Camp Quirky 2023: Everything you need to know ⋆ Quirky Campers

Festival garms at the ready! Preparations for Camp Quirky are in full swing and we’re so excited to share with you all the incredible things we have up our sleeve. For now, here’s everything you need to know about Camp Quirky 2023.

What, where and when is Camp Quirky?

Camp Quirky is the greenest handmade campervan festival in the UK.

Run by active members of the community for the community, some may describe it as an off-grid festival extravaganza that embodies the best and realest parts of vanlife.

From workshops on how to convert/upgrade your campervan to gathering around a campfire for a singalong under the stars – trust us when we say, you don’t want to miss it!

Our next event will be taking place 28th April to 1st May 2023 at Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire.

“Loved the whole weekend but my favourite bit was very unexpected! Dancing to Thrill Collins on Friday evening! They were fab & set us up for a great weekend! Also loved the yoga!”
Adrea G

What can I expect?

Get ready to take your senses on an adventure. Camp Quirky is a place where you can feast your eyes on spectacular campervan builds, hear and dance to your favourite music and smell and taste delicious eats. There’s truly something for everyone!

Expect interactive workshops, campfire conversations and community driven discussions. You’ll spend your days learning about the ins and outs of vanlife, sustainability and crafts and your evenings dancing underneath the stars with friends old and new.

To keep up to date with what you can expect, check out our What’s On page.

What makes Camp Quirky green?

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. As we grow, there are a number of eco-friendly steps which remain in place to ensure we leave as little trace as possible. Whilst we want Camp Quirky to be a space where people come together to express themselves freely and creatively, we need your help to ensure Camp Quirky remains the greenest campervan festival in the UK:

Camp Quirky is fully powered by the sun!
Toilet facilities are compost loos (a bit of a shock if you’re not used to them but a very important part of our sustainability plan.)
We ask that no-one brings single use plastic on site (and we promise we won’t use any either!)
All attendees are advised to bring their own cutlery, plates and coffee mugs (we don’t have any disposable cups on site.)
We strive to be 100% recycled and ask attendees to use the bin bags provided correctly (more on this at a later date.)

“I’ve been to lots of festival (pre-lockdown) and I don’t remember leaving one and seeing a complete absence of litter – there’s normally a shocking amount of crap everywhere. Kudos to everyone for being part of such a happy, responsible and fun-loving community.”
Peter B

When do tickets go on sale?

People who are subscribed to our Camp Quirky mailing list will receive early access to tickets on the 9th November at 10am. General sale tickets will go live on the 16th November at 10am.

What is included in the price of my ticket?

There are no special tiers at Camp Quirky, everyone is a VIP!

Your ticket will include:

Entry to the festival
Full programme of live entertainment & workshops
Access to our wellness & crafts villages
Access to fresh drinking water, compost toilets & showers

You can camp from 10am on Friday 28th April to 12pm on Monday 1st May. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on an early arrival ticket, you will be welcome to join us from 2pm on Thursday 27th April. Gates will close at 9pm each night.

Does Camp Quirky have a line up?

Yes! There will be a live music programme full of fantastic acts on Friday 28th, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th. We will have workshop/talk areas programmed back-to-back with diverse content covering van conversions, vanlife, DVUK, sustainable living and crafts. There is a kids area with organised activities throughout the weekend.

The full Camp Quirky schedule will be published on our What’s On page once finalised.

“Had a fabulous first experience of Camp Quirky. Such a wonderful atmosphere. Met some lovely people and shared stories and experiences.”
Mellony F

Is it child-friendly?

Yes! Children are the explorers of the future and the ones who are going to carry the torch of vanlife and sustainable living for years to come. It’s a very intimate festival where it is easy to keep an eye on your kids. Nothing will be too loud and the music will all be finished by 1am. In addition, we will provide a kids area with lots of scheduled activities for children of all ages.

My campervan is not quirky/not finished/a caravan – can I still bring it?

Yes – everyone is welcome in whatever accommodation you have. There will be lots of amazing finished and part-finished campervans to peruse.

“Our first year at Quirky and had a lovely weekend! We’re about halfway through our build so many of the talks were useful to us this year.”
Chris B

I don’t own a van, can I still come?

Absolutely. In fact the people that get the most out of the festival will probably be those who are at the very beginning of their conversion journey.

You are welcome to camp on site, or to get the full experience, why not hire a Quirky Camper? If this is something you’d like to do, keep an eye out for our accommodation page, launching very soon!

Can I buy a ticket on the door?

Tickets sell out every year! So unfortunately we can’t offer any tickets on the door. Please make sure you purchase your tickets as soon as they go on sale. Buy your tickets here.

How much is a campervan pass?

£25 – We’ve tried to keep campervan passes as cheap as possible but rising costs have meant that we do have to charge a fee this year which will grant you access to your own campervan pitch.

“My favourite thing about Camp Quirky 2022: The incredibly friendly people… sometimes we had 8 people in our van, all sitting around talking campers…. Complete strangers… except that campervan folk are never really strangers!”
Anita P

Can I bring a tent?

Of course! You don’t have to be on wheels to join us. We have designated areas for tents. If you are travelling to the festival by car, there is a free car park separate to the tent camping area.

Parking – will there be any and how much is it?

Yes there is and it’s free. Car parking will be in a different field with a short walk to the camping area.

Do you sell day passes?

We will not be selling day passes for Camp Quirky 2023. We want to focus even more on building a sense of community and on creating the most awesome weekend possible and feel that people coming and going throughout the weekend may impact that.

“Had such a fab time! Worth waiting 3 years for! Already looking forward to next year”
Andrea G

Can I bring my dog?

Absolutely! Quirky Campers love dogs and we recognise that they go hand in hand with vanlife. There is a designated dog walking field for off-lead walkies. For safety reasons, we do ask that all dogs are kept on leads throughout the event.

Alcohol

No glass bottles are allowed on site. You are welcome to use whatever receptacles you like inside your camper but please be mindful that any glass needs to stay in there.

You are permitted to bring your own alcohol but please do support the reasonably priced bar which helps to fund the festival.

Fires

Fires will be allowed if they are off the ground, e.g. BBQ or firepit and at least 3m from any vehicle or tent. Strictly no fires on the ground. Any fires deemed unsafe by the campsite stewards will be extinguished.

There will be fire points in the main arena and in the campsite. Please familiarise yourself with the nearest one. If you discover a fire please alert a steward immediately.

Food and drink

There will be hot food for sale all day every day – these will be served with compostable plates/cutlery etc. but if you want to bring your own that’s even better.

Food will include vegan and gluten-free options.

Our fully licensed bar will be serving a selection of local ales, cider and lager. There will also be spirits and cocktails available.

Food and drink is priced affordably – please support our traders by buying their delicious fare.

What facilities will be available?

Showers

There will be 10 shower cubicles which will be operating in timetabled hours due to all site electrics running from solar. Opening times will be displayed by the showers.

Toilets

There will be plenty of compost loos
We will have accessible toilets on site that can be used by those who have the radar key.
There will be a chemical toilet disposal point however we strongly advise you to use the compost facilities for the sake of the environment.

Power

We are delighted that Camp Quirky will be a diesel generator free event! All of our power will be provided by solar arrays. Strictly no petrol/diesel generators on site.

There will be no hook-up; the event is taking place on a beautiful and wild festival site, not a campsite.

Water

There will be multiple freshwater points dotted throughout the site.

Do I need to bring cash?

In a word, YES. There will be no cashpoint on site and while some traders may accept cards, others will not. Your best bet is to stop at a cashpoint en route to ensure you have enough change in your pocket for food, drink and any other lovely bits you may want to pick up.

Site rules

No generators
No drones
No sound systems
No illegal substances
No fireworks
Strict Speed limit of 5MPH at all times
No waste

Is Camp Quirky accessible?

We welcome festival goers with accessibility requirements. The site is pretty flat and should be suitable for wheelchairs though please bear in mind it is a grass field and not tarmac. There will be accessible toilets on site and there are no steps up to any of the festival areas.

Require a carer’s ticket? Please get in touch by emailing campquirky@quirkycampers.co.uk if you have any specific needs and we will do our best to accommodate them.

Still have a question you’d like answered?

For more information, please visit our FAQS.

Camp Quirky 2023: Everything you need to know