Buddhafield Festival is a joyful gathering of around 4,000 people, celebrating community and connection with the land. Song, dance, arts and crafts, yoga, live music, meditation, and play blend together without drink or drugs to create a loving and life-affirming space. There will be Buddhist teaching, workshops, and ritual, under sun and stars. The Festival is family-friendly and open to everyone, however you practice.
The Buddhafield Festival is held on a beautiful site in the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), about 7 miles South of Taunton, at Culmhead.
We offer a full programme of activities, including the teaching, discussion, and study of Buddhism and meditation in the Dharma Parlour and Meditation Space. If it’s relaxation you’re looking for, take your ease in one a number of vegan and vegetarian cafés, whilst waiting for one of our extensive range of workshops to start. There’s a full performance programme of music and cabaret. We have a set of specialist Areas and Spaces including Permaculture, Social Change, Women’s Space and a terrific Kids Area. Amongst the delights of healing and bodywork on offer, you could learn or practice Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gung, book a massage or investigate one of the dozens of other treatments.
Ticket Information
For information about ticket types - including concessions and disabled tickets - please see our Festival Frequently Asked Questions
Drug and Alcohol Policy: Get into the Spirit ... but Leave the Spirits at Home
Alcohol and drugs (including 'legal highs') are not welcome at the Festival. We reserve the right to ask people not respecting this to leave.
Buddhism is about getting out of our head and into the body, into the abundance of the present moment. We move away from stale thought loops that regret the past, or worry about the future; away from a dulled, dumbed down experience; away from avoiding parts of ourselves, into the full vividness and beauty of now.
In the Buddhist ethical training, this 'mindfulness clear and radiant' is supported by 'abstaining from intoxicants' that could cloud the mind. For many it is a big part of why they come; for those in recovery, not being around drugs and alcohol is crucial. Please help us retain the uniqueness of the collective creation that is Buddhafield by entering into the spirit of this aspect of the Festival.
Our peacekeeping team will be trained to challenge people publicly not respecting our request.
Environmental Responsibility: Leave No Trace
As much of our power as possible is acquired from renewable sources including the sun, wind and wood burner. We do not use generators, not even bio-diesel ones! Buddhafield is always looking for ways to reduce its carbon footprint and we actively encourage lift sharing and the use of public transport.
We take our recycling very seriously and operate a 'Take Your Landfill Home' policy. Please visit the 'Temple of Ming' during the Festival where our Recycling Team sort through every incoming bag by hand. This year we managed to reduce the number of landfill-bound skips down to only one!
Plan Your Camping
When you arrive on site, you’ll be much more at ease if you already have a good understanding about where you can camp and what to expect. On the Festival Facilities page there’s a description of the camping and live-in vehicle options, plus information about unloading and packing your car, lost property, washing and hygiene, fire, waste and recycling, music and noise, food, traders, shops & stalls.
2020 Theme
For 2020 Buddhafield will be basing its programme fo retreats and events around the theme of 'Holding to Nothing Whatever'. The theme is explored at the Festival in our programme of activities including the public rituals.