About Us

Eden Festival is an Independent, not-for-profit celebration of music, arts, and culture. Our commitment to community is at the core of Eden’s ethos, shaping an inclusive and authentic celebration that values people over profit. Each year hundreds of local people come together to produce the festival, bringing huge social and economic benefits to the area.

Eden stands apart from the commercial landscape, operating without any corporate sponsorship. This model allows us to prioritise the festival-goer experience, fostering a genuine sense of connection and shared enjoyment without commercial influences, while at the same time directly supporting the local community.

Sustainability

We have always taken our commitment to sustainability seriously. Organising an event that attracts thousands of people with hired in equipment can’t be done without some impact on the environment, understanding this impact is crucial to reduction. Below are some of the key things we are doing to reduce our ecological impact.

Traders

Green Policies for Traders

At Eden Festival, sustainability isn’t just a concept; it’s a way of life, extending to every corner of our vibrant community. Our Trader Green Policy sets the standard for environmentally conscious practices, ensuring that our marketplace aligns with our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future.

Trader Green Policy Highlights:

Free Range Eggs: All traders are required to serve only free-range eggs, promoting ethical and humane practices.

Fair Trade (or Equivalent) Beverages: From tea and coffee to hot chocolate and other drinks, only fair trade or equivalent options are allowed, supporting ethical sourcing and fair labour practices.

Cleaning Products: Traders must exclusively use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products, minimising harm to the environment.

No Single-Use Plastics: We’re committed to reducing plastic waste. All drinks must be served in cans or cardboard, and single-use plastics are strictly prohibited.

Eco-Friendly Utensils: In a bid to reduce landfill waste, all traders are required to use compostable cutlery and plates.

Supporting Local : We believe in the strength of our local community. That’s why we offer a 20% discount to all traders based in Dumfries & Galloway, both food and non-food vendors. This not only supports local businesses but also enhances the sustainability of our festival by reducing transportation emissions.

Vegan Options: All food traders are required to provide a vegan option on their menu.

Stages

More than 90% of our stages and venues are either hand-built permanent fixtures of the site or carefully packed down and stored onsite. We design things with longevity in mind, handcrafted and thoughtfully integrated into the natural landscape, these permanent features not only contribute to the distinct character of Eden but also reduce the need for continuous transportation, construction and deconstruction, significantly reducing carbon emissions, contributing to a greener, more sustainable festival.

Our dedication to sustainability not only benefits the planet but also ensures that the Eden Festival experience remains one-of-a-kind. The permanent and on-site stages add a unique touch to each edition of the festival, creating a sense of continuity and authenticity that sets Eden apart in the festival landscape.

Our Cycle-Powered Stage, where festival-goers pedal to power the soundsystem and lights, is a prime example of our commitment to sustainable practices. We’re also making a straightforward shift to LED bulbs for site lighting wherever possible.

Travel

We want to encourage festival go-ers to use public transport or car share wherever possible, you can find information about this on our Travel Section

We have significantly reduced the number of items we need to hire in by building permanent structures on site and buying our own equipment but there are some things that we still have to source. When we do have to hire in equipment, we try wherever possible to partner with local companies, both supporting the local community whilst minimising emissions from transportation.

Eco Cups

In 2014 we introduced re-usable eco cups across all our bars. Attendees pay £2 extra for their first drink but then keep their cup and use it throughout the festival. This reduces waste, keeps the site tidy and you can take your cup home at the end and keep using it.

Single use plastics and glass are prohibited on site so we recommend festival go-ers bring a reusable water bottle to refill at our water points which can be found all over the arena and campsites.

Traders are only allowed to use compostable cutlery and plates, please see more about Green Trader Policies in the traders section

Our Journey

Originally founded by youth from the community, Eden was first an area of the Wickerman Festival in 2002, the ‘Eden Zone’. It was a section of the festival consisting of dance and chill out tents with a large garden in the middle. The local youth group involved friends and their parents in organising the area, helping to build the creative, highly decorated spaces.

In 2009, after 7 years of hosting the Eden Zone and building the skills and relationships of the 200 or so locals involved, the time came to step out of the Wickerman Festival and go it alone – Eden Festival was born.

Since then, the festival has gone from strength to strength, continuing to be organised and built by local people. 2024 is the 13th edition of the festival, taking place from the 13th to the 16th of June at the stunning Raehill’s Estate just outside of Moffat.