In July 2025, a DJ played at Loveshack, a festival in a Welsh barn with 60 friends. The dress-up theme was 90s icons; Joanna Lumley chatted with Andre Agassi. No branded activations, no crowds—just pure fun. This is the essence of secret festivals, a growing trend in the UK.
What are secret festivals?
Secret festivals are small, ticketless events organized by friends for friends. They typically host 50 to 200 people, often at wedding venues, campsites, or farms. Unlike mainstream festivals, they avoid corporate branding and high ticket prices. John Rostron, of the Association of Independent Festivals, notes: "Not everyone wants to go to a festival and see a Dyson-activated tent."
Examples include Killer Wales in Swansea (70 attendees), Come Bye near Abergavenny (run for eight years), Mansionface (featuring an escape room), and Oddfolk in Cornwall (100 people). These events emphasize participation over consumption.
How they work
Organizers split attendees into themed groups to break social cliques. Killer Wales holds a talent show with acts like a mermaid brushing her hair while objects are placed under her boobs. Come Bye encourages gifting—brownies, poems, or watermelons. Oddfolk uses Excel spreadsheets to assign teams for cooking and recycling.
"From the start, Oddfolk hasn't been something you buy a ticket for," says organizer Alex Podger. "You have to participate and help." Financial contributions are under £100, covering sound and food.
Community and safety
These festivals foster deep connections. Dulcie Horn of creative studio Chuffed says: "The magic in those boutique festivals came from people pouring their blood, sweat and tears into the collective experience." Secret festivals take this further. "We all look after each other," says Alex of Killer Wales. "There have been times when I've had to spend the night with someone having a difficult time."
Despite informal licensing, safeguarding is key. Organizers set rules and resolve conflicts quickly. "Having a little structure and setting some principles is still really important," notes Podger.
Advice for starting your own
John Rostron suggests using an existing festival site: "Farmers are often festivalgoers and quite community-minded." Tom Lee from Mansionface emphasizes budgeting: "Our biggest problems came when people dropped out." Yas from Killer Wales recommends gamifying chores: "We hand out stickers for tidying up—people go mad for stickers!"
Max Hagenbach from Come Bye advises: "Get advice from anyone who has done this before. If something goes wrong, you're screwed!"
