Shambala opens public vote on wild venison food option after almost 10 years as ‘non-meat’ festival

Shambala is renowned as a pioneer in sustainable festivals and in 2016 it removed meat and fish from its menus for the first time.

Organisers did this to spark a conversation about the impact the food we eat has on climate, ecosystems and communities around the globe.

As a result, the festival cut food-related emissions to just six percent of its total carbon footprint, compared to an average of 21 per cent at UK music festivals.

Now, organisers of the award-winning event held in Northamptonshire have decided to revisit the conversation in light of record-high deer populations in the UK and growing ecological concerns around overgrazing and biodiversity loss.

Shambala MD and Co-Founder Chris Johnson said: “In 2016 we shocked the festival world, and some of our audience, by taking meat and fish off the menu.

“We did this to reduce environmental impacts and also to spark debate.

“It feels time to reinvigorate these important conversations and also to highlight that we urgently need to eat wild deer to rescue and protect what little is left of our natural habitats.”

Across the UK, conservationists, land managers and ecologists have warned that, in the absence of natural predators, deer numbers have risen to levels that many habitats cannot sustain.

Heavy browsing of young trees and vegetation is linked to stalled woodland regeneration, damage to crops and declining biodiversity.

As a result, controlled culling is widely used as a land management tool, with advocates arguing that consuming wild venison from these programmes ensures the animal is used as food rather than wasted and can form part of a more localised, low-input food system.

Last week the UK Government unveiled a strategy aimed at making deer management easier in order to reduce numbers and protect crops and habitats.

At the same time, Shambala is encouraging the ecological debate - and asking its community to consider whether responsibly sourced wild venison could have a place at the festival as an environmentally restorative food choice.

If approved by festival-goers, Shambala would introduce a single trader serving only wild British venison, with a percentage of profits donated to biodiversity initiatives.

Talks and workshops exploring the UK’s deer overpopulation and wider food system ethics would also form part of the programme.

Around a third of Shambala’s audience identify as vegetarian or vegan and organisers stress they respect the ethical convictions underpinning those choices.

The final decision will be determined by a public vote.

Shambala returns from Thursday, August 27, to Sunday, August 30, at Kelmarsh Hall with artists including Bob Vylan, Hollie Cook, Emma-Jean Thackray, The Selecter and more alongside four days of theatre, circus and workshops.

The final remaining tickets are on sale and cost £295 before fees. Concessions and ‘Green Traveller’ discounts are available.

Votes on whether Shambala should add wild venison to the menu can be cast at https://shambalafestival.org.

Voting will close on Friday, March 6 at 11.59pm and the results will be revealed later in the month.