> This is who we are
Where all good things
come together
> Chai Story
27 years of stages
- 1999
Richard Howard sets up a chai stall at Glastonbury Festival — incense, tea and drumming workshops. Chai Wallahs is born.
- 2004
Si Chai's Creative Nature, a herbal emporium by day and DJ café by night, joins forces with Chai Wallahs — herbal shots, smoothies, brandies and DJs.
- 2007
A live stage is introduced. Since then the venue has hosted over 3,000 bands and artists, in front of more than 2 million spectators.
- 2011
Chai Wallahs Events Ltd is set up in Bristol, and the summer circuit takes off: Glastonbury, Shambala, Green Man, Secret Garden Party and Sunrise, all in one year.
- 2012
The tent pitches up at Kendal Calling for the first time, and keeps coming back. Early stage finds like Jamie Woon and Kae Tempest give way to Gentleman's Dub Club.
- 2019
Twenty years in, Chai Wallahs opens its 20th year with a Homecoming night in Bristol — a return to its roots.
- 2020
Covid cancels the season. On the weekend that would have been Shambala, Chai streams A Taste of Shambala to keep the community together.
- 2022
Bristol becomes home base: regular nights at the Old Market Assembly, The Jam Jar and Trinity Centre.
- 2025
Chai Wallahs and Diplomats of Sound found Grassroots Rising CIC to unite the UK's grassroots industry. Its first project: a new festival, Where It All Began.
- Now
From Jamie Woon, Polar Bear and Portico Quartet in the early days, to Gentleman's Dub Club, Dizraeli and this year's KOG, TC & the Groove Family and Afro Cluster — the journey continues.
> The Chai Mission
Our mission is simple
To be the host with the most. To furnish the finest in beauteous brews. To fastidiously fuse an eclectic, diverse and fiercely independent line-up of outstanding acts from the grassroots scene, and declare their delectability through the most magnificent sound system on the festival circuit.
To support the un-supported. To provide a platform for non-commercial music and musicians. To offer an alternative to the noise in the newsfeeds, and create a tangible territory for new paths trodden, unforgettable experiences, and peerless party proceedings.
To bring warmth into the heart, and a twinkle to the eye. To advocate healing, compassion, and creativity. To construct a community of open-minded, forward-thinking, caring individuals, who in turn can affect the change we seek in our challenging world.
> Our Symbols
What Chai Wallahs
is made of
The Venue
Meters of soft, undulating, freeform canvas create an intimate backdrop unlike any other festival venue. Immediately upon arrival, reality shifts — the senses prickle with the unmistakeable sounds and smells of Chai.
The Stage
From solo performers to 50-piece orchestras, our highly skilled, personable and focused stage crew are well versed for any eventuality — super-fast changeovers, calm and comfort on stage, a faultless production.
The Programming
Daily programming is deliberately designed with a sonic journey in mind — a clear emotional and spiritual arc, curated to suit energy levels and mood. Acoustic soul by day, new wave jazz after lunch, Afrobeat and world fusion by night.
The Sound
Minimal processing so the music can breathe — tight and punchy with crystal clear definition. TW AUDiO loudspeakers, paired with Dynacord amplifiers and controlled with tour-grade Allen & Heath dLive mixers.
The Crew
Absolute family. A tight-knit cluster of riggers, bar staff, logistics and stock, each member intrinsically linked to the next — all completely vital, and downright lush, the lot of 'em.
The Artists
Who without there would be no party. From brand new acts on their first tours to seasoned pros who've constantly absconded from corporate temptation to remain independent — we're fiercely proud of the relationships built over the years.
The Bar
Uniquely characterful, ethically sourced, specialist bar — bespoke cocktails, hot alcoholic brews, and delectable drinks. Seasonal, sustainable recipes that support small business and offer an alternative to the mainstream.
The Culture
What Chai Wallahs creates, protects and carries forward. Twenty-seven years of grassroots values, passed down through every crew member, artist and conversation at the bar — the culture itself, and the people who look after it.
> Book Us
Bring Chai Wallahs
to your event
We offer bespoke production packages to suit your event's specific needs — bar, catering, and curated stage programmes in various sized freeform tents. Sustainability, through long-term relationships with event organisers, remains at the heart of what we do — it's how we keep our crew in employment, and keep the platform standing for the artists we work with.
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