About 1,000 people camped on the edge of Allington, Lincolnshire, last weekend for Swingathon, a three-day event promoted as the United Kingdom’s largest gathering for swingers. The visitors outnumbered the village’s 897 residents and turned the normally quiet area into what one neighbor called a unique party zone as dance music echoed across nearby homes.
“Contrary to some assumptions, there are no keys in bowls, no sleazy music, no lecherous guys, and no high risk of sexually transmitted diseases,” said festival organizer Matthew Cole, according to the New York Post. Cole, who launched the festival in 2020 and marked its fifth edition this year, added that every participant underwent advance screening.
Tickets started at £200 for singles and £250 for couples, reported T-Online, which also noted that booking had already opened for 2025. Attendees moved from foam parties to pole-dancing shows, mobile BDSM dungeons, and games such as butt-plug bingo. Vendor rows offered toys, lingerie, and whips, while workshops covered rope play, polyamory, and consent. Organizers described the gathering as a safe, inclusive space centered on kink, consensual non-monogamy, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and strict consent rules.
“The team are passionate about normalizing the sexual freedom that alternative lifestyles provide and strive against prejudice to bring the community a safe and inclusive social, play, and learning space,” said Cole, according to Bild. He argued that participants were more likely than typical nightclub patrons to use protection and seek regular health checks, a point he repeated in interviews with Die Welt, where he also stated that no outbreak of sexually transmitted diseases had been linked to the festival.
Some villagers were unconvinced. “It’s not about people having sex—it’s about us hearing it through our windows while we’re having dinner,” said one female resident, quoted by the New York Post. Another local told LincolnshireLive, “We are being called the swinger capital of England, just because of this festival. That’s not a title we want.”
Organizers listed strict rules: no photography without permission, no pets, no alcohol in central areas (though campers could drink by their tents), zero tolerance for drugs, and bans on disruptive behavior. Cole emphasized that Swingathon was “not a sex party but a gathering of open-minded people where friendships and relationships can start or grow,” as reported by Naewna.
Some residents fear the event will keep expanding, cementing Allington’s new reputation, while Cole pledged to return and “continue fighting against prejudices and adversities” as Die Welt reported. Advance tickets have already sold, and organizers promised larger foam cannons and more elaborate play tents for next summer.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.