Thousands of adventurous adults are gearing up to descend on rural Allington, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, for Britain’s biggest adult alternative lifestyle festival, Swingathon 2026, next July
Early bird tickets for Swingathon 2026 are now available, letting raunchy festival-goers secure their place at the UK’s largest sex fest before December 31.
Thousands of adventurous adults are gearing up to descend on rural Allington, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, for Britain’s biggest adult alternative lifestyle festival next July. Swingathon 2026 runs from July 16 to 19 and early bird tickets are available now, with discounts ending December 31, 2025.
The festival, which will hold its sixth event next year, draws hundreds of attendees from across the UK. Guests can enjoy play tents, pole dancing, hot tubs, foam parties and interactive sex games like butt-plug bingo. Stalls offer sex toys, whips and chains, BDSM equipment, spanking paddles and racy lingerie.
Organiser Matthew Cole, who started Swingathon in 2020, stresses that the festival isn’t just for traditional swingers. “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.
“In fact, individuals within this community are 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.”
Cole and his wife Stacie emphasise that the festival is a safe, inclusive space. “The team are passionate about normalising the sexual freedom that alternative lifestyles provide and continue to strive against prejudice and adversity to bring the community a safe and inclusive social, play and learning space,” Matthew said.
Swingathon celebrates a broad range of adult alternative lifestyles including LGBTQ+ identities, consensual non-monogamy and kink. Alongside erotic activities, the festival offers live music, DJs, workshops, demonstrations, stalls, and games – all designed to celebrate diversity while keeping consent and personal responsibility at the forefront.
Matthew added: “Swingathon is not a sex party, but rather a gathering of open-minded individuals where friendships and relationships can begin or thrive. It aims to bring together a community with an inclusive positive experience, where friendships and relationships begin, rekindle and flourish through the embracement of uniqueness, regardless of the rumour mill.”
While organisers highlight safety and inclusivity, some local residents remain sceptical. One villager said of last summer’s event: “We’re becoming known as the swingers’ capital of England just because of this festival, and that’s not a title we want.
“It’s usually the talk of the village… some say let consenting adults do whatever they want to do, but I know many are not pleased they have chosen here for such activities. It’s just a bit seedy and sleazy, isn’t it? Not for me, I’m afraid.”
Other locals expressed concern over the festival’s impact on families and the quiet rural setting. “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,” one resident said.
Despite criticism, Matthew insists the festival remains a positive, responsible community space. He said: “We vet attendees in advance, and the event has a strong focus on consent and personal responsibility. Contrary to some beliefs, this community is one of the most conscientious and respectful you’ll find.”
Early bird tickets for Swingathon 2026 are priced at £200 for singles and £230 for couples, offering attendees a chance to guarantee their place at next summer’s immersive adult festival before the December 31 deadline.
As Matthew and Stacie Cole see it, Swingathon is more than a festival – it’s a movement. “We remain committed to challenging stigma and providing a space where adults can explore alternative lifestyles in a safe and inclusive environment,” Matthew said. “This is a celebration of uniqueness, freedom, and connection, and we can’t wait to welcome people back next July.”
You can buy early bird tickets here.
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