The event is at Blackpit Estate, Buckinghamshire. Navigation to MK18 5LJ will bring you to the front gate of the estate grounds. From there, follow the signs for Nighthawks Summer Weekender, which will take you into the festival site. If you are coming by train, the closest stations are Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Bicester, Banbury. There will be a taxi drop off point at the site gate, from which there is an 800m walk following the signs to the Nighthawks Summer Weekender.
>> Click here for a map

Camping is included in your ticket, just bring your own tent. You can also book a space for a campervan or similar, just select the relevant option when buying tickets (no charge will be added, but it helps us to plan site allocations). Please be aware that there is no utility hook-up for camping vehicles.

Camping includes indoor wash facilities, including private hot showers, basins, toilets and changing. The blocks are gendered (male/female) and include disabled facilities.

If you do not wish to camp, there are many hotels nearby, including Premier Inn Brackley Hatch (4mi), Travelodge Towcester (6mi), Silverstone Golf Club (1.5mi) and many more. You will need to arrange transport to and from offsite accommodation, and adhere to our re-admission rules (see below).

We hope you’ll party with us all day and night, but this isn’t Hotel California – you can of course leave at any time. But please note that we are unable to re-admit anyone onsite after 11pm, so if you leave the site at the end of your evening, you will not be able to rejoin the festivities until the following morning (8am).

There will be an onsite eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with meat, vegetarian and vegan options. Our chefs will be cooking up a storm over a big fire pit. There will also be a cafe open all day serving sandwiches, snacks, pastries and cakes. There will also be a pizza oven, and other food concessions. You are welcome to bring your own food onto the campsite.

We allow alcohol to be brought onto the campsite, but you may not bring alcohol into the event arena. Security will be checking bags as you enter. Please note also that no glass is to be brought onto the estate at all – as the land is used for livestock grazing.

Lots. At any given point there will be live music on one of our two stages, plus DJs, a roller disco, dance classes, talks, falconry display, yoga, archery, lawn games, and an open air movie theatre. Or you can just sit and soak up the sunshine, because we’ve arranged for the weather to be perfect for the whole weekend.

The festival is outdoors, but the main stage and dance floor is undercover. The Plaza is a renovated and re-floored Dodgems rink courtesy of The Artful Dodgems, and the second venue is indoors in the brewery bar. You will also be undercover in our café and mini-dancefloor on the lawn.

A detailed schedule is available on the programme page and will be emailed to you for download. You will also be able to pick up a schedule on the day, or check on one of the boards at the event. For a general overview:

FRIDAY – Gates/campsite open at 4pm. Event site opens at 6pm, with food and bars, and DJ entertainment. Live music begins 8pm. Music on the Plaza ends at 2am, and in the Barrel House at 3am.

SATURDAY – Event site opens at 8am. Music on the Plaza ends at 2am, and in the bar at 3am.

SUNDAY – Event site opens at 8am. Live entertainment and outdoor activities end at 8pm. Outdoor food and bars remain open until 9pm, and the Barrel House bar will remain open for a wind-down party on Sunday night. We ask that you vacate the site on Monday morning by 11am.

To assist us in keeping things smooth, please either print your ticket or have it ready on your mobile device upon arrival. You will be issued a wristband by our team, who will check your ticket against our booking system.

While we hope this is unnecessary and that the pandemic is behind us, we can never say never. As we are sure you will understand, we are at the mercy of government regulations regarding Covid-19. These are as yet unclear, but we will be following all protocols prescribed. Please be aware that anything that is required of the customer is unlikely to be our decision. This includes proof of vaccination, negative tests and observation of individual quarantine cases. Rest assured that we will do everything we can to make your experience as safe and enjoyable as possible. Full refunds will be issued in the case of any cancellation or major changes due to Covid-19 restrictions.

We are issuing day tickets, but only for Saturday and Sunday, and not until most of our capacity of full price tickets has been sold. Saturday tickets will be £69, and Sunday tickets will be £54.

The site is relatively small, so you’ll be happy just moseying and exploring. But if you do want to know where things are, check the map on the boards on site, or ask for a map from our front desk. You can also ask one of our team to email or WhatsApp you a map.

Yes, there will be drinking water available, just bring a reusable container to fill up.

Yes, there are blocks with toilets, washbasins, private hot showers and changing area for use by all festival-goers. We don’t supply loofahs.

Unfortunately this is an over-18s festival, and we can’t allow children in. Think of it as the perfect excuse to get away!

For various reasons, including fire safety, the proximity of other livestock, and the presence of birds of prey, we cannot allow anyone to bring animals on site. I’m sure you could smuggle in a stick insect, but that’s about it. And definitely no bats, they’ve caused enough trouble already.

We have no ATMs on site. Plan to bring as much cash as you’ll need for the weekend. All bars and food outlets take card payments.

We hope you will be so entertained that you won’t need your phone all weekend, but if you do run out of juice, you can charge at the power points by our information desk.

Yes. Yes there will.

I guess there’s no reason we can stop you, but there are some other things that are forbidden. The following items are NOT permitted into the event or the campsite, Any person found with any of these prohibited items may have the item(s) removed by a member of the staff:

Campfires, firewood and fire starters
Chinese lanterns
Fireworks
Gas Cylinders exceeding 15kg
Generators
Glass. All liquids must be decanted into plastic containers before arrival. All glass bottles will be removed and disposed of by staff on arrival
Offensive weapons
Paddling pools / swimming pools / hot tubs etc.
Drones / Aircraft / Kites
Restricted and illegal substances
Sound systems capable of creating excessive noise
Any and all items that are deemed dangerous, offensive or unsuitable for the safe environment of the festival and campsite.

Admission will be refused to anyone carrying prohibited items, regardless of the tickets carried by the persons concerned and without refund.

Nighthawks Summer Weekender reserves the right to search any/all vehicles and/or persons on arrival. Admission will be refused to anyone carrying prohibited items, regardless of the tickets carried by the persons concerned without refund. The management reserve the right to refuse permission of entry or re-entry to any person(s). No trading/flyering/placing of posters/stickers without prior written consent. The ‘Challenge 25’ policy will be in place across the site and you must be over 18 to enter the site. There is a zero tolerance policy to drugs on site.

We believe in creating a safe environment for all participants of our events. If anyone is found to be behaving in a way that is threatening to anyone, they will be immediately ejected from the site with no refund, and may be reported. This includes, but is not limited to: lewd or aggressive behaviour, uninvited sexual advances, racism, anti-semitism, ageism or anti-LGBTQ+ behaviour.

We would particularly draw attention to our zero tolerance policy on inappropriate sexual behaviour, and we invite anyone who experiences any undesired behaviour from others to report it immediately to our management, front desk or security team without fear.