Festival work available with The Canvas Co
Our crew frequently shares sentiments like 'The Summer of my life!' as the season comes to a close. At The Canvas Co, we're constantly seeking skilled, dedicated, and reliable individuals to join our team. Whether you're passionate about curating boutique villages at festivals throughout Europe or coordinating outdoor events of any scale, we're eager to connect with you. We are now actively recruiting workers for the 2024 festival season, as well as to work alongside our sister brands, ‘Resonate Events’ and ‘Posh Frocks and Wellies’.
The Canvas Co is partnered with festivals of all varieties, from dance music heaven to Yoga and health festivals, here is a list of some of the festivals you can work with us at this year, there is something for everyone.
Festivals the Canvas Co is attending in 2024
May
Buckle and boots 23rd-26th May Buckle and Boots
Shindig Festival 23rd-26th May Shindig Festival
The Big Retreat Festival 24th-27th May The Big Retreat Festival
June
Endure24 Reading 8th-9th June Endure24 - Reading
Download Festival 12th-16th June Download Festival
Blackthorn Proud To Bee 14th-16th June Blackthorn Pride
Glastonbury Festival 26th-30th June Glastonbury Festival
Endure24 Leeds 29th-30th June Endure24 - Leeds
July
Race to the Stones 13th-14th July Race To The Stones
Big Love Festival 18th-21st July Big Love Festival
Craic by the Creek 19th-21st July Craic by the Creek
Latitude Festival 25th-28th July Latitude Festival
Aug
Kendal Calling 1st-4th August Kendal Calling
Boomtown 7th-11th August Boomtown
Firevolt Festival 8th-11th August Firevolt Festival
We Out Here Festival 15th-18th August We Out Here
Isle of Wight Scooter Rally 23rd-26th August Isle of Wight Scooter Rally
Moovin Festival 23rd-25th August Moovin Festival
Leeds Festival 21st-25th August Leeds Festival
End of the Road Festival 29th Aug- 1st Sept End of the Road
Lindisfarne 31st Aug-3rd Sept Lindisfarne Festival
There is 3 options available for Festival work with The Canvas Co this summer
There is 3 possible ways that you can work for The Canvas Co this summer, these options include:
(As well as some volunteer roles also available)
Local Based Work (Macclesfield)
Our core crew, based in Macclesfield, will be employed and compensated at an hourly rate, following a traditional Monday-to-Friday schedule. This role primarily entails setting up tents and collaborating with our sister companies, Posh Frocks and Resonate Events, for tasks such as arranging wedding marquees and garden cinema installations.
We are currently hiring for the following positions:
Road Crew
These positions are ideal for crew members who enjoy being on the road, as you'll work and stay onsite at festivals throughout the summer. Pay will be provided at an hourly rate, along with additional benefits such as meals and festival tickets. The available roles are:
Deputy Site Manager
For further details about each role, click on the respective links above.
Full Time positions
The majority of our operations occur during the summer, as we specialize in offering deluxe boutique camping accommodations at festivals and events throughout the UK. Our esteemed clientele includes renowned festivals such as Bluedot, Glastonbury, and Kendal Calling, among others. Additionally, we provide upscale canvas marquees for weddings and private events across the North West region. We also offer rental services for backyard cinema equipment and tents for intimate gatherings and small parties.
While festival work means a lot of our work is seasonal based, we also have several full-time positions available. Please refer to the list below for details:
What are we looking for?
We are looking for enthusiastic, resourceful and physically fit crew members to join our team over the summer at a broad range of music festivals and events.
Crewing involves boutique campsite building, dressing and furnishing tents and breakdown either side of live event dates. More often than not, crews remain on site with a crew festival ticket and therefore have the opportunity to make the most of the weekend.
There is the opportunity to work on many festivals traveling between shows, with the potential for progression in responsibility and pay.
This is a great entry-level role for individuals interested in moving into live events or event management or those at university or on a gap year who like music festivals.
No experience at putting up tents is necessary, just a good sense of humour, a strong work ethic and get on with it attitude.
Our training weekend is currently scheduled for May 11th and 12th and it is essential that you attend. This weekend is an opportunity for the whole team to meet and for us to figure out where in the team you will fit according to your strengths. We go through everything from what you can expect on a typical work day, learning to put up and dress each tent to all the boring admin followed by a few beers to round it all off!
If you can commit to the training days and love the idea of a summer of events, please read through the job descriptions below. Click on the button below to explore all our job roles and view the application form needed to apply.
How The Canvas Co support your environmental footprint as a business
At The Canvas Co, we know how important protecting our environment is. Although there’s still a way to go, we have all kinds of initiatives running behind the scenes that help protect our environmental footprint, and therefore yours!
We’d like to share with you the steps we have in place that demonstrate our ever-growing commitment to saving our precious planet and making the fun we have on it stay around for years to come. Let’s face it, the more we can do to help create a minimal environmental impact, the better chance we have of ensuring festivals stay long-term, successful and viable events in our calendars.
Our main ethos is the reduce, reuse and recycle. Let’s explore what this means at The Canvas Co.
Firstly, and most obviously, is the fact we re-use all our accommodation. Camping is one of the most sustainable types of holidays, and we take it one step further by removing the need to buy a single use tent and then leave it for someone else to work out what to do with it.
Most tents that people bring with them to festivals are plastic, and according to climate reporter Tim Schauenberg, on average, an estimated 250,000 tents are left on UK festival sites each year which is scary as one 3.5kg tent is the equivalent of 8750 straws or 250 pint cups.
But that’s not all! Everything used in our accommodation is reused at every festival. We provide metal framed beds with mattresses, duvets, sheets, pillows and bedding. All of this is cleaned in-between each festival using local launderettes so it’s ready for the next gig.
All our fairy lights are powered by rechargeable batteries.
In fact, everything that requires a battery at Canvas Co. uses the re-chargeable version! Re-chargeable batteries are better than disposable batteries for quite a few reasons.
Because they may be reused hundreds of times and recharged, they generate less waste. Reusing batteries means fewer batteries are disposed of, which means less of them can leak into the earth and harm wildlife and even us if we consume food from tainted soil or water.
It is also more energy-efficient to recharge batteries using a battery charger as opposed to making new batteries. And you may not know this, but re-chargeable batteries typically last longer than disposable ones!
Reducing the travel chaos
We aim to get our team onsite using public transport as much as is feasible too, plus we encourage car sharing – which is also great for their wellbeing and personal growth.
On-site environmental care
Once our team is on-site; they stay in their own accommodation and are fed by our own on-site caterer. Batch cooking for our team is way better for the environment as it means they don’t all have to travel to get food. Our caterers ensure the campsite kitchen is clean and all our kitchenware is washed and reused – we only dispose of food packaging and food waste.
Our main ethos it to recycle as much as possible, repair what we can and re-use as much as we can.
Naturally, we do create rubbish, as there is a need to buy new materials and equipment throughout the season, however we are thoughtful as to what we are buying and how we dispose of what we can no longer use.
Our teams actively engage in the Leave No Trace campaign
We take everything away with us and use appropriate bins on site when dealing with our waste. They even take it one step further and if there’s time, they help by taking other people’s rubbish away too. It’s incredible to see what people leave behind, and many camping items can end up being an asset to our hard-working team members and it stops them from ending up in landfill.
The ethos of The Canvas Co is all about being as respectful to the environment as possible.
From our logistics to the equipment we use on-site, we take our environmental impact very seriously and we will support all environmental campaigns for the festivals we attend.
Get on board and spread the word by using #TakeYourTentHome #SayNoToSingleUse and follow @AIF_UK
First time glamping? What do you need to know?
Have you never had the glamping experience at a festival before, this is all you need to know about your first time glamping.
Glamping (a blend of "glamorous" and "camping") is a way to experience the great outdoors without forgoing the luxuries of home. At festivals, this typically translates to more comfortable accommodation than traditional tent camping.
If you're considering glamping with us at a festival, here are some things you might like to know.
⛺Types of Accommodations
Our glamping ranges from bell tents with airbeds to larger Shikars and Bedouins that have mirrors and tea and coffee making equipment. However, most of our accommodations come fully furnished with real beds, linens, rugs, fairy lights and towels.
Bell tents
Our smallest tent we offer at festivals is known as a bell tent. The popularity of bell tents and glamping has surged in recent years, with a notable increase since the onset of the pandemic in 2019. A growing number of individuals are now seeking to experience staycations in the UK. This has also led them to becoming very popular within the festival world, allowing punters to avoid the hassle of setup when they arrive at festivals. Overall creating a luxurious environment for sleeping and resting when attending festivals .
Bell tents boast a dual advantage of being both waterproof and breathable, thanks to their construction using high-quality fabric that facilitates unrestricted airflow. This feature ensures that glampers can stay cool in the summer and warm during the winter, making them remarkably versatile among tent options.
We offer 4 different types of bell tent for your festival and private party needs. Explore the links below to explore all of our bell tent options and the festivals that they are available at.
⛺ Larger Structures
Our larger structures allow for immense luxury within the camp site. With our Sultans Lair being the largest structure we provide for glamping at festivals. As well as providing structures for cinema services with our sister company Resonate Events
Sultans Lair
Weather its for a festival or a private campsite the Sultans Lair can be setup to accommodate from 2 to 12 people. Using the Mini Bedouin we can attach individual bedrooms to the Sultans Lair lounge and create up to 6 separate bedrooms so everyone has their own private space and the huge lounge to share and party in.
Mini Bedouin
The Mini Bedouin Tent from The Canvas Co is thoughtfully equipped to provide you with a cozy and comfortable night's sleep. These tents feature blackout capabilities, ensuring you can still enjoy uninterrupted sleep even if you return at 6 am! or later….
Adorned with hand-printed Moroccan lining, metal frame beds accompanied by memory foam mattresses, luxurious Egyptian cotton bed linen, and plush duvets, these tents create an enticing environment that might transport you to a dreamy Moroccan-inspired world.
Luxury Bedouin
Immerse yourself in the opulent ambiance of these remarkable Arabian tents that evoke the essence of a Sultan's lair. Enveloped in luxury, these tents are adorned with lavish elements that might make you reluctant to depart. The interior is embellished with plush Persian rugs, hand-printed Moroccan lining, real beds and mattresses for ultimate comfort, along with Egyptian cotton bed linen and microfiber duvets. With such indulgent surroundings, it's no wonder you might find yourself drifting off into a dreamy Moroccan-themed world.
We can set these tents up for a maximum of 6 guests per tent with any mix of king size or single beds, at a squeeze we can make them suitable for 8 single beds.
Royal Indian Shikar
Our Royal Indian Shikar Tents, hand-made from the finest sailing-grade canvas, were originally conceived as holiday accommodation for the Maharajahs of Rajasthan. We have furnished them with this in mind, offering levels of style and attention to detail that would satisfy their modern-day equivalents.
With a footprint larger than an Executive King room at the Ritz (338 square feet, to be precise) – and a minimum height of 7” (rising to an imperial 12” at the centre), they’re more generously proportioned than any other tent on the market and are furnished with the most discerning of guests in mind, featuring a dazzling array of refinements, including
⛺Amenities:
Our glamping sites include facilities like private toilets and showers. We always have a reception team on site that will meet and greet you and show you where everything is. If you have any queries throughout the weekend, our friendly team will be there to help you out. You’ll also find a phone charging station at reception, so you’ll always be able to stay in touch with your friends and family.
⛺Location:
At all our festivals, the glamping sites typically sited nearer to the festival entrances, and you’ll find that they are always situated in quieter, more secluded areas. This can mean less noise at night and your journey to and from your accommodation is shorter than those with general camping tickets. You can find the Canvas CO at the following festivals in 2024:
⛺Booking:
Due to their popularity and limited number, glamping spots can get booked up quickly. It's wise to reserve your spot well in advance. With any of our luxury glamping packages, the following are included:
Toiletries, including biodegradable soap, shampoo, conditioner
Bedding and linens, including sheets, blankets and pillows.
Towels for personal use and for the shower
Lighting options, such as a fairy lights and bedside lanterns
We provide charging services at our reception tent for the glamping village
This takes soo much stress of you, removing the need to bring lots of heavy gear across a whole festival site. Then having to pack it up when you really cannot be bothered on the Monday morning.
⛺So what do you need to bring?
Whilst our glamping accommodation removes the need for customers to bring the majority of essentials, we cannot cover all bases. There is still some items you will need in order to maximise your enjoyment when glamping for the first time.
Booze ! (of course)
Clothing and footwear suitable for the prevailing weather conditions and terrain, including comfortable walking shoes, rain gear, and warm layers.
Toothpaste and toothbrush
Portable chargers and power banks to keep your devices charged when exploring the festival
Food. Our reception tent provides hot water which can be used for filling food items like pop noodles up
Bring a reusable water bottle to ensure you stay hydrated.
Personal identification and festival tickets.
Check with your festival website to see how the payment system works within the festival. As a lot of them now use wristband top up systems.
⛺Leave No Trace:
Even if you're in a more luxurious setting, it's crucial to maintain respect for the environment. Clean up after yourself and be considerate of the natural surroundings.
⛺Relax and Enjoy:
One of the main perks of glamping is the added comfort. Take the time to relax and recharge when needed, ensuring you make the most of the festival experience.
And remember, embrace the experience, make new friends, and enjoy the music and atmosphere. Each festival is unique, so be open to new experiences and make the most of your time there!
Buckle and Boots country festival - 7 month payment plans fo glamping accommodation now live
7 Month payment plans are now live for glamping accommodation at Buckle and Boots Country Music Festival in Stockport. Buckle and Boots is an award-winning annual country music festival, showcasing the best of country and offering a beautiful setting for festival goers.
To explore payment plans, click here.
Staycation Ideas!
If you’re looking for some staycation inspiration or just something different to look forward to then look no further! Whether it’s squeezing in a quick family ‘get away’ or surprising your other half with a romantic night under canvas - we have some ideas that might help!
Home Cinema - If you’re looking for something different on your staycation, why not try our Garden Home Cinema set up! From the screen, tent and all of the comfy bean bags - we have you covered! We have so many options available from varying tech to whether you want to watch from your bed or beanbag! With different tents and so many options to add, you can make this a truly unique experience!!
Glamping Staycation - Whether it’s for a night, a week or a month we can deliver and set up our Bell Tents, Touareg Tents or Moroccan Bedouins in your back garden or camp site of your choice!! We have so many options to make this service bespoke from just the tent to the full glamping experience with real beds and furniture!
Sleepovers - Whether it’s friends over for a bbq needing somewhere to stay, a date night or a sleepover for your teenagers it’s certainly a great idea to break up the week! Don’t worry, we have heating options so you really will be super cosy!
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Bespoke Wedding Accommodation and Venue Hire with No Hassle!
As people get more creative with their wedding ideas we are seeing more and more couples putting a ring on it in the great outdoors!
Did you know that currently the UK and Wales require that you get married under a licensed structure so lots of couples tie the knot in a small ceremony before-hand and then have a second humanist ceremony in front of all their friends and family, doubling the fun! If you’re in Scotland, you can pretty much get hitched where ever you like!
Often times these outdoor weddings take place in a farmers field and the happy couple literally piece every aspect of the wedding together including the place where the best moves are going to be pulled - on the dance floor!
Not only can we help you with your accommodation but we can put together your marquee for the big day. With the current limit being 30 people at your happy event, make it something truly special with a bespoke wedding venue and accommodation! Whether it’s just the structure itself or complete with a wooden dance floor, Persian rugs and Chesterfield sofas, we can make it something your guests will never forget!
At Canvas Co. we know all about luxury accommodation and can’t wait to work with you and your wedding party! Whether it’s our Luxury Bell Tent or our Royal Indian Shikars complete with wooden floors and real beds we can put together beautiful accommodation for your guests and take away the stress of finding a hotel and taxi service. We will even set up a private booking page so you don’t have to worry about the nitty gritty!
Imagine waking up with everyone together ready to get stuck in to the bacon sandwiches and help with sorting out the carnage a large party can create!! We can even recommend someone for the bacon sarnies and some incredible wedding catering specific to an outdoor setting!!
For more information regarding our wedding accommodation packages, just get in touch!
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Roll on 2021! New Festival Dates Announced!
2020 summer might not have turned out as we thought or planned but there is no reason not to look to the future when we can dance in the fields till the wee hours again!
Here is a round up of all the postponed festival dates in 2021 (and some late 2020)!!! We have some payment plans in place and will be updating the list so we can keep you posted.
In the meantime you can check out our alternative summer hire options! Get in touch if you want to learn more!
May ‘21
This is Tomorrow - 28-30.05.21
Geronimo Kids Festival - 28-31.05.21
Isle of Wight Festival - 17-20.06.21
Glastonbury - 23-27.06.21
July ‘21
NASS - 8-11.07.21
Bluedot - 22-25.07.21 - **Payment Plan Available**
Cornbury Music Festival - 09-11.07.21 - **Payment Plans Available**
Kendal Calling - 29-01.07.21
Camp Bestival - 29-01.07.21
August ‘21
Wilderness Festival - 05-08.08.21
Boardmasters - 11-15.08.21
Boomtown - 11-15.08.21
Peakender - 13-15.08.21
We Out Here - 19-22.08.21
Reading Festival - 27-29.08.21
Big Feastival - 27-29.08.21
September 2020
Tweedlove Bike Festival - 17-19.09.21
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Five alternative lockdown activities!
If you’re part of the festival world, whether it’s as a crew member or you just love to visit them, you will now know that most of the UK’s amazing festivals have postponed to 2021. It’s ok though! Next year, not only will the organisers be looking to put on the best events but we will all be even more excited and up for it!!
In the meantime, what can we do to fill our time? Some of you will still be working or busying yourselves but it’s fair to say a lot of us will have some spare time on our hands! We don’t want to head down the route of ‘read a book’ or ‘learn a language’ so thought we would come up with some interesting ways to use your time!!!
Tie Dye some schizzle - It’s fair to say shopping for clothes hasn’t been high on the agenda and to be honest we really rather enjoy the feeling of revitalising things we already own and not buying anything unnecessary! Why not have a peek through your wardrobe and pick out some bits and bobs to Tie dye, not only will you be festival ready for next summer but you can sling them on at home or to zoom with ya pals!
Obviously you can buy dye online and go for it but we like this awesome blog on making your own natural dye and tie dying from that!
Learn a circus trick to amaze the fam - The most obvious and accessible circus trick is juggling! Now then, the thing is with juggling, you can get pretty creative. We are not suggesting you start out with chainsaws* but bananas and courgettes can also be juggled, meaning it’s a versatile party trick you can use whatever the occasion! Get involved! We like the tutorials by Kinetic Circus from basic juggling to some other mind boggling skills… Good luck!
*We are in no way advocating the use of chainsaws in juggling… Oh and please remember not to touch anyone elses balls, courgettes or bananas unless you live with them.
Learn some awesome yoga balances to wow your pals - Now then, we like yoga but it doesn’t float everyone’s boat… You can however, learn some pretty cool balances, pass some time and make yourself stronger! Obviously, be super careful and don’t do it if you have any injuries or you’re not sure, it’s always best to seek advice from the pro’s rather than get hurt! Why not start with Crow Pose from the lovely Yoga with Adrienne.
Become a towel folding master - Ever had the burning desire to fold your towels into swans or maybe even a sloth?? Maybe you have too many towels than you know what to do with? Well don’t worry, much time can be spent learning these valuable skills! Give it a go by following this handy video!
Learn Sign Language - Ok ok, so technically it’s ‘learn a language’ but it’s not the first one that springs to mind for most yet will likely be one of the most rewarding! Did you know there are over 140,000 users of British Sign Language in the UK and its not actually related to English! One final fact to lure you in… not only can it vary from country to country but also city to city just like the spoken word…
If you fancy giving it a go then head to British-Sign.co.uk to sign up for their online course. At the moment the they have an offer on for you to pay what you can afford with a minimum of just £3.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for updates from our living room! If you attempt any of our suggested don’t forget to #CanvasCoLockdown so we can see your efforts!
Stay Connected with our top picks for the weekend and beyond!!
We are heading into a weekend probably filled with living room discos and drinks with friends over zoom! Some people are even saying they have never socialised so much!!
We are certainly navigating some strange times but it’s awesome to see so many out there sharing music with us, getting creative and giving us so many options to stay positive, motivated and happy. It may be social distancing but we are more connected than ever in so many ways!
Kendal Calling have been really busy during this lockdown. Live streaming left right and centre, creating social distancing playlists with followers and just trying damn hard to keep us all happy and engaged with music!! Drown out the negativity this Sunday with a ‘Live in your Living Room’ session from The Pigeon Detectives taken from the 2019 gig at Kendal Calling. Be sure to keep a watch out for Kendal Callings May schedule! Go KC! You can still book accommodation for Kendal Calling with us - check it out!
#TimsTwitterListeningParty - Tim Burgess of The Charlatans has been super committed to bringing joyous music to your ears! His twitter listening party gives you opportunity to stream or play the band and album on the timetable and interact with the band, Tim and other listeners via twitter! There is a really good mix of nostalgic classics and newer epic records to keep everyone amused. Who knows, you might fall in love with some new tunes?? Follow Tim on twitter and check out the timetable to get involved!
United We Stream in Manchester have been super busy this last few weeks! Offering a ‘diverse blend of entertainment and creative content’ to the masses. The site is free but does ask revellers to donate with the proceeds going to support bars, restaurants, clubs, venues, freelancers, cultural organisations and the homeless - all hit hard across Greater Manchester. Pay what you can afford and enjoy the programme every weekend. This weekend the site is supporting local festival, Moovin, on Saturday and has a live session from Funkademia on Friday and La Discotheque on Sunday. Get your dancing shoes on!!!
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Ten interesting green initiatives adopted by the festival community!
As it’s Earth Day we wanted to remind everyone of the amazing steps forward the festival community have collectively made to being more sustainable and eco friendly, meaning you can come to a festival and leave knowing the impact you made on the earth was hopefully a positive one.
It’s really not that long ago that when you left a festival it was normal to pick your way through a sea of tents left behind in various states of carnage. As retailers offered cheap ‘festival’ packages and revellers were just toooo hungover to care, they were left behind, on average around 250,000 per year!! Some times they were picked up and taken for charities but the reality is that most of them would be in too bad a state to be useful to anyone and they would end up in landfill or incinerated. Saying no to single use is incredibly important, but you might be surprised as to how far festivals are taking this, read on to discover more ways in which this unique community is having an impact.
1. The ‘Take Your Tent Home’ initiative was started by the Association of Independent Festivals and hits this problem on two levels, encouraging the public to think long term when they purchase a tent or staying in a pre pitched option and encouraging retailers to stop selling and marketing tents as single use items. 1 small tent equates to 8750 straws so it really is time to ‘Say no to single use’.
2. Banning the sale of all single use plastics including straws, cutlery and bottles became possibly one of the most talked about initiatives of 2019 as Glastonbury alone reported an approximate saving of 1 million plastic bottles alone. This does not include the reduction in take away food containers and cutlery, straws etc. It might not have been a complete plastic free festival as attendees still brought plastic in from the outside but it certainly made a huge impact and one that can only gain momentum and move forward!
Glastonbury - Saved 1 million plastic bottles by banning single use plastic
3. Did you know that at present 80% of a festivals carbon footprint is down to people travelling to the festival site! Festivals encourage the use of public transport and coaches and post the information on their websites but some go further than this. The We out Here festival encourage use of carbon-offset coach travel via Tuned in Travel offering coach travel and private mini bus hire. A few festivals have even gone as far as offering rewards to those who arrive by bike and organising rides to the festival as a group! Latitude Festival offer an organised ride to the festival ‘through the glorious rolling fields of Essex and Suffolk’ and even offer a support van to carry the luggage meaning there is no excuse! Many festivals have also set up a car sharing page meaning festival goers can fill up cars and limit the amount of vehicles heading to the festival.
4. Use your inner sparkle instead of glitter made from plastic which makes its way into our ocean and marine life! Glitter and festivals have gone hand in hand, now festival organisers are asking their visitors to either let their personality bring the sparkle or use a safe, plant based eco glitter!
Plant Based glitter such as Eco Stardust can bring back that festival sparkle!
5. Cup deposit schemes have been in place at festivals for a few years now, you know the score. They produce a reusable cup, we pay a couple of ££ to use the cup and if we want at the end we take the cup back and get our pennies returned to us. It’s a successful way of limiting those awful single use plastic cups you see strewn around the floor and sometimes make a handy souvenir you can bring back next time!! In addition to this, water refill stations are on the up! So you can fill your cup up and stay hydrated!!!
6. Glastonbury have taken things to a new level with their traders by assessing them with a sustainability survey. This not only tells Glastonbury what to expect from a trader but also encourages traders to look at their own practices and influences them to be more eco friendly.
7. Power can be up to 70% of a festivals carbon footprint so reducing that carbon footprint and also cost is super important! Whilst renewable energies have become more common place such as solar power and biofuel taking the place of dirty diesel generators, some festivals have become really inventive! Check out the Glastonbury ‘Pee power’ project!
Glastonbury’s Pee Power Project with UWE Bristol
8. The low hum of toilet ‘concern’ at festivals is as old as the festivals themselves! That dread of when you might need to ‘go’! The smells, the hygiene… that unmistakable smell of chemicals… Well, this is all changing as festivals embrace compostable toilets, with no use of nasty chemicals seeping into the earth you will find yourself covering your ‘business’ with some sawdust and feeling a whole lot better about the experience!!
9. Leave with something… Festivals have become so much more than just music and dancing into the night. Festival organisers are seeing their festivals as a stage to educate revellers on various subjects but the main one being the environment and sustainability. Bluedot festival is a science and music festival set at Jodrell Bank observatory in Cheshire, with a huge programme of talks from activists and experts they really do want their visitors to leave with more knowledge than when they arrived, encouraging them to live a more eco conscious and sustainable life.
Bluedot takes place at the amazing Jodrell Bank, Cheshire
10. Philanthropy is becoming something festival organisers are tuned into. Donating profits and joining initiatives such as 1% for the planet, Energy Revolution and planting trees! Boomtown has planted 1 tree for every ticket bought through reforestation charity, Tree Sisters and have a Green Mission in place which it communicates to its ‘citizens’ encouraging a volunteer group of eco warriors throughout the festival.
Boomtown - Just one of many festivals generating their own ‘Green Mission’
It’s encouraging to see so many festivals making a huge effort to ensure not only the longevity of their existence but putting the health of the planet at the forefront of their decisions on a daily basis. Keep on keeping on and respect this wonderful planet we call home… Big Love!
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Spotlight on... We Out Here 2020
2019 was the inaugural year for We Out Here Festival and it was a banger! The festival is penned as a ‘Worldwide Family Gathering’ and offers so many awesome things to do in the beautiful setting of Abbots Ripton in Cambridgeshire from August 20th to 23rd.
Promising to ‘join the musical dots between soul, hip hop, house, afro, electronica, jazz and beyond’ the festival is part brain child of Gilles Peterson and delivers live music, DJ sets, great food and drink, art, culture and a damn fine party!
We Out Here spans generations and welcomes the very young to the more senior and prides itself on its family zone, providing baby facilities and seating along with accessibility for those that need it. They are also very keen on minimising their environmental impact, banning all single use plastic and encouraging car pooling and carbon neutral travel.
With 2 swimming lakes, the festival really can be an awesome summer getaway for you, whether it’s with family or friends and tickets are on sale now.
Of course we have accommodation available! Make your weekend special with one of our luxury Bedouin tents from 2 to 4 people or make it home from home with our super decadent Sultans Lair!
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Spotlight on... Geronimo Festival 2020
Geronimo Festival really is the ultimate in family friendly! Penned as Glastonbury for kids we can absolutely agree and to be fair it’s probably wilder! You would be hard pressed to come up with a better mini holiday for you and your kids and we can’t wait to spend our 3rd year there!!
Set in the gardens of Arley Hall in Cheshire on the weekend of September 11th - 13th you will find everything from free unlimited fun fair rides and inflatables to circus acts, magic shows, animal encounters, extreme sports displays, music for kids and adults, parkour, tree climbing, games, the beach (takes a breath in order to continue…), archery, axe throwing (!!), crafts, fort building, discos, escape rooms, the mud kitchen and ferrets… and that is not even half of all of the amazing things available to keep you and your little ones amused!!!!
We can’t recommend Geronimo Festival enough as a family holiday, a great atmosphere and so much fun!!
Of course we have our accommodation available from Classic Bell Tents right the way through to our Luxury Indian Shikars. If you book any of our 2 person luxury options we are more than happy to provide free airbeds for the children. We also provide tea, coffee and soft drinks, fruit and nibbles, access to hot/boiling water to heat up baby food, a beauty parlour and phone charging.
We really hope to see you at this bright and exciting event! Get in touch to find out more.
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The Sultans Lair - Next Level Boutique Festival Camping…
Here at the Canvas Co we have always prided ourselves on offering superior luxury camping. We take pride in our products and are always really excited to see our guests reactions as we show them to their accommodation!
As if our usual Indian Shikars, Moroccan Bedouins and Bell Tents were not enough, we have taken luxury camping to a new level with our brand new and exclusive Sultans Lair.
With sumptuous Chesterfield sofas, table and chairs, your very own mini fridge and tea and coffee making facilities it really is the perfect place for family and friends to relax and recuperate at your favourite festival.
Each bedroom is separate from the main living area and this is where you can really make the Sultans Lair your own with the possibility of 6 private bedrooms sleeping a maximum of 12 or right down to just 1 master bedroom for 2. It really is the ultimate in festival camping!
Other features of The Sultans Lair include, thick Persian rugs, hand printed lining creating an authentic Moroccan feel, dimmable lighting, power sockets, real beds with Egyptian cotton linen and duvets, bedside tables and lamps and a place to hang your clothes.
Whether it’s a family trip or a special occasion with friends, The Sultans Lair is boutique luxury camping you will never forget!
If The Sultans Lair is something that interests you then due to the bespoke nature it’s best to get in touch with us via email or phone to discuss your requirements!
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Spotlight on... Tweedlove Bike Festival 2020
September 25th - 27th 2020* - Tweed Green, Peebles, Tweed Valley Scotland
If you love anything to do with getting about on 2 wheels then Tweedlove Bike Festival is for you!!!
Celebrate 10 years of this awesome bike festival in the picturesque Tweed Valley just an hour from Edinburgh. The festival is a weekend full of anything a bike fanatic could wish for, from enduro races, some of the best mountain bike tracks in the country, demos, skills sessions, workshops and talks, and an E-bike test track.
There are also tons of activities to enjoy on your good old Scotch Eggs, get bendy with yoga, take in a movie at the outdoor cinema, sample some delicious delights at the street food village, sink a few at the beer tent and take in some music, DJ’s or comedy! So much to do!!
If you want to take part in any of the events make sure you book in advance, check out the HUGE list of events now and get planning your awesome weekend away!
Tweedlove Bike Festival 2020 - 10th Birthday Events!
If you’re not sure on where to stay, we will be offering our Classic and Luxury Bell Tents from 2 to 6 people. We will also have an early check in available on the Friday meaning you can get into your accommodation at 9am and make a full day of it on the Friday. You can also check out late on the Monday at 2pm meaning there is no rush to pack!
We will have power, tea and coffee available in our reception for all our guests along with a dedicated workshop tent including 2 work stands and tables allowing you to get your bike ready for the day ahead.
Take a look at our accommodation and book now!
*Date changed from May 2020 - Please note the poster has the original date!!
We are proud to be the EXCLUSIVE backstage supplier at The Isle of Wight Festival!
We might be backstage, but you can join us too! Read on to find out more…
The Isle of Wight Festival has been bringing music to this little island on the South coast of England for over 50 years so it’s fair to say they know what they’re doing. We are so excited to be offering our Indian Shikar and Bedouin Tents exclusively with Under the Stars. Booking one of our stunning tents unlocks a super special VIP backstage experience which includes 2 premium VIP tickets!
The premium VIP tickets allow you to watch the amazing line up from a raised viewing platform, includes cocktails and a full bar service plus delicious food cooked by real chefs. You will also have exclusive access to the backstage area and artist village where you can pretend to be a rockstar for the weekend!!
The line up is looking MAD, you won’t want to forget your best disco outfit! You could be dancing on the ceiling with Lionel Richie, sipping mojitos with Duran Duran or just lounging in your super luxury Moroccan or Indian themed tent before getting wild with the Chemical Brothers! Soooo many good artists and so much to do you’d be a fool to miss out!
Remember, Under the Stars are exclusively offering The Canvas Co premium tents for their VIP backstage experience so if you want to book just check them out online!
UPDATE - 30/03/20 - Sadly, due to the current pandemic the Isle of Wight Festival have had to cancel the event. BUT, fear not! It’s going to awesome in 2021 and now you can save up for this back stage experience!!!
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Friendly Soaps for friendly people!
You might be getting the hint that we take our impact on the environment seriously! We aren’t perfect by any stretch but we are trying really hard to eliminate needless plastics from our kit and minimise our carbon footprint when it comes to transport.
It’s with all this in mind we have researched some lovely toiletries for our guests! Aside from offering recycled foam ear plugs and our lovely eco stardust biodegradable glitter, we offer each guest a shampoo and conditioner bar from the Friendly Soap Co. and a smashing tin to put it in!!
Made with Castor, Coconut and Olive Oils for their yummy nourishing and moisturising properties and mixed in with essential oils to give it a delicious smell and bring you the calming, antibacterial benefits of Lavender & Geranium or Lavender & Tea Tree these bars can outlast 3, YES 3, standard shampoo bottles!!!!
Not only are they great for your hair with no hidden nasties inside but they are super friendly to the environment too and to be honest, they are incredibly cost effective!
Take a peek at all of the products on the Friendly Soap website, we think you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that changing your normal toiletries, packaged in plastic will not cost the earth!
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Eco stardust - sparkle and shine without the guilt!
We all know that festivals and glitter go hand in hand… but with the huge problem of single use plastic, does this mean we have to rely on our inner sparkle and ditch this festival essential?
Did you know that the size of glitter makes it especially environmentally hazardous, especially as it makes it’s way to the oceans. These microplastics not only carry disease but they look like tasty food to marine life meaning they ingest the particles and essentially die from starvation…
This is incredibly sad and scary, but… we have good news! Whilst there has been much in the media about bio glitters, which claim to be biodegradable yet still take hundreds of years to decompose we have discovered there is actually a plant based alternative made by the awesome Eco Stardust!!!
You heard right, they can now make glitter from plants! In fact, sustainably farmed eucalyptus trees to be exact which means the glitter bio degrades in just 4 weeks… This meant it was a no brainer for us to provide Eco Stardust for our boutique guests this summer!
As if all that wasn’t enough they also have a 'Non Bio Glitter Amnesty’, that’s right, you can send them all your plastic based glitter, including your crafty bits and pieces. This will then be cleverly made into jewellery using recycled resin (from surfboards!) and you receive a 15% off voucher by way of thanks meaning you can replace it all with a zero impact alternative!
It’s exhausting and amazing how much Eco Stardust do to ensure they’re adhering to their strong ethics… they even donate 10% of their profits to Surfers Against Sewage, Greenpeace and City to Sea!
We are super proud to help you get festival ready with the awesome Eco Stardust!
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NASS Festival 2019 in pictures...
Good times from NASS 2019 - Images courtesy of @ManchesterPortraits @FestivalPeeps
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Take your tent home… Say no to single use.
Were you even aware that tents are made from plastic…
Most people have no idea that this is the case and focus their attentions on cutting down on straws and plastic bottles. Whilst it’s certainly helpful did you know that ‘single use’ festival tents result in almost 900 tonnes of plastic waste every year!! In fact one 3.5kg tent is the equivalent of 8750 straws or 250 pint cups… When you put it like that it makes you realise the extent of the problem as, every summer in the UK, an estimated 250,000 tents are left on UK festival sites.
Many retailers sell cheap tents and festival packages which almost encourage people to leave their tent behind at the end of each festival, often thinking that a charity will come along and take their tent away. In reality very few of these tents are deemed useful to the charities and the majority are sent to landfill.
We are really proud to be a part of the Association of Independent Festivals who have started the initiative to encourage retailers to stop selling and marketing festival tents as single use items and to bring awareness of this problem to festival goers far and wide.
You may think, ‘Of Course The Canvas Co is going to back this campaign, it means more tent sales!’, but the ethos of The Canvas Co is all about being as respectful to the environment as possible. From our logistics to the toiletries provided for our guests, we take our environmental impact very seriously and even if you don’t book with us, we implore you to consider your impact on the earth when you visit a festival this year.
Get on board and spread the word by using #TakeYourTentHome #SayNoToSingleUse and follow @AIF_UK
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