The FAQs below contain essential information about tickets, live-in vehicles, travel to the festival, arriving at the festival, what we need to see from you at the box office, accessibility, and general dos and don’ts in the festival and campsite.
Skip to the relevant section for your question using the links below, or browse through the full list of questions and answers. Please make sure you read this page thoroughly before arriving at the festival.
Tickets
- Why haven’t I received my ticket yet?
- Your e-tickets will have been sent to the email address you provided on the Skiddle ticket app. If it has not appeared, please check your junk folder. If you are still having issues, the original buyer can call Skiddle customer services on 0333 301 0101. They are open from 10am until 6pm Monday to Friday or 10am until 1pm on Saturday. Alternatively, you can contact them through their website.
- We can scan your e-ticket either on your phone screen or printed onto paper. Please remember to bring valid photo ID to box office just in case there is a problem.
- I want to bring my baby/babe in arms – do they need a ticket?
- Under 5s are free, however they do need a ticket, these can be ordered at the same time you buy your tickets or as a later addition.
- Can I get a refund?
- We do not offer refunds unless the event is cancelled by Kelburn Arts or local authority due to fault or mismanagement by Kelburn Arts, or by the Scottish Government due to the ongoing Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Please see the Terms & Conditions of sale.
- Can I resell my ticket?
- From Friday 29th July 2022, all second hand tickets must be bought and sold through Skiddle Re:Sell.
- We will not accept resold tickets that have been purchased on other platforms. This is to protect customers from fraud.
- Can I add camping to my ticket?
- All Weekend and Day Kelburn Garden Party tickets include camping. Please note that all Youth and Adult ticketholders will have to pay the £10 environmental deposit in cash on arrival.
- I’m bringing my Live-In Vehicle – Do I need a separate ticket?
- Yes – If you are coming to Kelburn in a live-in vehicle, camper van or caravan then you must buy a Live-In Vehicle plot ticket.
- The plots are strictly 4x6m in size and you must fit completely inside your plot.
- If you need more space, for example to extend an awning, picnic area or an extra wide or long vehicle or similar, then you must buy more than one plot. If you are coming in a caravan then you must either fit car and caravan in your plot space(s) or buy a plot ticket for the caravan plus a parking ticket for the car and move your car into the car park once the caravan is positioned.
- Camping in anything other genuine campervan or caravan will NOT be permitted on the live in field.
- Sleeping in your car or in a panel van will NOT be permitted.
- Plots are given out in the order that people arrive so if you wish to be beside friends who also have a live-in vehicle then you must arrive together or the first to arrive must have all of your plot tickets and must be available to identify the friends when they do arrive.
- Unfortunately we are not able to offer powered live-in pitches.
- Will there be any Day Tickets on sale?
- We usually sell a limited release of Sunday Day Tickets, a week or two out from the event – this is due to people leaving on the Sunday, which allows us space in our licensed capacities. These tickets include camping on Sunday night and allow entry from 10am Sunday through to when the site closes at 2pm on Monday and again all Youth and Adult ticketholders will have to pay the £10 environmental deposit in cash on arrival. Keep an eye out for these on our socials!
Travel to the festival
Arrival to Kelburn Garden Party is as easy as we can make it, with only one entrance for all attendees, and a one-way system in place when you’re onsite.
The address for your Sat Nav is as follows: Kelburn Castle, Kelburn Estate Fairlie, Fairlie KA29 0BE. Find Kelburn Garden Party on Google Maps.
What3Words for the festival entrance is as follows: converged.novels.deflect
The closest train stations are Fairlie and Largs. We offer Shuttle Buses for £2 from Largs (timed to meet the trains, timings TBC).
Visit our Travel page for more information.
- When can I arrive / When do I have to leave?
- For weekend ticket holders, the carpark and campsite open at 12 noon on Friday and the campsite closes at 2pm on Monday. Ths box office opens at 2pm and closes at 10pm on Friday.
- The car parks and live-in field shut at 10pm each night, no vehicles will be allowed to access the live-in field after it gets dark.
- The Box Office closes at 10pm each night. You will not be able to collect your wristband after 10pm.
- IMPORTANT: If you arrive after 10pm, you will not be allowed to bring a vehicle onsite. If you arrive after 10pm, you will not be allowed into the main festival arena.
- Can I take a bus to Kelburn?
- Yes! In fact we recommend it, it means you don’t have to worry about parking.
- It also means there are fewer cars on the road, travel is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions for any event!
- Our buses leave from both Glasgow and Edinburgh direct to the festival site and can be booked here on our Kelburn Bus page.
- We also have a shuttle bus which is timed to meet the trains at Largs.
- I’m arriving by Kelburn Bus/Shuttle Bus/Taxi – where will I arrive on site?
- Taxi & Drop Off/Pick Up is located on the ‘high road’ outside the Pavillion / Box Office
- Kelburn Bus & Shuttle Bus will pick up and drop off next to the Pavillion / Box Office
- Kelburn Bus and Shuttle Buses can be booked here.
- I’m arriving by car – Can I park at Kelburn and how much is it?
- You can indeed! Parking at Kelburn is limited therefore ticketed. Advance Parking Tickets can be purchased for £27.50 + BF along with your event ticket. We recommend booking in advance for two reasons: it’s cheaper than purchasing onsite (£35) and it avoids disappointment if we sell out!
- If you are planning to drive you must book a parking ticket.
- We regularly sell out of parking. Parking will only be available for purchase onsite if we do not sell out in advance, we’ll be sure to advertise when we’re running low on Advance Parking Tickets.
- Please do not park in nearby streets in Fairlie or Largs, it leads to frustration from our neighbours and could have a negative impact on the future of the festival. We like our neighbours and want to show them respect. We will be operating a towaway scheme for inconsiderately parked vehicles in the vicinity of the site.
- If you are a blue badge holder we can also try to park you closer to where you are camped – please note you will still need to purchase a parking ticket.
- We price our Parking to encourage lift sharing and use of public transport
- Do you have secure bike storage?
- Unfortunately not at the moment but it’s a facility we’re hoping to offer in future
Onsite at the festival
- When does the festival site open & close?
- The carpark and campsite open at 12 noon on Friday for people who have full weekend tickets. The Kelburn Garden Party officially starts at 7pm on Friday when the main arena and stages open. Doors open at midday on the day for those with Day Tickets. The festival ends at 3am on Monday morning (Sunday night), and the campsite closes at 2pm on Monday.
- The car parks and live-in field shut at 10pm, no vehicles will be allowed to access the live-in field after it gets dark.
- The box office shuts at 10pm.
- IMPORTANT: If you arrive after 10pm, you will not be allowed to bring a vehicle onsite. If you arrive after 10pm, you will not be allowed into the main festival arena.
- Where do I collect my wristband?
- Once you arrive at Kelburn you must swap your ticket for a security wristband in order to enter the festival site. You can exchange your ticket for a wristband at the festival Box Office which is in the Pavilion (building beside the campsite).
- DO NOT BUY WRISTBANDS FROM ANYONE OUTSIDE THE BOX OFFICE. The only place to buy legitimate wristbands is from Box Office. We control the wristbands very carefully and Security will check wristbands at all entrances and exits. If you are found with an inappropriate wristband it will be confiscated and you will have to buy a new one for the full walk-up price ticket or be ejected from site.
- You may also be liable to criminal proceedings.
- Do I need photo ID?
- Yes, You will also need ID if there is an issue with your ticket.
- Kelburn operates a CHALLENGE 25 policy which means that if you look younger than 25, you will be asked to prove that you are over 18.
- Without acceptable photo ID you will not be allowed to enter the Kelburn Garden Party without an adult guardian and will be unable to purchase alcohol at the bars. At the one-night events, you will be refused entry entirely.
- Acceptable ID is one of the following:
- A valid passport
- A valid UK or European Union photocard driving licence
- A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- A photographic identity card bearing the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) hologram (Young Scot card)
- A national identity card issued by a European Union member state (other than the United Kingdom), Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland
- A Biometric Immigration Document
- In all cases, the ID must not be expired and the photo must clearly be of the card holder
- Other forms of ID such as birth certificate, credit card or student card are not acceptable.
- If you have lost or do not have ID then please consider a proof of age card.
- Am I allowed to bring alcohol to Kelburn?
- You are allowed to bring a “reasonable” amount of alcohol to Kelburn, but you are only allowed to drink it in the campsites and the live-in vehicle field.
- You will not be allowed to bring your own alcohol into the main arena of the festival. Only alcohol purchased from the festival bars is allowed and security will conduct bag searches to ensure this. Income from the bars is essential in ensuring the viability of the festival.
- Please note that no glass bottles are allowed on site. Please decant any drinks into suitable containers.
- What is the Environmental Deposit Scheme?
- As a part of our Sustainability Policy, we encourage everyone to keep the site clean and take responsibility for their own litter and tents. The Environmental Deposit (ED) is a £10 payment made by all Youth and Adult campers when collecting their wristbands. At the end of the event, between 5pm and 9pm Sunday and 9am and 1pm Monday, you can reclaim your £10 by handing in a binbag full of litter, small bag of cigarette butts, or show us your properly packed up tent (which you should take home or donate). A member of the team will cut the ED mark off your wristband and you can go home feeling happy that you helped keep the site clean.
- IMPORTANT: You must present your wristband still attached to your wrist in an undamaged state to reclaim your ED.
- What should I bring?
- Summer in Scotland can be unpredictable. We recommend that, as well as all your fabulous festival clothes ((check out your local charity shops!) and toothbrush, you bring:
- A tent! For sustainability we recommend investing (if possible) in as good quality a tent as you can afford – it will last you many festivals, and other adventures too. We’d like to see fewer pop-ups being left behind!
- Waterproofs
- Wellies or walking boots
- Sun cream and sunhat
- A warm jumper (or buy one of our hoodies!)
- A Torch
- A portable electronics charger (Phone Charging Lockers are also available to purchase)
- A reusable water bottle (not glass)
- Extra socks
- Biodegradable face wipes
- You can buy emergency toiletries at the festival if needed.
- Summer in Scotland can be unpredictable. We recommend that, as well as all your fabulous festival clothes ((check out your local charity shops!) and toothbrush, you bring:
- Can I build a campfire or have a barbeque?
- Fires of any kind including barbeques are not allowed anywhere on site except the campfire locations which can only be lit and tended by Kelburn Crew. This is part of our licence requirement
- Can I leave the festival and come back in?
- Yes! You are welcome to leave and return once you have your wristband, just remember that our Car Parks close at 10pm each evening.
- Can I charge my phone onsite?
- Yes – you can pre-book a Charging Valuables Locker, or rent from a few of our traders where no pre-booking is required.
- Are there water points onsite?
- Yes – there are plenty of free water points in both the campsites and arena. Just bring a reusable bottle or container (not glass) to fill up.
- When I arrive, can I set up camp anywhere?
- Yes! (Excluding Live-In Vehicles)
- We have two campsites available, General Camping and Family / Quiet Camping.
- Neither require pre-booking, simply choose your preferred space. Of course if you’re arriving with a larger group we’d recommend arriving early to secure a space that will suit.
- We will also have a dedicated space available in our Family / Quiet Campsite for customers with accessibility requirements.
- My friends or family have a live-in vehicle, can I camp beside them?
- Unfortunately not, unless you also have a live-in vehicle and have booked the relevant ticket.
- Will you be accepting cashless payments at the festival?
- All bars and food traders at Kelburn Garden Party will be accepting cashless payments in addition to cash. You can use debit/credit cards or apps on your phone, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.
- Pre-paid debit cards are a good option for children where needed so they can purchase food and soft drinks independently.
- Remember you’ll need £10 cash for your environmental deposit which is payable on arrival to Box Office for everyone with a Youth or Adult Weekend Ticket or Day Ticket.
- We’d also recommend small amounts of cash will still be needed around the site for workshops and retailers.
- There will be a cash machine available onsite for a small fee (fees not set by Kelburn Garden Party)
- Where can I get a site map / timetable / programme
- Programmes are available on arrival at our Box Office and also at our Information Point.
- Programmes are free of charge.
- Do I have to book in advance for any of the entertainment?
- No, you can simply turn up, get yourself a nice spot, relax and enjoy!
Accessibility
- What if I have accessibility needs?
- If you have accessibility needs, please email box office so that we can discuss how we can assist you. We are happy to provide a free companion ticket for anyone who will require one. You will need to fill out this form, once you have booked your general access ticket via Skiddle.
- Customers requiring assistance throughout the festival are entitled to apply for one free pass for their Personal Assistant/Support worker. Please note that the customer requiring assistance must have a valid festival ticket before applying.
- Documents we will accept as proof of disability include:
- Middle or Higher rate DLA for care and/or mobility
- Receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Evidence of being severely sight impaired
- Medical summary from a clinician or GP
- SENCO statement from a school or college
- DID or CredAbility Access Card – + 1 category requirement
- A recognised Assistance Dog ID Card
- Kelburn Garden Party is small festival set in the grounds of Kelburn Castle and the surrounding glen.
- Whilst very beautiful, it is also an innately challenging environment for those with mobility issues.
- Ground surfaces vary from tarmac and hard standing roadways through to grass (sometimes mud) and dirt/gravel paths, many uneven and steep.
- If your vehicle has a blue badge we can also try to park you closer to where you are camped – please note you will still need to purchase a parking ticket.
- We provide accessible toilets in at least 3 locations on site.
- Unfortunately, due to the small size of the festival and the layout of the stages, we are unable to provide viewing platforms. However, our team will be happy to accommodate any attendee who requires assistance.
- If you have any medication that needs to be kept cool, please tell a member of our team who can put you in touch with our Onsite Medical Team to store in our fridges
- We recognise that some, particularly those with specific learning difficulties, may find the festival environment overwhelming and need to find a space to retreat and step away from noise and crowds. We do our best to provide areas for this but please note it can be challenging in a festival environment.
- If you require an assistance dog, you must provide evidence that the animal is registered with Assistance Dogs (UK).
- Please see ‘General FAQ’ section below if you have issues related to noise or lighting.
General information
- Will I need a COVID Vaccine Passport or proof of a negative test?
- We’re hopeful that there will be no restrictions in place at the time of the festival but please be aware that Kelburn Garden Party will be following the guidance as laid out by the Scottish Government at the time of the event. If this requires proof of vaccine or a negative LF test, then you will need to provide this to enter the festival.
- Noise and lighting?
- Kelburn Garden Party and our one-night events all feature loud music. Please bring ear protection if required. Earplugs are available at our First Aid and Welfare station.
- Please be aware that all of our events will feature strobe lighting.
- Can I bring my dog or other pets?
- The Kelburn team absolutely love dogs and all pets and that’s why we do not allow them on site. During the festival, the site is noisy and dangerous for dogs and all other animals. Animals will not be allowed into the arena at any time and unaccompanied pets left in vehicles, tied up, or wandering the site will be reported to the police. We want your furry pals to be safe so please don’t bring them.
- Please note that emotional support animals are not legally recognised in the UK. If you require an assistance dog, you must provide evidence that the animal is registered with Assistance Dogs (UK).
- Is there a Kelburn Garden Party App?
- There are currently no plans to develop a Kelburn Garden Party App so please use our website for all your needs.
