Smugglers Festival 2023

 

Ticket Types

Ticket Type	Price incl. bkg fee
Early Bird 4-day Festival Ticket (17+)	£133.90
Adult 4-day Festival Ticket (17+)	£164.80
Last Release 4-day Festival Ticket (17+)	£185.40
Non-camping Adult 4-day Festival Ticket (17+)	£113.30
Non-camping Junior 4-day Festival Ticket (5-16)	£56.65
Thursday Adult Ticket (17+)	£20.60
Friday Adult Ticket (17+)	£41.20
Saturday Adult Ticket (17+)	£46.35
Sunday Adult Ticket (17+)	£46.35
Sunday Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Juniors)	£92.70
Junior 4-day Festival Ticket (5-16 years) (includes camping)	£64.38
Thursday Junior Ticket (5-16)	£10.30
Friday Junior Ticket (5-16)	£20.60
Saturday Junior Ticket (5-16)	£23.18
Sunday Junior Ticket (5-16)	£23.18
Campervan pass (4-day ticket req.)	£30.90

FAQs

Which ticket type do I need?

• If you want to camp you need a 4-day Festival Ticket
• The "Non-Camping 4 Day Festival Ticket" is the best value if you plan to come every day but not camp over.
• Campervan passes are available at an extra cost of £30 (£31 on the door), passes are required for all live-in vehicles and are only eligible with a ticket that includes camping ie - a “4-day Festival Ticket”
• Day tickets are available and do not include camping, even if you have one for each day.
• We’ve launched a new Sunday Family ticket - two adults plus 2 juniors (5-16 years) for the price of only two adults - so two juniors go free.

A word on our ticket pricing

A few words on the recent price rises for tickets to the festival…Firstly, we have been so well supported by our artistic community over the last 11 years - everyone has worked tirelessly and ambitiously with a very tight budget and made truly beautiful and inspiring things happen. The careers of all those involved have grown over this time, and we want to continue to grow the quality of what we do together.

Increasing our ticket price in 2022 allowed us to increase our production and performer budget, and in so doing we are able to better support our own artistic community and reach out to new communities too.

Furthermore, our pricing had fallen significantly below the standard asking price of other 4-day festivals with comparable production value. Increasing our prices to align more closely with other small festivals has helped Smugglers Festival to continue sustainably; it also affords us headspace for new ideas, allows us to experiment and take risks occasionally, and helps make space for creativity to flourish and manifest, thus keeping the festival fresh.

All this basically means added value to the festival overall, and therefore an improved experience for everyone in attendance. We’re very proud to have this festival embedded in our community such as it is, and we aim to maintain it as a valued asset in this corner of the world for many years to come.

Quiet camping for 2023

It's now possible to camp even closer to your vehicle! As we're now able to utilise more of the car park than before, there'll be space to pitch tents and park live-in vehicles. This will be quiet camping with a family section and there will be compost toilets, water, hand-washing facilities and lighting, this campsite is 700m from the Box Office; perfect for easy pitching and peaceful sleeps. Camping locations will be allocated on a first-come / first-to-choose basis, there are not separate tickets for quiet camping.

As always, there will be on-site space for reasonably sized tents to pitch in the Hawthorn woods, as well as family camping and accessible camping in the front paddock, however there will be no camping on the grass between the pond and the main stage as we will now have food traders there.

Do I have to pay extra for camping?

If you have an Early Bird or Adult “4 Day Festival” ticket then camping is included.

Can I bring a campervan?

Yes! We've designated space for live-in vehicles and campervans in the quiet camping field with added facilities for your comfort and safety. To reserve a campervan plot (approx 5m x 6m) please ensure each person has a ticket that permits camping AND 1 x Campervan pass per vehicle. Please note, this location is closer to nearby housing and it is essential that we do not have sound systems or noisy late night shenanigans in order to maintain good relationships with our neighbours.

What ages are the tickets for?

Children under 5 are free. Children aged 5-16 need junior tickets. 17+ inclusive need adult tickets.

Can I get a refund on my ticket?

No refunds (except if the event is cancelled). You can apply to see if we can resell your ticket and if we manage to do so, we will refund your ticket minus the booking fee. The deadline to do this was 27 August, the form is now closed. 

The ticket I wanted has sold out, can I still get one?!
Once tickets are sold out you can apply to us to buy one that another ticket holder is selling on. The deadline to do this was 27 August, the form is now closed. 

How will I know if I have a ticket or not?

You will receive a receipt and e-tickets via email.

Will tickets be available on the gate?

Day tickets will possibly be available on the gate but as they often sell out in advance, we advise you to book beforehand to be sure not to miss out.

What time do the gates open?

You can arrive at the festival from 12:00 on Thursday 31st August. Music begins at 6pm in the evening.

Do I need to exchange my ticket for a wristband?

Yes you do. When you arrive you will need to present your ticket to the gate staff along with some ID, and we will provide your wristband allowing you access to the festival.

I’m under 18, can I buy a ticket?

Yes, all ages are welcome, if you are under 18 you must be accompanied by an adult. You won’t be able to buy any alcohol or drink onsite but you can have as much new music as you like.

Do children under 5 need tickets?

Under 5's are free and do not need a ticket.

Can I bring my dog?

Sorry, no dogs allowed. The land already has a resident dog who enjoys the space to himself.

What COVID-19 health and safety measures will there be this year?

Hand washing stations will be available throughout the festival site and the car park. 

We also ask that people be aware of how close others want to be. Being outside, this is a perfect opportunity for everyone to relax and enjoy being social! Some people may still not feel comfortable hugging or sharing like they usually would, so please keep this in mind, and if in doubt, ask.

Accessibility

Access

Our ethos at Smugglers is that we want to make sure nobody is excluded from the festival.

Carers go free

We offer a free carers ticket for festival goers who require one-to-one support. Please provide a supporting document when you apply for your carers ticket by contacting megan@smugglersrecords.com.

Accessible Drop Off and Pick Up Points

The drop off and pick up point is separate to the Box Office, and is accessed via an entrance on Stoneheap Road, near the accessible camping area.

General access is available on Thursday 31st August and Monday 4th September only. After dropping off passengers and luggage, your vehicle will need to be parked off-site in a car park that has uneven terrain and is a distance from the site: it is not accessible for people with mobility needs

Access to drop off/pick up on site on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is possible by advance arrangement - please contact megan@smugglersrecords.com and we'll look into how we can best support your accessibility needs.

Moving around the site

Smugglers is a relatively small site, with the majority of the festival being on flat ground with some slightly uneven surfaces which are slippy when muddy. We try our best to improve the ground under these circumstances. In the woodland areas there are cleared, flat pathways which enable access to the stages. The box office can provide information and assistance. We provide accessible toilet facilities. We can also make arrangements with things such as electric wheelchair charging point and overnight storage and fridge storage for medications that need to be kept cold. Please contact megan@smugglersrecords.com and we'll look into how we can best support your accessibility needs.

On Site

Is there a limit on tent size?

Please bring the smallest tent you can. Our campsite is not big. Please bring reasonably sized tents to accommodate a fair amount of people i.e. a bell tent for a family is fine but not for 1 person. No porches, gardens or lounges out front of tents!

Is there free water on site?

Yes, there are four water points throughout the festival as well as in the campervan /carpark field.

Where can I find lost property?

Lost property will be taken to the Box office, which will be marked on the festival map.

And who can I contact after the festival for lost property?

hello@smugglersrecords.com

Can I get cash out at the festival?

Sadly no, so make sure you bring enough to keep you going for the event. We do accept card payments as do our food stalls and some craft stalls.

Is there any lock up service for valuables?

No. We don’t have this facility, so please don’t tempt fate by leaving valuables on show.

Can I BBQ?

Sorry, no fires or BBQ’s are permitted in the campsites.

Getting to Smugglers

Trains

The closest train stations to the festival are Walmer, Deal and Shepherdswell which are near-on equidistant to the site. For groups of between 3-9 people travelling off-peak, discounted rail fares can be purchased using the GroupSave initiative. For those coming from Canterbury, Shepherdswell is only ~£6 and 18 minutes away, however taxis charge a callout to pick up from Shepherdswell, whereas taxis are usually waiting at Walmer and Deal. Below are some taxi companies who can also assist in getting you from station to site.

From Shepherdswell

The Village Taxi - 07735 668686

Metered fare / Call out charge from Barham / 7 passengers max

Companies listed below can collect from Shepherdswell with a call-out charge.

From Deal and Walmer

Deal Cars - 01304 382345

Castle AI - 01304 363636

From Dover

Dover Royal Taxi - 01304 202020

White Cliffs Taxi - 01304 202070

Cycling

Making your way to Smugglers by bike is the perfect self sufficient adventure! Bring your own lock and pick a sensible place to secure your bike either in the woods or family camping.

Walking micro-pilgrimage

Starting from Walmer train station is the safest and prettiest route and you’ll find walking directions by the wonderful Will Parsons of The British Pilgrimage Trust to guide your way. A brisk walk of an hour, or a gentle saunter of two will allow you to take in the scenery.

Driving

If however, driving to the festival is still your preferred option then it is well worth checking out liftshare.com or our facebook page to grab yourself a space in a vehicle already making the journey, or to offer up space you have in your own car. A lift sharing notice board will be available at the box office for return journeys so be sure to share your spare seats if you have them.

Carbon off setting

Finally, we'd love to invite you to consider offsetting your carbon emissions for the journey. It costs surprisingly little and can easily be done by following this link:

https://co2.myclimate.org/en/car_calculators/new