UK Swing Festivals and Weekenders: What They Are and How to Choose

By Lindy Hopper, Editor

Festivals are the high days of the swing calendar. Here's how to pick your first, budget for it and enjoy every minute.

What is a swing festival?

Sooner or later in your swing life, someone will say, "Are you going to the weekender?" and look baffled when you are not. Festivals and weekenders are the big occasions of the dance calendar: a few days of classes, social dancing, live bands and late nights with dancers who have travelled from across the country, and often from abroad. They can be the most fun you will ever have in comfortable shoes – and a little overwhelming the first time. This guide explains the main kinds of event, what they cost, how to choose one and how to get the most out of it.

The main types of event

Names are used loosely, so always read the event's own description, but most UK events fall into one of these groups.

Workshop weekenders and festivals

The classic format: daytime classes with guest teachers, split into levels, followed by evening social dances, often with live music. A typical full pass might include several hours of classes across Saturday and Sunday plus the evening parties. Some festivals run tracks in more than one dance – Lindy Hop alongside Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Charleston or solo jazz.

Exchanges

Exchanges focus on social dancing rather than classes. A local scene hosts visiting dancers for a weekend of parties in different venues, sometimes with a few taster sessions. They are a lovely way to see another city's scene, but they suit people who already feel happy dancing socially for hours.

Vintage and crossover events

Some larger events combine swing dancing with vintage fashion, classic cars, live music and period entertainment. They are a good, relaxed introduction to the wider scene, though the dancing may be only one part of the programme.

Social-only passes and one-day events

Many festivals sell a cheaper pass for the evening dances alone, and some smaller events run for a single day, with a workshop and a party. These are a gentle way in.

International camps

Beyond the UK, longer residential camps and week-long courses attract dancers from around the world. They are a big commitment of time and money, and best saved until you know you love festival life.

When are you ready for your first?

There is no rule, but most dancers find a full-weekend workshop festival most rewarding once they have finished a beginners' course or two and feel comfortable with the basics, including the swingout. Many festivals start at "improver" level rather than absolute beginner, so check the level descriptions carefully – our guide to Lindy Hop levels will help. If an event offers a beginners' track or taster, it will say so clearly.

A social-only pass or a local one-day event can be a good first step even sooner: you get the atmosphere, the bands and the dancing without needing to keep up in classes.

What does it cost?

Prices vary widely depending on length, the teachers booked, whether there is a live band and how far ahead you book. As an illustration, one two-day festival in Cheltenham for March 2027 listed full weekend passes (classes and dances) at between £110 and £145 depending on how early people booked, with a dances-only social pass at £30 and an on-the-door Sunday tea dance at £12. Treat that as a snapshot, not a price list – longer events cost more, smaller ones less.

For comparison, regular UK classes often cost around £5–£10 and socials around £5–£15, so a weekend pass usually works out as good value per hour. Remember to budget for the extras too:

Some festivals offer volunteer places, where you help on the door or at the bar in return for a reduced or free pass. It is a friendly way to meet people, so ask organisers if you are interested.

How booking works

Festival booking can be a little different from buying a concert ticket.

• Early tiers sell out. Many events release a limited number of cheaper passes first.
• Role balancing. Because classes rotate partners, many festivals try to keep similar numbers of leaders and followers. If you book alone, you may go on a leaders' or followers' waiting list until someone of the other role books. Booking with a partner can sometimes skip the queue.
• Applications and offers. Some events ask you to apply and only confirm your place once they make an offer and you pay.
• Levels and auditions. Some festivals let you choose your level; others hold short auditions on the first day to place you. Auditions are not exams – they simply sort people into groups where they will learn best.
• Refunds and transfers. Read the policy before you pay. Many events will not refund but will let you transfer your pass to someone of the same role.

Choosing the right event

• Level. Does the lowest level suit you, honestly?
• Dance styles. Lindy Hop only, or a chance to try something new?
• Size. Small events feel friendly and intimate; large ones bring a bigger buzz and more choice.
• Music. Live bands make a weekend special. Check the line-up.
• Venue and floor. Wooden floors and good ventilation matter over a long weekend.
• Travel. A nearby event keeps costs and tiredness down for your first time.
• Friends. Going with people from your local class makes everything easier.

Our festivals page lists upcoming UK festivals and weekenders, and what's on shows socials and one-off events across the country.

How to prepare

• Build stamina. Go to an extra social or two in the weeks before. A festival can mean five or six hours of dancing a day.
• Pack sensibly. Two pairs of dance shoes (see our shoe guide), several changes of top, a small towel, deodorant, plasters, a refillable water bottle, snacks and earplugs for sleeping. If there is a themed night, an outfit – our guide to vintage clothing for dancers has ideas.
• Look after yourself. Drink water constantly, eat properly, stretch and sleep when you can. Nobody dances well on two hours' sleep and a flapjack.
• Don't try to do everything. Skipping a late party or a class to rest is sensible, not a failure.
• Take notes or video. Many festivals allow a short recap video of each class's material at the end. Ask first, and follow the teachers' rules.

Festival etiquette

The usual social dance etiquette applies, with a few extras. Ask anyone to dance – festivals are about meeting new people – and accept a "no, thank you" gracefully. Keep air steps and aerials for competitions or performances, never a crowded social floor. Thank the band, the DJs and the volunteers. And respect the codes of conduct that most events now publish; they exist so that everyone can feel safe.

Start close to home

The best preparation for any festival is regular dancing. Find a class near you, browse the class directory or start with a beginners' course – and you could be at your first weekender sooner than you think.

Try it on the floor: How to Do the Swingout · How to Do the Lindy Circle · How to Do a Tuck Turn · The Charleston: Kicks, Swivels and a Very Big Grin

Read next

• Lindy Hop Instruction: Every Style, Every Level
• 6-Count and 8-Count: Lindy Hop Rhythm Explained
• How to Do Swivels

Sources

1. Tickts – Guide to UK swing and Lindy Hop events
2. CheltenhamSwing.Dance – Festival 2027

Last reviewed 2026-10-23.