Faqs

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: There are confirmed train strikes occurring on Thursday 20th and Saturday 22nd July with possible further cancellations on Friday 21st July.   Currently the train plans have not been produced/released for a reduced service. We will keep you updated as we get more information.  If there is a reduced service, it's likely to be very limited and services will start later and finish earlier.  Any reduced service arriving from Kings Cross will not be available for those leaving London after 5.30pm on either day.  The services from the North are likely to have the least number of trains available.  ASLEF have not yet confirmed driver strikes over that weekend but they are in talks. If they do confirm, no services will run into Huntingdon from anywhere. Please check the National Rail website for up-to-date information; third party train apps often don't update the service information during train strikes.

tickets

Thursday 20th - Sunday 23rd July 2023.

For those of you who like a bit more detail, it’s from 12 noon on 20th until midnight on 23rd.

(You are welcome to camp on-site until Monday 24th but we ask that you leave the campsites by noon so we can clear up any rubbish you absolutely won’t have left this year.)

Unfortunately, the option to pay by payment plan has now ended, however we will be introducing the option to pay using Klarna in early June. 

No.

Why on earth would you want to do this?  What kind of state will you be in if you go to work / go to see your mum after a day of getting properly stuck in? We’d strongly recommend you do yourself a favour and clear the diary. All our tickets are for the entire weekend and include camping.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable except through our official resale partner, TicketSwap.  Instructions on how to do that are here. If you try to sell tickets  through Viagogo, StubHub, eBay or Facebook Marketplace they will be voided. 

Never ever sell or buy your ticket unofficially. 

You must register guest names at the point of purchase. If your plans change you can however change the names on the tickets later.

Photo ID (passport, driving license or citizen’s card) will be required on the gate and must match the name on the relevant ticket.

You can change the names attached to your tickets by going to https://easol.com

There is a step-by-step guide here...


lineup

Underworld

The Libertines

Fat Freddy's Drop


Róisín Murphy

2MANYDJS live

Leftfield

Fabio & Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra

De La Soul

Peaches

Grandmaster Flash

LOOS

In short, yes.

We have installed composting toilets across site this year for use by all festival guests.

We will also be welcoming back When Nature Calls who will be providing their fresh water flushing premium vacuum toilets, warm water hand wash facilities and hair washing station in General camping. When Nature Calls passes are on sale here.

camping

Of course. An adult ticket includes entry to the festival with 4 nights of camping in your own tent.

No gazebos please.

Camping will be first come first served within our campsite areas.


Yes.

Gates open at 8am and shut at 10pm.

You can still leave any time you like, but to keep everyone safe we can’t let you back in until the morning.

Boutique camping - and our new pre-pitched canvas tent offering, Tilted Towers - went on sale on 1 February 2023. Just click on Accommodation at the top of the page to view all options and make a booking.

No, but you can bring your own tent and camp with everyone else.

In the General Campsite.

To clarify that point – everyone else obviously isn’t going to be in your tent.

Unfortunately not. 

Unless of course your car is actually a TaunTaun and you need to add an emergency sunroof to it to keep your friend alive in a sub-zero snowstorm. In that case it's allowed.
Make sure he has a shower afterwards.

No problem - take a look at our accommodation-specific FAQs to see whether your query is answered there. If not, just drop us a line at boutique@secretgardenparty.com or info@secretgardenparty.com

campervans and caravans

Yes, if you have a camper van pass. 

We have small-medium campervan passes (pitch size up to 6 x 6m) or large campervan passes (6 x 9m pitch). 

Please book the right sized pitch so we can fit everyone into the hangar bays. 

You can buy your campervan pass when you purchase your ticket, or go back at any time and add it on (if there are any left… Be warned that these usually sell out quickly)

Yes, you can. 

Please book a caravan pass when you purchase your festival ticket or go back and add it to your booking if you forget. 

Be careful though as these sell out quickly... You must have a specific caravan ticket and not a large campervan pass. The caravan or trailer tent and towing vehicle must fit within the 6x9m pitch.

Please note that we cannot accommodate vehicles larger than 6 x 9m as we don’t have hangar space.

Campervan and Caravan tickets are non-refundable, so if you turn up at the festival in a Star destroyer (well a vehicle bigger than 6 x 9m), we will have to send you in a parking orbit well away from site. 

We won’t be liable to refund your festival ticket, or your campervan pass, and you will need to commute in using a shuttlecraft (Dave’s Taxis likely)

It’s really boring and not what you want so make sure you book the right sized pass.

It’s a field. 

The average Maris Piper does not need hair curlers etc, so we don’t usually have power along the fence-lines.

To elucidate - we do not have electric hook ups or waste-water disposal on site, so charge up those batteries, make sure your tanks are emptied and break out the solar. 

Living off the grid!

Absolutely not. 

Only vehicles will be allowed access to the live-in vehicles campsite.

Having your tent driven over on Monday morning while you are lying in it sweating with a hangover is really boring for us, and even more boring for you. Who needs that on a Monday morning? 

travel

It's in a Garden of course.

The Secret Garden Party is nestled in beautiful countryside in East Anglia near Huntingdon.

Postcode: PE28 2PH.

What3Words: strumming.jumbled.glorified

Google Maps: Here

There are good road links in place from the A14 and A1, however we encourage the use of sustainable travel options including trains, coaches and lift sharing.

We will offer Green Traveller Incentives in the form of discounts on site to those that travel to site by coach or train.



Sharing is caring
By sharing your festival journey with
others you can help save the planet, Save money, Reduce stress and tiredness, Cut congestion and pollution and meet new people with shared connections.

Liftshare is a free to use platform that
connects those travelling in the same direction, so they can arrange to travel together and share the costs.

You can post your journey as either a passenger, driver or both.

HOW TO BECOME A SHARER
1. Sign up at

https://liftshare.com/uk/community/festival
2.    Register your journey on the system and liftshare provides a suggested £ contribution for the trip.
3.   View journey matches and message to ask questions and arrange details...Or simply send a request to share.
4.   Download the Liftshare app for instant messaging and to authenticate your journey and earn badges.
5. Organise payment directly with your sharer.

Our official coach travel partner is Big Green Coach. They offer weekend return coach services from many popular pick-up locations. Most coaches arrive on Thursday in time to find the perfect camping spot (with some on Friday too from London only) and will take you home on Monday morning. So you can sleep all the way back!

All Big Green Coach services to Secret Garden Party are carbon neutral and you can purchase coach travel via our website.

You can add it on to your ticket purchase any time. If you show your coach ticket on arrival, you can collect your Green Traveller wristband to get free / discounted stuff.

“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads…”

See train strikes info below....

The nearest train station is Huntingdon and there will be a frequent shuttle bus available from there to site throughout Thursday and Friday and a return service on Sunday and Monday  (no train station shuttle on Saturday). The fare will be £5.00 each way.

Taxis are also available from Huntingdon station if you are very excited and can’t wait 15 minutes or so. However these wont be able to take you all the way to the pedestrian gate, and you will need to take the on site intenal shuttle bus if you have loads of luggage.

Don’t forget to collect your Green Traveller wristband (for discounts on site) from the shuttle bus crew at the station, or at the taxi rank on arrival on-site.

Thu 20/7/23    10.00 21.20
Fri 21/7/23    08.30 - 21.20
Sun 23/7/23    14.00  - 21.00
Mon 24/7/23    08.30 13.30 

There are confirmed train strikes occurring on Thursday 20th and Saturday 22nd July with possible further cancellations on Friday 21st July.
Currently the train plans have not been produced/released for a reduced service. We will keep you updated as we get more information.

If there is a reduced service it's likely to be very limited and services will start later and finish earlier.
Any reduced service arriving from Kings Cross will not be available for those leaving London after 5.30pm on either day.
The services from the North are likely to have the least number of trains available.

As of yet ASLEF have not confirmed driver strikes over that weekend but they are in talks, if they do confirm, no services will run into Huntington from anywhere. 

Increased shuttle bus services will operate at the specific arrival times of the train services that are still running/if any are running on Thursday 20th and Saturday 22nd July.

We strongly encourage using Big Green Coach as an alternative for surety of services, guaranteed departure times and to avoid delays or overcrowded travel experiences. Book now to avoid lack of ticket availability from certain locations.

If you are now planning to arrive by car you must purchase your parking ticket in advance or your vehicle will not be able to access the site.

We have parking available on site - please purchase a car park ticket for each vehicle via our website. You may add it on to your ticket purchase any time. Please car share if you can.

The party is in a field so this isn’t an easy one. 

We’re sorry we don’t have any electric car charging points on-site yet,  although there are charging points at Tesco Extra Huntingdon just down the road (Abbots Ripton Rd, Sapley, Huntingdon PE28 2LA).

You can always pop in and pick up some crisps while you are waiting for your car to recharge.

theme

Sci-Fi / Futuristic  - for those of you in a hurry.

"You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."

For those of you who want some more verbose inspiration...

Join us in a garden far far away…

To explore our hopes for the future and celebrate the dreams of what might be, by remembering some of the great Sci-Fi of the last century.

We might be well past 2000AD and 2001 is a mere memory but, as we all know, you CAN go back to the future. Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it, so with that we're looking at the pitfalls and possibilities planted by gardens and eons past to understand where we're going. From technicolour aspirations to dystopian battles, all dreamt up by our icons of science fiction, we're inviting you to dip bits of yourself into a romantic futurescape and shoot for the stars.

Whilst firmly going back to our roots for next summer's party, we are also boldly going where no party has gone before.

Assembling our best ragtag team of explorers yet, we're now calling on you to join the crew. Grab your frikin' laser beams and mixtapes, charge your flux capacitor, and may the farce be with you as you're beamed aboard the Starship SGP to blast off into the next uncharted chapter.


Accessibility and Welfare

We openly welcome all our deaf, disabled and neurodivergent party-goers and want to make your weekend as enjoyable as we can. We have a number of accessible facilities around the site that are bookable to pre-registered customers. We are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive experience for all.  For more information please email accessibility@secretgardenparty.com.

We provide the following facilities to ensure that The Secret Garden Party can be enjoyed by all:

  • Accessible camping- A quieter and more spacious place to camp and be supported
  • Viewing platform
  • Accessible Parking
  • Accessible toilets
  • Diverse sensory space
  • Mental health support
  • Hearing induction loops
  • Assistance animal provisions

We run a complimentary personal assistant ticketing scheme for our customers who wouldn’t be able to attend the festival without the aid of another person. You need to be in receipt of PIP/DLA or equivalent to qualify. Please read the Access Application Form for more details and apply using the form (just click on the orange wording above). 

We are committed to ensuring that The Secret Garden Party is a fun and safe environment for all. As well as our general ethos and inclusive approach, we collaborate with many partners to ensure that there is somewhere to access help for anyone that needs it, whatever it may be.  Whether this is mental health, harm reduction or any other advice, we have it covered.  Watch this space for announcements about our partners in this important and valued provision.

Rules

DON'T BE A DICK - If you still need help understanding...

  • Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.
  • Behave honourably at all times.
  • Do not take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation.
  • Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for the treatment of other Gardeners
  • When travelling, take your trip respectfully, take no personal chances & cause no problems.
  • Do not allow other Gardeners to harm anyone, expose all abusers to authorities.
  • People who intentionally cause harm to others are the worst people to infest any society.
  • Help all who are lost and try to induce them to return home.
  • Look after your fellow Gardeners whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... Or the one."

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

The Secret Garden Party is a Leave No Trace event. This means you should leave the site EXACTLY the way you found it when you arrived.

  • We (including you!) are collectively responsible for the state of the site. We are trying to encourage collective responsibility for the land. If you brought it with you, please take it away at the end of the show.
  • All cold drinks at SGP are served in recyclable cans or carbon neutral reusable cups.
  • Please make sure you bring a reusable water bottle. There will be plenty of points on site to fill up.
  • Our compostable litter is processed locally and returned to the Estate as soil improver
  • Our toilet waste matter will be composted
  • Our generators will use recycled cooking oil
  • Where possible we encourage the use of public transport
  • Klaatu Barada Nikto

Everything Else

Showers can be accessed in the campsites as needed for a nominal charge.


Gates open from 8am Thursday 20th July. Most people choose to arrive on Thursday or Friday but you can arrive any day until 4pm Sunday. But try to get there as soon as you can or you’ll miss something amazing!

  • Campsites open at 10am.
  • The arenas will be open from 12 noon Thursday.
  • The arenas close on Monday morning
  • Please leave the campsite by noon on Monday.
  • There is no entry or re-entry to site each day between 10pm - 8am.
  • There is no first-time entry to site after 4pm Sunday.
  • You can leave whenever you like.

Ummm. No. This is a party for grown-ups only. This means no under 18s at all.

(You may see some crew kids around during the event. This is because some of our crew live on site for many weeks creating the festival. They will be accompanied by responsible adults and well cared for to ensure their safety and wellbeing.)


No. Sadly, we don’t allow dogs or other pets on site any longer, unless they are an assistance animal (please email accessibility@secretgardenparty.com to request this).

Although dogs have been allowed in previous years, we have taken the decision not to continue to offer dog tickets for welfare reasons.

(There may be a few crew dogs at the event as some of our crew live on site with us for many weeks. These animals will be extremely well cared for, kept on a lead and cleared up after to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals, owners and general public.)

All pedestrians, vehicles, campervans & caravans and luggage will be subject to search by our security teams.  We use sniffer dogs to identify illegal substances and weapons.

  • A towel. A towel is about the most massively useful thing an Interstellar Gardener can have.
  • Your ticket. Don’t forget this. They will be issued just prior to the event and can also be downloaded (nearer the event) from Your Account on our website by logging into www.secretgardenparty.com/bookings.
  • ID. A Challenge 25 policy will be in place for the event.Please bring either a passport, driving licence or Citizen card to prove that you are over 18. A photocopy will not suffice
  • A Tent (unless you have pre-booked accommodation on-site)
  • Bedding (unless this is included in your pre-booked accommodation on-site)
  • Clothes. Bring outfits for every season (cold / hot / wet weather, swimmers). Party outfit.
  • Card for payments (many of the vendors do not take cash)
  • Booze – you are welcome to bring a limited amount of canned alcohol on site on first entry only. We have increased our limits this year in view of the cost of living crisis. You may bring a maximum of 12 cans of beer / lager / cider OR 8 cans of wine / pre-mixed spirits / cocktails. You may not bring glass bottles or decanted drinks. Please be aware that your own drinks will not be permitted in the arena. They are for consumption in the campsites only. We have made a huge effort to keep the cost of drinks on our bars as low as possible - we're proud to be less expensive than other festivals in most categories.
  • Mobile phone and power bank. Phone charging is available on site (at a charge). We are working on boosting phone reception on-site this year but please note that we cannot guarantee that you will have reception on the festival site.
  • Sun cream, pain relief, plasters, medication, contraception.
  • Refillable water bottle – drinking water taps will be provided.
  • Love and imagination
  • Presents. Who doesn’t like presents?
  • No illegal substances
  • No kids (under 18)
  • No animals, unless they are an assistance animal by prior arrangement
  • No independent sound systems
  • No generators
  • No items to sell
  • No weapons or items which may be used as a weapon
  • No barbeques or meth stoves
  • No Nitrous Oxide canisters or dispensers. Really. We have a zero-tolerance policy for these this year. Anyone seen even standing near No2 will be evicted immediately.
  • No glass, including mirrors. Please try to avoid single use plastics.
  • No professional film, video or audio recording equipment is allowed on site without prior permission. This includes all cameras with a detachable zoom lens. All car parks and gate areas, and event areas are included.
  • No spray paint. Don’t even think about it…
  • No fireworks, flares, portable laser equipment or pyrotechnic devices
  • No sky lanterns, drones or UAVs of any kind
  • No Personal Electric Vehicles without prior permission (including scooters and Segways)
  • No trailers
  • No Bongos

Applications for traders, musicians, artists and entertainers have now closed. You can apply for stewarding roles here. Other volunteer applications will open soon...

Still have a question?

Have you read everything in these FAQs? Really?

Are you sure? If the answer isn’t in here and you truly need to know something special – then email us at info@secretgardenparty.com. We’ll do our best to answer or direct your query appropriately!