Manchester Evening News
·Aug 2026
Not your typical 800-year-old castle, not your typical music festival
Krankenhaus Festival, founded by Sea Power in 2019, has developed into an intimate and unconventional event at Muncaster Castle in Cumbria. The festival combines indie and alternative music with fell walks, steam trains, dog shows, brass bands, bingo and local attractions, while avoiding the fencing and corporate scale associated with larger festivals. Castle operations director Ewan Frost-Pennington says the event supports the local economy and helps keep the 800-year-old estate relevant and accessible. Attendance has grown from 400 to about 1,500, with strong repeat attendance, although organisers are considering how much larger the festival can become without losing its distinctive community atmosphere.