FAQs

To give all customers time to confirm which Camp Orchid they want to stay in, we won’t be amending bookings just yet. All swaps will take place in mid-March and Kaboodle will email you with an updated confirmation once this has happened.

We’ve created Camp Orchid Downtown to remove the need for Camp Orchid Customers to complete a second bus journey to reach Camp Orchid. So we’d recommend staying in Camp Orchid Downtown if you are planning to arrive by Shuttle Bus or Coach. There will still be a transfer bus for Camp Skylark customers arriving to Boomtown by public transport between the public transport hub and South Gate near Camp Skylark.

There is no car park near Camp Orchid Downtown. If you want to drive, we’d recommend camping in Camp Orchid.

If you are arriving by a private hire coach, being dropped off or arriving by taxi, we’d recommend camping in Camp Orchid Downtown. If you need to change to Camp Orchid Downtown, follow this link.

Yes, log in to your Kaboodle account to add Camp Orchid Downtown to an existing booking.

We would advise staying in the Camp Orchid Downtown as it’s closer to the gate you are arriving at. It is a long walk across the festival, and we want you to have the easiest arrival possible. However, if you still feel you want to change, you can fill out this form by 24th February and we will keep your booking at the Camp Orchid site near Camp Orchid Car Park.

We would advise staying in the Camp Orchid as it’s closer to the gate you are arriving at. It is a long walk across the festival, and we want you to have the easiest arrival possible. However, if you still feel you want to change, you can fill out this form by 24th February and we will update your booking to the Camp Orchid Downtown in mid-March.

Camp Orchid and Camp Orchid Downtown have the same facilities and benefits; the difference is the location. Camp Orchid is closer to the car park, so it's best if you are coming by car. Camp Orchid Downtown is close to the Public Transport Hub, so is best for customers coming by coach, shuttle or private hire vehicle.

As with most larger festival sites, phone signals tends to be a bit hit and miss. There are no payphones onsite so it's best to do things the old fashioned way and plan a pre-arranged meeting spot. Our app also has some offline functionality, so you’ll still be able to check the programme & the map!

Boomtown was started by a small team of young creative party goers who wanted to create something different -  - an experience that brings to life underground music, art and theatre culture.

The festival is still run by the same people who started it - but we’ve come a long way in the last 15 years!

Boomtown takes place over the second week of August between 12th - 16th August 2026.

Boomtown is set in the rolling hills of Matterley Estate, a working dairy farm in the most westerly point of South Downs National park, near Winchester. Exact routing information will be sent with your ticket, please follow it carefully!

Wednesday is a set up day only with limited entertainment. On Thursday there will be a limited number of stages, bars and venues open later in the afternoon. The full show, with all stages and attractions will be open at 12 noon on Friday onwards.

The site needs to be vacated by midday on Monday 17th August. Please make sure you are all packed up and on your merry way home by then.

The Boomtown immersive world is a collection of storylines which create the living city that is Boomtown. Some storylines are national news stories involving the whole city. Some storylines are local news stories involving just one district. Some storylines are town gossip involving just a few characters. Our audience also brings their own storylines… it might become confusing, but that’s all part of the fun.

There may come a time when all storylines seem to connect, and it all suddenly makes sense.

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Boomtown is a five day immersive music festival set in a parallel world. We’re on a mission to  inspire the emergence of a better world all while having a blast. 

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Eight city districts come to life, each with their own unique vision for how we build a perfect world. There’s characters to meet, causes to join and secrets to be revealed around every corner.

To find out more about Boomtown please visit Discover The Fair

Head over to our Connect section where you'll find all our various application forms and their opening dates.

Boomtown is an over 18’s event. You may see some under 18s 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.

There is no single Boomtown storyline. Like any city, there are many stories happening at once. Which stories you find out about or become involved in will depend on a combination of which district you hang out in, who you speak to, and pure luck.

The whole Boomtown site is pretty big, you can expect to do quite a lot of walking over the weekend so please bring appropriate footwear. 

The Matterley estate is a green-field site that utilises the natural amphitheatre, neighbouring woodland and the surrounding fields to form the unique festival experience of Boomtown.