Volunteer with us at
Camp Bestival 2026

• No admin fees deducted from deposits
• Deposit refunds processed 30 days after the festival
• Choose shifts before the festival
• Private, secure camping and car parking
• Bring your campervan, caravan or motorhome
• Free phone charging and wi-fi
• Crew toilets and hot showers
• Free tea, coffee and hot chocolate
• Discounted festival food

Our Camp Bestival Dorset volunteers and paid stewards work in different areas of the festival site, in different roles and with a different number of shifts. Whether you choose to volunteer or work as a paid steward will depend on what you want to get out of your experience at Camp Bestival Dorset.

Our Camp Bestival Dorset volunteers are mostly found in the arena, right in the heart of the action! Our volunteers work 2x 8-hour shifts over the course of the festival with at least two festival evenings off – guaranteed! Volunteering is a great option if you want lots of time off to enjoy the festival!

We've listed the most common tasks the Camp Bestival Dorset volunteers help with below:

• Assisting Camp Bestival Dorset festival-goers with directions.
• Answering questions about Camp Bestival Dorset performances and line-ups.
• Supporting the fancy dress parade and competition on Camp Bestival Dorset's Fancy Dress Saturday.
• Escorting Camp Bestival Dorset's VIP guests through the arena to the Meet & Greets.
• Helping with the implementation of unique Camp Bestival Dorset events, such as the World Record attempt for the World's Largest Disco Dance!
• Offering to take photographs of Camp Bestival Dorset attendees in iconic locations, like the giant Camp Bestival letters.
• Reporting any problems, such as a build up of litter or faulty facilities in the arena.
• Working alongside Camp Bestival Dorset's Fire Safety, Medical and Security teams.
• Patrolling the arena, keeping an eye on crowds and looking out for any festival-goers that may need assistance.
• Making sure the Camp Bestival Dorset festival-goers have the best possible time in the arena!

Our Camp Bestival Dorset paid stewards are found across the festival site in a variety of areas. Our paid stewards work 3-4x 8-hour shifts over the course of the festival and are paid £14.28 per hour including holiday pay (for those on PAYE).

It'd be tricky to list everything we get up to, but some of the most common roles for Camp Bestival Dorset paid stewards include:

• Working on the festival gates, wristbanding the festival-goers as they arrive at Camp Bestival Dorset.
• Manning the pedestrian and vehicle crossings across the festival site.
• Assisting the Camp Bestival Dorset festival-goers with information and directions to car parks, taxi points and campsites.
• Helping to set up the exclusion zone around the castle for the pyrotechnic display on Sunday night.
• Ensuring the event's ingress and egress go smoothly.
• Working alongside Camp Bestival Dorset’s Security and Ticketmaster teams.
• Serving as the first Camp Bestival Dorset staff the festival-goers meet when they arrive at the festival, providing a warm and friendly welcome to the event!

We work very hard to ensure that everyone who joins us at Camp Bestival Dorset has an amazing experience - and that includes giving you a great shift pattern!

We know how important it is that you have time off-shift to watch your favourite bands. So, everyone who joins us has the opportunity to select shift preferences and receive their schedule before arriving at the festival.

Volunteer shift patterns

Volunteer shift patterns at Camp Bestival Dorset are arranged by way of shift preferences that you can select. A few weeks before the festival, we'll open shift selection and let you know via email, our news and socials that it’s time to login and make your choices.

There are usually 10-20 volunteer shift patterns for you to rank from the most, to the least, preferable. All Camp Bestival Dorset volunteer shift patterns contain 2x 8-hour shifts. Most of these shift patterns contain 1x Early (08:00 - 16:00) and 1x Late (16:00 - 00:00) shift.

Shift patterns are allocated based on deposit payment date. Therefore, the earlier you apply and pay the refundable deposit to confirm your place, the better chance you have of being allocated your top choice of shift pattern! However, we do our best to give everyone the highest shift preference possible, regardless of signup time.

We guarantee all volunteers have at least two of the main festival evenings off-shift to watch the bands. Some volunteers will even have all three evenings off!

Paid steward shift patterns

If joining us as a paid steward, you'll have a choice of around 8-12 different shift patterns, all of which have either three or four shifts. Some of these shift patterns will contain three of the same shift (for example, 3x 16:00 - 00:00 shifts) and others will have a variety of different shifts (for example, 2x 08:00 - 16:00 shifts and 1x 16:00 - 00:00 shift).

Your shift pattern will be allocated based on your shift preferences and deposit payment date. So, if you have a particular preference for one shift pattern over another, we recommend applying and paying your deposit ASAP!

When you volunteer or work as a paid steward with Hotbox Events at Camp Bestival Dorset, we make sure you have all you need to complete your shifts and have a safe and enjoyable week!

Here are the essentials we always provide at Camp Bestival Dorset – and once you're onsite, we're always around if there's anything else you need!

• An info pack will be uploaded to your Hotbox Events PAAM portal a few weeks before Camp Bestival Dorset. In this pack, you will find thorough details of your role, responsibilities and other information about the festival.
• We guarantee you'll have the same shift pattern as anyone you list in the 'Friends' section of your Hotbox Events PAAM profile!
• Secure Camp Bestival Dorset parking within walking distance of (and often right next to) your own private campsite!
• A private and secure Camp Bestival Dorset volunteer and steward camping area within the main festival crew area. The Hotbox festival office is also here, so we're always close-by if you need anything!
• A Camp Bestival Dorset volunteer and steward marquee with chairs, tables, device charging points, hot water and free tea, coffee and biscuits!
• Free festival wi-fi, exclusive to Hotbox volunteers and stewards within the Hotbox compound.
• Access to Camp Bestival Dorset crew toilets and hot showers!
• Access to an exclusive Camp Bestival Dorset crew catering provision, which will save you money on your festival meals.
• A Camp Bestival Dorset crew pass, which will allow you to move about the festival and access the arena when you're not on shift.
• A thorough onsite briefing and Q&A from us and other Camp Bestival Dorset teams before you start work.
• Everything you'll need at the beginning of each shift, including a Camp Bestival Dorset tabard, a radio and any PPE required.

There are a few bits below you'll need to make sure of when applying to work or volunteer at Camp Bestival Dorset.

• Be 18 or over on the date you need to arrive at Camp Bestival Dorset.
• Be available to arrive at the Camp Bestival Dorset site in good time for your onsite briefing at 19:00 on Wednesday 29th July 2026 (Event Sign-in Date). We strongly recommend planning to arrive several hours before your briefing time, as you will need to sign in, go through security checks and collect your accreditation before the briefing. You're welcome to arrive at Camp Bestival Dorset from 10am on Wednesday 29th July.
• If applying to volunteer, be available for 2x 8-hour shifts at any time between 08:00 Thursday 30th July and 16:00 July Monday 3rd August.
• If applying to work as a paid steward, be available for 3/4x 8-hour shifts at any time between 08:00 Thursday 30th July and 16:00 Monday 3rd August.
• Arrive at the Hotbox Events festival office one hour prior to your shift to be signed in and have your zone and/or position allocated. You will then need to allow between 5 and 30 minutes to make your way to your zone. This time is outside of your allocated 8-hour shifts in a similar way that travelling to your place of work or study is outside of paid work or classroom hours.
• Wear a Camp Bestival Dorset tabard when completing your shifts.
• Be able to produce original documents that prove your right to work and volunteer in the UK when you arrive at the festival. You can read more about proving your right to work and volunteer in our FAQs
• Provide a refundable security deposit.

The refundable deposit is your way of showing us you are committed to joining us at the festival.

You only need to pay one deposit a year to join us at as many festivals as you like!

Your deposit refund will be processed within 30 days of the end of the festival.

If this is your first time joining us at a festival, the refundable deposit is £95. If you've joined us before, the refundable deposit is discounted by almost 50% to £45!

There are no admin fees charged on deposits, so you'll receive your entire deposit back as long as you complete all of your shifts or cancel your place at least 20 days before the festival arrival date.

For more info about deposits, please head to the deposits section of our FAQs!