Kendal Calling 2025 line-up and travel options

Ricky Wilson and his Kaiser Chiefs bandmates will be taking to the main stage

Tens of thousands of music lovers will be taking to the fields later as one of the biggest UK festivals begins.

About 40,000 people are expected to attend Kendal Calling, at Lowther Deer Park near Penrith, in Cumbria, where Kaiser Chiefs and DJ Fatboy Slim will headline.

From just 900 attendees in its first year, the four-day festival is celebrating its 20th year. Founder Andy Smith previously described its growth as "quite extraordinary".

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Kendal Calling, which runs until Sunday.

What time does it start and are tickets available?

Kendal Calling is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year

All tickets for the festival have sold out.

However, organisers are encouraging those who have missed out to join their waiting list on their partner site, Tixel, for safe, last-minute, fan-to-fan resale.

They added that no tickets will be available to buy at the gates.

Gates for the campsite open at 09:00 BST and will remain open until 21:00 for those with Thursday entry tickets alongside their full weekend tickets.

On Friday, gates are open from 08:00 to 21:00, and between 10:00 and 21:00 on Saturday and Sunday. The campsite will close at 14:00 on Monday.

The arena opens from 16:00 on Thursday with music beginning at 17:00 and 10:00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Organisers said those aged 11 to 15, with weekend tickets, must be accompanied by a ticket-holding parent or guardian over the age of 21 - and must camp in the same area as their families.

Teen ticket holders - aged 11-15 - are not allowed in the arena unaccompanied after 22:00.

Adult ticket holders aged 16-17 must have ID to allow them to enter the festival without an adult.

Who's in the line-up?

The Prodigy, with Maxim pictured, will be among the headline acts

More than 100 artists will take to the nine stages across the site, including the return of Kaiser Chiefs, who will kick things off on the main stage on Thursday.

The Courteeners will headline on Friday, while Fat Boy Slim takes over on Saturday and The Prodigy on Sunday.

Pop singer Daniel Bedingfield, who had a string of hits in the early 2000s, will headline the festival's Parkland's stage, with Scouting For Girls and Maximo Park also featuring.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Wombats and comedian Jason Manford are also set to make an appearance.

Full details of the festival's stages are available via Kendal Calling's website.

Stage times are not released ahead of the festival but acts are split across nine stages, which include:

• Main Stage

• Parklands

• Calling Out

• Woodlands

• Chai Wallah

• The Soapbox

• Tim Burgess' Tim Peaks Diner

• Desert Island Disco

• The Town Hall

How can I get there?

Crowds of 40,000 attended last year's festival

The festival at Lowther Deer Park is 25 minutes north from the market town in Cumbria.

Organisers are encouraging the use of public transport as part of their sustainability goals at the festival.

A number of coaches are in operation on Thursday and Friday, returning on Monday, with tickets still available via their website, travelling from: Barrow-in-Furness, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Bradford, Carlisle, Dumfries, Glasgow, Kendal, Leeds, Liverpool, London Victoria, Manchester, Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Stockport, Sunderland, Warrington, Whitehaven, Wigan and Workington.

The nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith, which is a 15-minute taxi journey.

Organisers are also running a shuttle bus service from the train station.

There are also shuttle buses that run from Penrith station to the site, which run on Thursday, Friday and Monday. The times are:

• Thursday 10:00 – 18:45

• Friday 08:30 – 19:15

• Monday 06:00– 13:15

Further details can be found on the festival's website.

A designated pick-up and drop-off point is also located at the festival's Green Gate, which has road signage.

Car travel and road closures

Organisers are warning that traffic can be busier when travelling on a Friday and are encouraging drivers to either arrive on Thursday or make their journeys in plenty of time.

Those travelling north are being advised to leave the M6 at junction 39 and head through to Shap on the A6, and then follow signage.

Those travelling south should leave the M6 at junction 40 and head through to Penrith via the A66, and follow the festival signage.

Car parking tickets can be booked in advance or be paid on the day at an extra cost, organisers say, and are urging festival-goers not to park next to their tent but in designated car parking areas.

Roadworks taking place on the A66 from Kemplay Bank Roundabout in Penrith, which include 40mph speed restriction, may cause congestion, organisers have warned.

They said to allow extra time for travelling, stating on their Facebook page: "If arriving on Friday, we'd recommend avoiding arriving between the hours of 12:00 BST to18:00 to avoid the bulk of traffic in the local area owing to the Center Parcs changeover day, end of week work traffic and of course, the influx of festival-goers."

Cumbria Police said it was expecting travel disruption with busier than normal roads in the Eden area.

The festival attracts guests of all ages and is known for being family-friendly

Security and safety

In the run up to the festival, police said it had been been working closely with organisers and local authorities to ensure all attending had a safe and enjoyable time.

Officers will be in place around the site and will be assisting event security staff where there are any incidents of crime and disorder.

Ch Supt Matt Kennerley, of the Cumbria force, is encouraging festival-goers not take valuable items, to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to security or police.

He said: "The event organisers have a range of security measures in place to assist with this including searches on entry and the use of drugs-scanning dogs.

"Surrender bins will also be in place at entry points. These bins are an opportunity to surrender any prohibited items.

"I urge anyone considering bringing drugs or weapons to the festival to consider their actions and the consequences this could have not only for yourself, but for others around you.

"Anyone found in possession of drugs or weapons will be dealt with appropriately.

"Finally, I'd like to welcome all those travelling into the county for the festival - please look out for one another and have a great time."