2025 UK Van Life Festivals, RV, Caravan, Camper, Motorhome, Overlanding & Self-Build Events

It’s February. It’s the start of Festival Season! So get your diary out…

For those considering buying or converting a van, visiting shows or meet-ups is a brilliant way to get ideas, see what options are available, meet suppliers and manufacturers, and chat with experts and other like-minded people.

If you already own a van, it’s just a fun thing to do!

In the UK, there is a full calendar of vanlife shows and get togethers. Most are annual festivals that take place over weekends, although day tickets are often available.

There are two types of events:

• Trade Shows & Self Build Get Togethers, which are more product and information oriented. The largest shows featuring all the mainstream manufacturers are the two at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) in Birmingham in February and October.
• The Campervan Festivals are more social, music, and fun, although there is obviously an overlap, with many festivals now featuring self-build displays and talks.

I have tried to make this the most comprehensive guide to vanlife events, but if I have missed any major annual events, please let me know and I shall add them.

Britain has hundreds of brilliant and bonkers Other Festivals, which are ideal to visit in your van, so as a bonus I have also included some links for you to search directories of music festivals, air shows, floating markets, independent and green festivals to help you find the festival for you, although do see my Note on Dog Friendliness.

If you want to try vanlife but don’t yet have a van, I’ve included Motorhome & Camper Rentals, and a link to sample Sample Virtual Vanlife Via YouTube.

Contents – Click on the links below to go directly to the monthly listing.

1. Festivals by Month
   1. February
   2. May
   3. June
   4. July
   5. August
   6. September
   7. October
   8. Events Throughout the Year
   9. Events on Hold or Dates to be Confirmed
   10. European Festivals
   11. Self Build Forums & Meetups
2. A Note on Dog Friendliness
3. Motorhome & Camper Rentals
4. Sample Virtual Vanlife Via YouTube
5. Other Festivals
   1. Come Truckin’ With Us – Sign Up for Tips & Inspiration!

Festivals by Month

February

• The Caravan, Camping, and Motorhome Show at the NEC, Birmingham in February is one of the largest in the UK and hosts all the major manufacturers, as well as accessories, talks, free caravan/campervan driving experiences etc.
• The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome, & Holiday Home Show at the SEC in Glasgow in February.

May

• Campervan Campout in Sussex in May – headlined by Sarah Cox. Come and see us – we will be on display in the Self Build area! I will also be giving a talk – details to follow.
• Glampfest in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire in May invites you to admire beautiful campervans, enjoy performances from some excellent hand-picked acoustic artists, bands and DJ’s, get involved in lots of fun activities and enjoy the Glamping life.
• The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s ClubFest in Cheshire in May. Day tickets are available and there are discounts for volunteers.
• The Bushcraft Show in Lutterworth in May – From Archery, Axe Throwing and Adventure Vehicles, (of course!) to Wild Swimming, Wild Food, and Weaving, there is something for everyone! See Ray Mears – and US! We will be on display in the Adventure Vehicle Zone. To get 10% Off Tickets – visit https://bushcraftmagazine.com/tickets and input code JL10 at checkout.
• The Van Life Festival 30th May – 1st June in Shrewsbury welcomes everyone in any vehicle to share adventures and be inspired.

June

• Camperlife@Stratford in June, featuring three unique zones … ‘Self-Build’, ‘Vanlife’ and ‘Overland’, each section will include its own specialist traders, display vehicles and interactive workshops.
• The NATIONAL 4×4 & CAMPER FESTIVAL (UK) in June at Stratford upon Avon Racecourse is the revamped version of the ever-popular joint Adventure Overland Show and International Campervan Show.
• Bristol Volksfest in June promises cool cars, camping, music and VW culture.
• Mighty Dub Fest at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland in June is the north east’s family festival, celebrating VWs and live music, although you don’t need a VW to attend.
• VanLifeFest – there are now two! @theHall in Malton, North Yorkshire in June and @thePark in Lincolnshire in September is new for 2025. Both are weekend events for campervans and motorhomes only (no caravans/folding campers or tents as primary accommodation). Day tickets are available.
• Vanlifers United Festival in Worthing, West Sussex in June is a spectacular celebration of friendship and community.

July

• VanLoveFest at Elvington near York in July has everything from micro campers to overlanders, whether you’re full-time or just curious, Vanlove Fest is the ultimate celebration of life on the road. And it’s dog friendly!
• Vans in the Valley in n the heart of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales in July is a chilled campout weekend.
• The Armchair Adventure Festival in Cornwall in July started as the world’s first 100% live virtual adventure festival during the COVID pandemic, but is now an in-person celebration of adventure travel. Expect talks from world-leading adventurers, adventurous activities to get involved with, and fantastic live music. They also arrange free online events throughout the year. Subscribe to the mailing list to be included.
• Camper Jam – in Shropshire in July is a family friendly VW bus event, including tree climbing, craft workshops and the infamous Disco Shed.
• Vanlife and Overlander Celebration near Newbury in July – a family-friendly event for vanlifers by vanlifers! It includes a brand-new Self-Build Campervan Trade Area for those looking to build, upgrade, or enhance their campervans and motorhomes.
• Vanlife Eats near Basingstoke in July is the original vanlife foodie festival includes music, food – and is dog friendly!

August

• Volksfest Wales in Brecon in August is a family event which promises a chilled out vibe with a variety of stunning classic and modern VW vehicles on display, plus traders, children’s entertainment and live bands.
• Terriblefest’s Circus Vantasia in Rotherham, Yorkshire in August is an action-packed family fun weekend with live bands and circus experiences.
• Van Vibes Festival in Surrey in August will bring you live music, food, talks, and fun for the kids all in a beautiful location.

September

• Dubs In t’ Dales is an end of summer VW camp out in North Yorkshire in September.
• VanLifeFest – there are now two! @theHall in Malton, North Yorkshire in June and @thePark in Lincolnshire in September is new for 2025. Both are weekend events for campervans and motorhomes only (no caravans/folding campers or tents as primary accommodation) Day tickets are available.

October

• The National Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC in Birmingham in October is the biggest manufacturers’ launch show of new models for the following season. It includes talks, free ‘have a go’ driving sessions, and a whole hall of campervans.

Events Throughout the Year

• Warners Group, who publish the industry magazines dedicated to Caravans, Motorhomes and Campervans, arrange Out and About Live regional shows at various show grounds in the UK throughout the year.
• VW Festivals – I have included a few VW festivals, but there are loads more! The website VW Festivals lists all VW events in the UK and throughout Europe. It is searchable by month and by country.
• Vanlife Festivals Facebook Group

Events on Hold or Dates to be Confirmed

• Campervan & RV Show, at Excel, London has not released dates. Sign up for updates.
• Dubbed Out Festival – a weekend family friendly VW campervan festival with big top tents and live music. Tickets go on sale in February.
• Go Explore will return in 2026: ‘the only show in the South where you can see a fantastic selection of caravans, motorhomes, campervans, holiday homes, lodges, tents and accessories all in one destination’
• Camp Quirky sadly, ‘the greenest handmade campervan festival run by the community for the community’ will not return in 2025.

European Festivals

• The biggest European festival for four-wheel drive and long distance travel is the Abenteuer & Allrad in Bad Kissingen, Germany, in June.
• VW Festivals lists VW events in the UK and throughout Europe. It is searchable by month and by country.

Self Build Forums & Meetups

There are also lots of forums and van life meet ups, many arranged through Facebook, such as:

• The Self Build Get Together arranges camping trips and meetings a few times a year, where people with self-built vans can come together to help each other, as well as meet like-minded people, get inspiration, advice, share tools, expertise and so on. The main group is based largely in south central England, but there are sub-groups in the North, North Wales, and the Midlands.
• Built not Bought Campers a safe place for everyone to discuss topics, provide hints and tips, give advice, show your vans off, self built, and also coach built.
• The Self Build Motor Caravan Club (SBMCC) has lots of resources on its website, such as information on how to find, plan, and build your van. It also arranges club meets for members via its SBMCC forum.

• Camper Conversion Shows – this is an extensive campervan conversion and festival guide from Bearwood Campers which lists regional events throughout the year. If you sign up to their mailing list, they will send you a monthly email reminder of the festivals that month. Please note, I have no connection with Bearwood Campers.

A Note on Dog Friendliness

• Dogs are very much part of van life. Most of the outdoor campervan festivals and shows are dog friendly, but do check before making a booking, and note that some may charge extra for dogs.
• Unless invited to Crufts, only official assistance dogs are permitted in the NEC in Birmingham and there is no longer camping available on site, so the major caravan and motorhome shows held there are not dog friendly at all.
• The SEC in Glasgow does not allow dogs, and requires 7 days notice for official assistance dogs.
• Music and other types of festival may be unsuitable for dogs, so use your judgement.
• DogFest ‘The Action Packed Festival for Dogs’ takes place at several locations across the UK, between May and September and is definitely dog friendly!

Motorhome & Camper Rentals

You can also rent campervans or motorhomes to see how you like the lifestyle, or the layout of a particular model. If you want to take your dog, there are dog friendly rentals. Some dealers also rent out campers or offer test drives.

The suppliers below bring together owners who want to make extra income from their vans and those wanting to rent a campervan and sample vanlife. Please note, I have never tried any of them, so these are not personal recommendations.

• Budget Campervans – offers campervan hire in the UK, including one way rentals, as well as hire options worldwide.
• Camplify – helps you find the perfect campervan for your next UK holiday, with comprehensive insurance and RAC breakdown cover.
• Camperbug – lists campers for hire by county in the UK, and also offers campervan hire abroad.
• Goboony – motorhome hire from a local owner. Goboony claims the largest fleet in the UK.
• Indie Campervan Hire – has listings in Europe, North America & Oceana. They also offer long-term campervan hire options for those who wish to sample the lifestyle.
• Quirky Campers brings together owners of bespoke campers and those who want to rent a unique campervan.

Sample Virtual Vanlife Via YouTube

I am not a big YouTube fan, but Sophie and Ryan of Liveration. have made some wonderful short documentary films about van lifers and others who have chosen an alternative lifestyle. If you want to know what full-time van life is really like, check them out via the links below.

Make sure you don’t miss their future episodes, which I GUARANTEE will be FABULOUS (because I know what’s coming up!) don’t forget to Subscribe to their Channel, @Liveration.

• Bricklayer Lives in Tiny Van and Enjoys the Simple Life
• Musician Leaves Flat to Build Off Grid Narrowboat
• From a 3-Hour Commute Office Job to Full Off Grid Van Life With Dog
• 5 Years Living In Micro Camper, With No Kitchen or Bathroom!
• Full Time Travel In This BEAST, Off Grid Custom Built Truck! – that’s us!

Other Festivals

Have camper, will travel… If festivals are your thing, there are many other food, music, craft, country fairs, carnivals, airshows, floating markets, or other festivals you could visit. Here are some resources to help you find them.

• The Best UK Festivals lists the UK’s most famous festivals, such as the Glastonbury, music festival, The Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, and the Notting Hill Carnival.
• Ticketmaster Festival Finder is searchable by date, duration, type, location, and time.
• Visit England the official tourist website lists many of England’s more eccentric festivals and can be filtered by region, type, or season, and shows the locations on a map.
• Strange and Quirky British Festivals – from bog snorkelling to cheese rolling with eating stinging nettles in between, discover some of Britain’s most eccentric festivals. There’s a few more listed on the VisitBritain official tourist site.
• UK Canal Festivals & Floating Markets
• UK Airshows
• DogFest ‘The Action Packed Festival for Dogs’ takes place at several locations across the UK, between May and September.
• Camp Quirky Small Festival Guide – lists some of the best small and green festivals.
• The Association of Independent Festivals is the trade body whose directory lists more than 100 independent festivals.