family Information
Find out more about children’s activities and facilities.

Travel
Check driving, public transport and arrival information.

FAQs
For practical questions about the site and your weekend.