Latest news with #Swingathon
New York Post
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Swingathon boss lifts the lid on England's notorious ‘sex festival'
If you think festival season is all about flower crowns and muddy fields, think again. Deep in England's Lincolnshire countryside, there's a gathering in the sleepy town of Allington that only those 'in the know' dare to visit. Dubbed by The Sun's sex writer as 'Glastonbury with orgies and Love Island-style beauties,' Swingathon, now in its fifth year, isn't your typical festival. But speaking to In the Newsroom podcast, its organizer, Matt Cole, insists it still has elements of a standard festival. 12 Deep in England's Lincolnshire countryside, there's a gathering in the sleepy town of Allington that only those 'in the know' dare to visit. News Licensing / MEGA 12 Matthew Cole organizer of Swingathon, Grantham, Lincolnshire, Britain's biggest swingers festival. Tom Maddick / SWNS 12 But speaking to In the Newsroom podcast, its organizer, Matt Cole, insists it still has elements of a standard festival. News Licensing / MEGA 'It's got live music and entertainment, but it's for people in the lifestyle,' Cole told the podcast. For those not familiar with 'the lifestyle,' swinging involves people from all walks of life – LGBTQIA+, queer, couples, and anyone willing to explore non-monogamy. The three-day event held last weekend marked its biggest turnout yet, with nearly 1,000 revellers descending on the small town – which was more than the entire local population. But despite its fun ethos, the event drew serious complaints last year from nearby residents who claimed they heard loud, hours-long 'moaning' sounds coming from the campgrounds. Cole insists that this was only half true. 'Yes, we had (moaning), but the complaints are basically a lie. We are three miles (4.8km) from the nearest village, so if anyone can scream that loud … that's a scream,' he laughed. 12 For those not familiar with 'the lifestyle', swinging involves people from all walks of life – LGBTQIA+, queer, couples, and anyone willing to explore non-monogamy. Kerry Voellner / SWNS 12 The three-day event held last weekend marked its biggest turnout yet, with nearly 1,000 revellers descending on the small town – which was more than the entire local population. News Licensing / MEGA 12 But despite its fun ethos, the event drew serious complaints last year from nearby residents who claimed they heard loud, hours-long 'moaning' sounds coming from the campgrounds. Tom Maddick / SWNS He believes that much of the negative press comes from locals disagreeing with the festival's premise. The event is mainly made up of couples, with a two-person ticket setting you back around $470 AUD ($308 USD) and singles around $400 ($263 USD). This year, there were around 100 single men and 50-60 single women in attendance. In terms of the age bracket, the average age is 37, which is much younger than many would expect. 'The youngest that we let in was 21 and the oldest guy was 69,' he shared. So what actually goes on behind the gates? 12 The event is mainly made up of couples, with a two-person ticket setting you back around $470 AUD ($308 USD) and singles around $400 ($263 USD). News Licensing / MEGA 12 In terms of the age bracket, the average age is 37, which is much younger than many would expect. News Licensing / MEGA 12 This year, there were around 100 single men and 50-60 single women in attendance. News Licensing / MEGA By day, the festival – which sees people rock up in anything from their birthday suits, lingerie and fancy dress – hosts lots of different events. 'We have a UV party, a social night, workshops, live talks, and demonstrations,' Cole explains. But they're not just standard demonstrations. 'Some of them might be like flogging, wax play or rope play,' he says. 'Or pole dancing, burlesque classes and massage classes'. There are also hot tubs, sex games, foam parties, and mobile dungeons. Butt plug bingo is one of the more interesting events, which is bingo with a cheeky twist to it (you win the adult-themed toy at the end). 12 By day, the festival – which sees people rock up in anything from their birthday suits, lingerie and fancy dress – hosts lots of different events. Kerry Voellner / SWNS 12 Matt and Stacey, founders of the Swingathon Festival. News Licensing / MEGA 12 Butt plug bingo is one of the more interesting events, which is bingo with a cheeky twist to it (you win the adult-themed toy at the end). News Licensing / MEGA In terms of the actual swinging, there are sanctioned tents where people can go if they're interested in exploring some adult fun. 'It's all controlled,' Cole explains. 'There's group tents, then there's voyeur tents – all sorts of tents for everybody'. But before you think it's all debauchery, Mr. Cole says that many don't even go for that reason. Many simply attend for the liberating, body positivity aspect. 'They just go to be around like-minded people,' he says. 'It's not what people think. You don't just turn up and start swinging. A lot of friendships get made, and people leave with so much more confidence than when they started.'
News.com.au
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Swingathon boss lifts the lid on England's notorious ‘sex festival'
If you think festival season is all about flower crowns and muddy fields, think again. Deep in England's Lincolnshire countryside, there's a gathering in the sleepy town of Allington that only those 'in the know' dare to visit. Dubbed by The Sun 's sex writer as 'Glastonbury with orgies and Love Island -style beauties,' Swingathon, now in its fifth year, isn't your typical festival. But speaking to 's In the Newsroom podcast, its organiser, Matt Cole, insists it still has elements of a standard festival. 'It's got live music and entertainment, but it's for people in the lifestyle,' Mr Cole told the podcast. For those not familiar with 'the lifestyle', swinging involves people from all walks of life – LGBTQIA+, queer, couples, and anyone willing to explore non-monogamy. The three-day event held last weekend marked its biggest turnout yet, with nearly 1000 revellers descending on the small town – which was more than the entire local population. But despite its fun ethos, the event drew serious complaints last year from nearby residents who claimed they heard loud, hours-long 'moaning' sounds coming from the campgrounds. Mr Cole insists that this was only half true. 'Yes, we had (moaning), but the complaints are basically a lie. We are three miles (4.8km) from the nearest village, so if anyone can scream that loud … that's a scream,' he laughed. He believes that much of the negative press comes from locals disagreeing with the festival's premise. The event is mainly made up of couples, with a two-person ticket setting you back around $470 AUD and singles around $400. This year, there were around 100 single men and 50-60 single women in attendance. In terms of the age bracket, the average age is 37, which is much younger than many would expect. 'The youngest that we let in was 21 and the oldest guy was 69,' he shared. So what actually goes on behind the gates? By day, the festival – which sees people rock up in anything from their birthday suits, lingerie and fancy dress – hosts lots of different events. 'We have a UV party, a social night, workshops, live talks, and demonstrations,' Mr Cole explains. But they're not just standard demonstrations. 'Some of them might be like flogging, wax play or rope play,' he says. 'Or pole dancing, burlesque classes and massage classes'. There are also hot tubs, sex games, foam parties, and mobile dungeons. Butt plug bingo is one of the more interesting events, which is bingo with a cheeky twist to it (you win the adult-themed toy at the end). In terms of the actual swinging, there are sanctioned tents where people can go if they're interested in exploring some adult fun. 'It's all controlled,' Mr Cole explains. 'There's group tents, then there's voyeur tents – all sorts of tents for everybody'. But before you think it's all debauchery, Mr Cole says that many don't even go for that reason. Many simply attend for the liberating, body positivity aspect. 'They just go to be around like-minded people,' he says. 'It's not what people think. You don't just turn up and start swinging. A lot of friendships get made, and people leave with so much more confidence than when they started.'
News18
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Naked Karaoke, Foam Parties, Fetish Games: Inside UK's No-Holds-Barred Swingers Festival
Last Updated: In a quiet Lincolnshire village, nearly 1,000 guests attended the UK's biggest swingers festival, with naked party games, fetish workshops and strict entry rules few would expect From mobile dungeons and BDSM workshops to a cheeky round of 'butt plug bingo', nearly 1,000 people gathered in a quiet British village last weekend for 'Swingathon', the UK's biggest swingers festival that celebrates kink, consent and alternative sexual lifestyles. Now in its fifth year, the three-day event unfolded in Allington, a small village in Lincolnshire, eastern England, known more for its rural charm and family life than risqué revelry. But every summer, this otherwise sleepy settlement becomes the epicentre of a very different kind of tourism, as sexually adventurous guests from across the country descend for a weekend of kink, connection and community. Rain, thunder, and chilly winds rolled in, but for most attendees, the weather was the only thing that called for clothes. Hosted across sprawling farmland, Swingathon drew a diverse crowd of the sexually liberated — singles, couples, those in more than one relationship, and curious first-timers — for what organisers insist is not a 'sex party" but a 'safe, inclusive social, play and learning space" for those in the kink-positive and non-monogamous community. Not Just Sex, But 'Adult Freedom' There was also karaoke with a twist. Participants sang while using adult-themed equipment, with performances judged on both vocals and, presumably, endurance. 'There's no standard festivalgoer; there were people of all ages," said DJ Kerry Voellner, who helped coordinate the event and performed live sets. 'Some people walked around naked, while others were in sexy lingerie or jockstraps. One woman even came dressed as a big vagina." Baby K, a festival organiser and art coordinator, told LADbible that the event was not just about sex. 'Swinging covers many areas, some people 'play', some don't," she said. 'Some people are single, some married, some in more than one relationship, but consensually. The art of swinging is communication." A Full Spectrum Of Fetishes Held from July 17 to 20, this year's Swingathon came packed with a raunchy lineup catering to a wide range of adult preferences. The grounds, set amid rural farmland, featured mobile dungeons, foam parties, body-to-body painting sessions, pole dancing platforms, and bubbling hot tubs. There were rope-tying demonstrations (known in kink circles as 'shibari"), wax play areas, spanking paddles on sale, and lingerie boutiques offering everything from fishnets to fetishwear. For those seeking educational content alongside the erotic, workshops covered topics like kink safety, holistic approaches to sexuality, and managing relationships outside monogamy. Scattered across the venue were 'play tents" — private, tented areas designated for consensual encounters between adults. One of the most talked-about events was a 40-person orgy, organised by DJ Hannah Rack, where condoms were distributed to all participants. 'There were condoms everywhere, more condoms than coffees," a performer told SWNS. Vendors lined the site with stalls selling sex toys, whips, chains, and other gear not safe for work. Painted across the ground in bold lettering were words like 'kink", 'play" and 'love", echoing the festival's unapologetic celebration of sexual expression without shame or stigma. Rain, Cold & Unbothered Swingers The UK's ongoing heatwave had kept spirits high through the first two days of the festival, but the final day brought a sharp change in weather. Still, the cold and rain did little to dampen the mood. One attendee posting under the name Baby Kink shared a TikTok update from the grounds: 'I'm down in the field today and it's a little bit wet, but not in the right way." Despite the drizzle, she assured viewers that 'amazing things" like games and karaoke were still happening. Another guest, who goes by Saurora Aurora on Instagram, remarked in a Story update that it was 'definitely a different morning", joking about being 'fully clothed and cold", a rare sight at Swingathon, but added she was still looking forward to 'spicy workshops" planned for later in the day. Organisers made it clear that entry to Swingathon wasn't open to just anyone. Event coordinator Baby K told LADbible that attendees had to be 'verified in the lifestyle and actively partaking" in order to apply for tickets. This verification could be done through apps like the Pineapple Lifestyle app, a meeting with the festival owner, or a reference from a club operator. Tickets cost £200 for singles and £250 per couple, and every guest was required to show proof of recent STI testing before being allowed entry. DJ Kerry Voellner, who also helped run the event, told SWNS: 'It's all very clean and hygienic." Security was also tight on-site. Baby K confirmed that a few individuals had tried to access the festival without authorisation, but told LADbible they were 'dealt with swiftly and professionally" to ensure guest safety. More Than A Sex Festival Matthew Cole, who launched Swingathon in 2020 with his wife Stacie, told Daily Mail UK that the event is about much more than just sex; it's about fostering an inclusive, stigma-free community. 'Contrary to some beliefs, there are no keys in bowls, seedy music, lecherous individuals or a high level of STIs amongst this community," he said. Cole described attendees as 'respectful, conscientious, and more likely to practise safe sex or be regularly tested than the average person you might meet on a night out in a club". He added that Swingathon celebrates a wide range of adult alternative lifestyles, including kink, LGBTQ+ identities, and consensual non-monogamy. The goal, he said, is to provide a space 'where friendships and relationships begin, rekindle and flourish through the embracement of uniqueness." Echoing that spirit of openness, DJ Kerry Voellner told SWNS, 'We encompass anyone with a lifestyle out of the ordinary and we welcome them… Swingathon is about people being themselves and being free." About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health, fashion, travel, food, and culture — with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : United Kingdom view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 26, 2025, 15:37 IST News lifestyle Naked Karaoke, Foam Parties, Fetish Games: Inside UK's No-Holds-Barred Swingers Festival Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Guardian
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Digested week: Naked glamping and the Gen Z stare
Spare a thought, please, for all the participants returning from the fifth annual swingers' festival Swingathon (suggested tagline: 'Genitally bored? You don't have to be! But it's easier') in Allington, Lincolnshire, whose weekend event was beset by thunderstorms and heavy rain. Why should this matter, I hear you ask. For humans long ago invented walls and roofs as sturdy proofs against this sort of thing. And you ask this, my friends, because you have, like me, naturally assumed that a swingers' event takes place indoors. But no. No, the Swingathon is a tent-based event. It is basically naked glamping. I'm going to give you a minute to try and think of a worse phrase in the English language. Not possible. It is, however, the most perfect and succinct expression of the national psyche. Because it takes something deeply enjoyable (to those who like smooshing booty with strangers – as a misanthropic introvert this is not my thing, though I would still prefer it to small talk) and essentially caps the fun you can have, by importing camping into the mix. No, I don't care how luxurious the site. You're sleeping outside and there are no proper loos. End of. I applaud those whose libidos survived the tents and the downpour and wish those whose didn't better luck next year. The school holidays have begun and in a desperate attempt to keep my 14-year-old off his computer by any means necessary, I have been doing the one thing he rates almost as highly as questing for gold and/or murderous mechanical spiders through a cod-medieval landscape/apocalyptic wasteland for 32 hours a day, and been playing board games with him. Playing board games with him and wondering where I hid the edibles that might make such an undertaking bearable, yes, but this still counts as absolutely top-notch parenting. Then – a breakthrough. He plays cards at school, he tells me. What kind of cards? A game called poker – have I heard of it? Why, yes, son, yes I have. Show me what kind you play? Ah. OK, yes, I think I have the idea now. Shall we play for money? Great. I am £3.50 up. This holiday is looking better by the moment. News reaches us that a Sindy movie – perhaps inevitably, given the literal billion-dollar success of the Barbie blockbuster – is finally in development. I think we are about to embarrass ourselves hugely. A Sindy movie? A Sindy movie? A Sindy movie that tries to compete with Barbie? Please, film people – please talk to some women of a certain age and understand the relationships here. Both between Sindy and Barbie, and between Sindy and her owners. Sindy was launched by British company Pedigree four years after Mattel took the doll market by storm with their pneumatic blonde. Sindy was … less pneumatic, had flatter feet and a slightly less pronounced waist. She was supposed to be more relatable, more girl-next-door than aspirational goddess. We hated her. I mean, we played with her (I say we – I didn't. Artificial hair sends me screaming for the hills. I still gibber in fear at the bodiless monstrosity known as a Girl's World). We said and did all the right things when she was given to us as a birthday or Christmas present by well-meaning relatives. But we hated her. She was second best, an also-ran, a wannabe, the poor relation, forever defined and tainted by what she was not: Barbie. Who drove a pink Chevrolet. Sindy drove a clapped-out Austin Allegro, at least metaphorically. Actually, you know, if they leaned into this, Sindy could be a great movie. Casting? Rosamund Pike as embittered adult Sindy, scraping a living from appearances at doll conventions and still with Paul – Tom Hiddleston – despite his erectile dysfunction, which only worsened after their desperate trip to the Swingathon this year. The Sindy doll house is falling to bits round them. Plot happens. They die. The end. I love it. A billion pounds as good as banked. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Apparently it has a name. That flat, affectless yet contemptuous look so often visited upon customers while being served – if that is the right word – by youngsters in shops? That's the 'Gen Z stare' and suggestions about its cause are proliferating: it's a sign of the profound disconnection from humanity suffered by those reared amid technology generally and social media specifically; they can communicate online but the niceties of interaction in real life elude them; it's the fault of Covid and lockdown, stunting their development in their formative years. And so on. Speaking as a member of Generation Come Off It, who is technically raising a Gen Z entity (born a year before cutoff point for entry) let me explain. The Gen Z stare is a textbook example of young people not being old enough yet to know or care about what good manners are and who still need whatever the closest thing is to a slap that you can allow yourself when they indulge in behaviours that are unacceptable if you wish to partake of civilised society. And let me tell you, dear child who is staring at me as if I am shit on her shoe instead of answering my perfectly reasonable question about where I can find multipack knickers in this suddenly rearranged retail emporium, you do. An uncivilised society would be even worse than the one you disdain now. The fact that you live in a civilised society is what gives you the secure base from which to exercise your rudeness so freely. It's counterintuitive but it's true. Think about it. But take that look off your face and show me the knicker aisle before I slap you. I have been inadvertently conducting a valuable experiment all this week. I recently bought a variety of secondhand items from eBay and they have been being delivered all week. The emails and texts arrive in their customary thousands, recording every stage of each one's journey before the telltale pause and … 'The courier was unable to deliver your parcel'. Followed by some polite variation on: 'You weren't in, derbrain. We'll try again whenever suits us' The thing is – I was in all week. Every day, all the time. Staying in is what I do. I'm an Olympic gold-standard stayer-inner. I didn't go out until late evening at any point. So I can record without fear nor favour that of the 11 deliveries I was expecting from four different couriers, three were achieved by two of them. A 27% success rate. Or, if you prefer, a 63% lying rate. Because I WAS IN. Whenever you called, I WAS IN. I'm ordering more clothes to accrue further data. This is my hobby now, I think. I literally should get out more. Book a Swingathon 2026 ticket or something. But I think I'm happier like this.
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Sex fest worker reveals raunchy secrets from behind the tent flaps at controversial swingers weekend: ‘More condoms than coffees'
Here's to a swingin' summer. For most of the year, Allington is a quintessential, charming British town in Lincolnshire, boasting nearby natural sites perfect for the average outdoorsman or the traveller in need of some peace and quiet. But once a summer, 'Swingathon' and its band of kinky festivalgoers descend on the town for a loud, licentious three days. 3 Guests enjoyed pole dancing, hot tubs, mobile dungeons, foam parties and private orgy tents. Kerry Voellner / SWNS DJ Kerry Voellner — a loud and proud swinger in her free time — offered outsiders an inside look at the festival, with activities ranging from 40-person orgies to 'butt plug bingo.' In its fifth year, the festival boasted its largest ever attendance rate, with over 1,000 tickets sold. Voellner said that the crowd typically has a wide range of attendees, and this year was no exception. 'There's no standard festivalgoer — there were people of all ages — and some people walked around naked while others were in sexy lingerie or jockstraps,' she told SWNS. 'One woman even came dressed as a big vagina.' Swingers walked around naked or in bondage gear, and busied themselves with sex demonstrations, talks and games. Voellner runs an adult alternative lifestyle venue called The Lifestyle Lounge, which is a sponsor of the festival, in Manchester. She helped organize weekend logistics and even DJed a few sets. 'I was working this weekend, so I didn't have any sex, but I had the time of my life,' she said. Nykolas Shipway, a performer who goes by Gutter Sl*t on stage, told SWNS that there were plenty of fetish demonstrations, ranging from wax play to shibari, and added that 'there were condoms everywhere, more condoms than coffees.' 3 Voellner also set up a bondage table and kinky trivia sessions. Kerry Voellner / SWNS 'But it's all normal for us in the swinging world; the vanilla world is too straight-laced for us,' Voellner said. While there were some young, wild attendees and massive orgies, there were also couples there who had been married for decades. 3 Many attendees wore masks, costumes and other sensual attire. Kerry Voellner / SWNS In the past, the festival has gotten flak for disturbing local residents — with ultra-load moaning and wild, unconventional kinks alike. 'We're becoming known as the swingers capital of England just because of this festival, and that's not a title we want,' an anonymous resident previously SWNS. 'It's mostly elderly people and families here, so you can imagine them spitting their tea out when they learned we were to be the home of Swingathon.' But despite past controversy, Voellner said Swingathon's organizers strive to keep the festival clean, hygienic and partially sound-proof — an especially attractive new addition to this year's lineup for local residents. According to Voellner, every ticketed guest had to show proof of clean STI testing before entering the grounds, and swingers are encouraged to use protection during sexual activities — both of which are apparently standard practice within the lifestyle anyway. 'It's all very clean and hygienic,' she said, 'and there are condoms in every room, it's not accepted in this lifestyle not to wear one. It's a standard.' The festival drew a massive group of swingers seeking sexual freedom, but this year, Voellner said that some residents even swung by to check it out. 'We encompass anyone with a lifestyle out of the ordinary and we welcome them,' Voellner affirmed. '[Swingathon is] about people being themselves and being free.'
