Standon Calling festival set to make a comeback in 2026 with a revamped format not involving camping.

Founded in 2006 by Alex Trenchard, Hertfordshire-based Standon Calling has traditionally been a camping festival but Trenchard has successfully applied for a license to stage the event as eight show days over two weekends.

The license would enable a new-look Standon Calling to take place with a 20,000-capacity next year, and the event operators would then be allowed to expand it to 25,000 in 2027 and 30,000 the following year.

Trenchard told Access that no announcement had been made that Standon Calling will take place next year, and at this stage it was simply a matter of the license having been granted. Should it take place, he said the event would not involve camping.

During a licensing sub-committee meeting at East Hertfordshire Council, the event’s founder said the previous Standon Calling festival format was no longer financially viable due to rising costs, and the new look event format had been designed to increase operational efficiencies.

The license is for two weekends during the period of 30 May and 1 September 2026, but no firm date for Standon Calling’s return has been announced.

Standon Calling was last staged in 2023, with high operating costs leading to the event being cancelled the following year.

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