Bug Jam Bug Jam

Bug Jam Festival 37

26 to 28 July 2024 at Santa Pod Raceway
The Pod's original and best Summer fest!

A family friendly festival with a vibrant and fun atmosphere, bringing to life the very essence of VW and Campervan culture. Europe’s largest Show of it's kind incorporates an eclectic mix of Drag Racing, Run What Ya Brung, Music, Show & Shine, Kids Zone, Comedy, Stunt Displays, Fun Fair, massive Trade Village, Retrojumble and much more.

Buy Tickets Online Today!

What's On at Bug Jam:

More acts and attractions still to be announced!

Track Action & Show Cars | Music & Comedy | Live Action Arena | Kids Entertainment | Around Site | Camping

Track Action & Show Cars:

Drag Racing

Drag Racing (Sat & Sun)

With qualifying starting on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, you're sure to see plenty of the fastest and maddest Drag cars and VWs in Europe!

Motorsport UK Pro Modified will be headlining the drag racing action with some of the UK's wildest drag cars, putting down sub-6 second passes at 240mph! Top billing alongside the Pro Mods will be nitromethane powered Funny Cars capable of sub-4 second 1,000 foot passes.

Also on track the VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four, the road legal hot rods of Street Eliminator and 7.60 Heads Up.

More info on the Drag Racing page.

Before the championship racing starts, there will be a VWDRC Pro v Sportsman Shootout on Friday afternoon.

RWYB

Run What Ya Brung - RWYB

VWs ONLY (Fri 12.15pm to 7pm & Sat 9.30am to 12.55pm)

The drag strip will be open for you to take your own car down the track with timing data at ETSlips!

Signing on for RWYB is online (from 1st Dec). You will still need to visit the Sign On Office to show your driving licence and your race voucher e-ticket before hitting the track. Please note an Admission ticket is required in addition to your RWYB Race Voucher.

Prizes For:

  • Best Reaction Time
  • Quickest ET (Road Legal)
  • Quickest ET (Non-Road Legal)
  • Commentator's Choice Award

More info on the RWYB page.

Show n Shine

Autoglym Show & Shine - Sunday
NOW SUNDAY! Including Rust & Rat

Strictly VWs ONLY

Sunday is the show day for the real head-turners. If you’ve got perfect paintwork, a cool custom ride, a rare vintage VW, or a cool rat-ride, make sure you bring your car along to the Show & Shine competition. Full details

Saturday Show Paddock

Saturday Show Paddock
Strictly VWs ONLY

No prizes, no judging. Just somewhere cool to park your VW if you want it to be seen on Saturday. Please remove your vehicle and park back in your camp area by 3pm.

Human Powered Race

Human Powered Racing (Sat)

It’s a simple race from the start-line to the finish-line and back, but no engines are permitted! Adults and kids can enter and there are four trophies: Quickest Bicycle, Quickest Skate (boots and boards), Quickest Runner, and Most Imaginative Entry.

Fireforce 2 Jet Car

Jet Car (Fri, Sat & Sun)

An awesome Jet Car will be thundering down the strip. Jet Cars develops thrust equivalent to more than 10,000hp and can run the quarter-mile in 5 seconds with a terminal speed of 270mph!

Jet Bus

Oklahoma Willy (Fri, Sat & Sun)

This 1958 VW pick up spent most of her life on a farm in Oklahoma before undergoing a nut and bolt restoration with the addition of a Rolls Royce Viper 535 jet engine is from a fighter jet with a power output of 5000lbs of thrust.

Steam Rocket Bike

Steam Rocket Bike (Fri, Sat & Sun)

'Force of Nature' is a steam powered 'Rocket' motorcycle built for drag racing, record breaking, exhibitions and events.

It uses the latent energy of super-heated pressurised water released through De laval nozzles, where it turns to steam and creates the thrust to propel the bike forwards.

Force of Nature will be running the quarter mile last thing Saturday and before lunch on Sunday.

Music & Comedy:

Evening Music* - Stage / Tents / Bar (Fri & Sat)

Bug Jam hosts several music arenas including the Main Stage, Dance Tent, BugWam and Fuelers Bar. On Friday and Saturday evening, you can find music for whatever your taste, from indie and dance DJs through to live bands and tribute acts.

Full details on the Gig Guide page.

Friday - Uncle Funk's Disco Inferno (Now Fri)| Ouse Valley Singles Club | VDubRadio 90's Party | K-Klass | Disco DJs
Saturday - Punk Rock Factory (Now Sat) | These Wicked Rivers | Hip Hop House Band | Silent Disco | Ultra 90s v 2000s

Evening Music is not included with Day Tickets. *Free as part of your sporting event weekend ticket.

Daytime Music

Daytime Music* - BugWam (Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun)

You don't have to wait till the evening for the entertainment to start at Bug Jam with the BugWam busy during the day on Friday, Saturday & Sunday! Plus Thursday evening for those with Thursday Arrival Passes.

The BugWam is the perfect place to chill out, relax and put your feet up. There will be live acoustic music and DJs from afternoon through to evening and a licenced bar.

Line-up coming soon

*Free as part of your sporting event ticket.

Magic Teapot

The Magic Teapot (Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun)

This lovely, unique structure is an all-weather fireside venue hosted by the Teapot Crew who are musicians, tea makers and fire keepers. Entertainment is provided and guests are encouraged to bring what they can to the circle…a song…a story…a listening ear, there will be a piano, a range of other instruments and the kettle is always simmering on the fire.

It is also about as green as you can get - no electricity, real mugs so no single-use plastic waste and sustainably sourced fire wood.

Comedy

Comedy (Fri & Sat)

There will be a line up of top comedians on Friday (Fuelers Bar) and Saturday (Dance Tent) including up and coming new acts and established pros to tickle your ribs.

View full details on the Comedy page.

Featuring: Nicole Harris | Philipp Kostelecky | Sam Picone | Martha McBrier | Andrew White | Matt price | Jon Pearson | Sean Percival |  Esther Manito | Sam Avery | Carey Marx | Victor Daniels | Adam Bloom | Daniel O’Reilly

Glo Balls Drag Bingo

Glo Balls Drag Bingo (Fri - Fuelers Bar)

Get ready to laugh, dance, and win fabulous prizes, some shite ones too!

Our talented drag queens will be your hosts for the evening, bringing their unique charm and sass to the stage. With a mix of classic bingo games with camp twists and hilarious performances & audience interactions, this event is sure to be a blast. So gather your friends, put on your best neon outfit (prize for best dressed), and get ready to have a fabulous time at Bug Jam Bingo.

Bug Jam's Got Talent

Bug Jam's Got Talent (Saturday)

We’re giving contestants 3 minutes each to show off their talent on the Bug Jam main stage. Age 15 and over (Separate Kids contest on Friday).

Details on the Bug Jam's Got Talent page.

Live Stage

Live Stage (Fri, Sat & Sun)

The Live Stage during the day is the home of variety at Bug Jam.

Line-up coming soon

Live Action Arena:

Monster Trucks

Monster Trucks - Podzilla (Sat & Sun)

The Monster Truck Podzilla will be putting on a high flying display of car crushing mayhem. Get ready to cheer as Novas and Saxos get what's coming. 

Terry Grant

Terry Grant Stunt Show (Sat & Sun)

Multiple world record breaking stunt driver Terry Grant will be performing precision stunts in a range of cars.

Broke FMX

Broke FMX (Sat & Sun)

The thrill of seeing athletes jumping 35 feet in the air pulling acrobatic stunts over gaps approaching 100 feet is a sight to behold. The show features some of the UK’s top ranked freestyle motocross riders, incorporating the latest heart stopping tricks usually only seen on TV.

Team Maximum LockTeam Maximum Lock (Sat & Sun)

All the way from Malta, Team Maximum Lock will be performing their synchronised, close formation driving and drift show using Nissan Skylines and Nissan 350zs.

Kids Entertainment:

Kids Zone

Little Buggerz - Kids Zone (Fri, Sat & Sun)

An entire Kids Zone running all weekend located in and around a giant TeePee. Children must not be left unattended & must be supervised by a responsible adult.

UNDER 10s ONLY

Featuring: Sound Garden | Reading Area | Face Painter | Graffiti Workshop | Barbie Theme Disco | Banana Brain Magic Show | Mad Dom | Punch & Judy | Make 'n' Create | Slime Workshop | Hip Hop Pop Dance Workshop | Tik Tok Disco | Professor Strange Magic Show

Full details on the Little Buggerz page.

Little Buggerz Got Talent

Little Buggerz Got Talent (Friday Afternoon)

We’re giving kids 3 minutes each to show off a talent on the Bug Jam main stage. Age Under 15 (Separate adults contest on Saturday)

Details on the Bug Jam's Got Talent page.

Pacific Bounce Inflatables

Pacific Bounce Inflatables (Fri, Sat & Sun)

Let the kids bounce and play all day with a selection of exciting inflatables, a climbing wall and Go Karts. Pay per session or get unlimited goes on the inflatables with a wristband for £15.

Bug Jam Beach

Bug Jam Beach (Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun)

Back at Bug Jam bigger and better, there will be a real beach located next to Bug Wam. So bring along buckets & spades for the kids and deckchairs to relax in.

Transformers

Transformers (Fri, Sat & Sun)

Transformers come to life as Bumblebee and Optimus Prime make a visit to Bug Jam, so make sure to get your photo taken with them as they wander around site. Autobots, roll out!

Mini Movie Trucks

Mini Movie Trucks (Fri, Sat & Sun)

There will be some vintage rides for kids with Mini Movie Trucks, which arrive in the back of a Smokey & The Bandit branded US Big Rig and give kids a Big Rig experience. A Smokey and The Bandit car will also sit alongside on display. £8 per child, £10 for adult/child.

Around Site:

Trampoline Wall Stunts

Trampoline Wall Stunts (Sat & Sun)

New to Bug Jam, Madness Events presents an electrifying Wall Trampoline Show! Brace yourselves for jaw-dropping performances by two extraordinary athletes as they defy gravity, leaping off a three-meter platform. This talented team will engage in a friendly competition, captivating the audience and vying for the title of the ultimate wall trampoline athlete.

Steve Colley

Steve Colley - Trials Rider (Fri, Sat & Sun)

The skills of motorcycle trials riders like Steve Colley have to be seen to be believed. He can do things with motorcycles that we mere mortals would consider impossible.

Fun Fair

Fun Fair Rides (Fri, Sat & Sun)

All the fun of the fair with dodgems, waltzers, arcades, candy floss, sideshows and plenty of stomach churning rides that will spin, twist, flip and thrill you.

Graffiti Wall

Graffiti Wall (Fri)

Having been deeply immersed in the culture of graffiti writing since 1983, Kilo has a wealth of experience under his belt from facilitating workshops & classes to executing large scale murals. Make sure you pay a visit to the graffiti wall, located next to Bug Wam, to say hi to Kilo and see how this incredible graffiti art is created!

Kilo will also be running Kids Graffiti Workshops, view details on the Little Buggerz page.

Trade Village

Trade Village (Fri, Sat & Sun)

If you're looking for car parts, want a cool t-shirt or fancy a lowrider bicycle to get round site, you'll find it all in the Bug Jam trade areas. Visit the Pod Shops for camping supplies and Bug Jam clothing. View info on how to trade at Bug Jam on the Traders page.

Cars 4 Sale
If you've got a car you want to sell, park it up in the Cars For Sale Paddock, stick your phone number on the dashboard, and wait for the calls to come flooding in. Whether you're buying, selling or browsing, this is the best way to shift cars at the show. And the best bit? It's free for both buyers and sellers!

Retro Jumble

Retrojumble (Fri, Sat & Sun)

Buyers: Rare and vintage VW parts at bargain prices. Need a decklid for your oval or a period radio for that finishing touch? Have a look here.

Sellers: If you have a veritable scrapyard of second hand parts at home or just a handful of spares, retrojumble is the place to sell. Details on Retrojumble page. No Clothing Allowed!

Bars & Caterers

Bars & Caterers (Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun)

Caterers and bars will be open around site all weekend. There will be a wide range of food and drink to suit all tastes. In Licensed Bars under 18s must be accompanied by an adult, no under 18s after 11pm. View caterer details.

There are cash machines in the catering area and Pod Shop.

Beer Festival

Bug Jam Beer Festival (Fri, Sat & Sun)

There will be a Beer Festival with ales and ciders from local breweries, so if you’re a real ale fan then head over to Fuelers Bar.

Camping:

Camping

Camping at Bug Jam

Camping is included with all weekend tickets. As well as General Camping there is Club Camping and Quiet / Family Camping (will be signposted and noise curfews will be strictly enforced). Full details on the Camping page.

Camping

VW Club Camping

Spend Bug Jam camping with your members in your own Allocated Club Camping Area. You will need at least 10 display vehicles to book club camping. Buy 10 Tickets Get 1 Free, Free Early Arrival Access.

Full details of how to book on the Clubs page.

Camping

Electric Hook-ups!

Something that will make the life of any good Campervaner easier is electric hook-up for the duration of your stay. It’ll allow you to keep the beers and barbecue food chilled without the hassle of lugging around the old generator keeping it fueled up for the weekend! Full details on the Camping page.

Pamper Pod

Pamper Pod (7-11am & 4-8pm Fri & Sat, 7-11am Sun)

The Pamper Pod is equipped with mirrors, electric points, dressing tables and chairs, you can freshen up in the morning or get dolled up for the evening. So whether you want to straighten that frizz, create some curls or apply that lippy, come along to the Pamper Pod and make yourself festival ready.

Bug Jam 36 Photos & Video

View photos from Bug Jam 36 on the Facebook Photo Gallery and watch the video at SantaPod.TV

Dragstrip
Music
Show Cars
Human Powered

Bug Jam Merchandise

If you didn't get your Bug Jam merchandise on the day at Bug Jam, it is now available online at www.santapodshop.com

Bug Jam Merchandise
Bug Jam Merchandise
Bug Jam Merchandise
Bug Jam Merchandise

Santa Pod Raceway

Find out about more action packed events at Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.com

Santa Pod Raceway
Festival of Power
VW Breakout

Santa Pod Raceway
Santa Pod Raceway is the UK's premier Drag Strip in the middle of England on the border of Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire. For full venue details please visit www.santapod.com.

Nitro FM
Nitro FM on 96.2 will be broadcasting all weekend with live track commentary, a selection of great music, interviews and chat to keep you informed and entertained throughout the day.

Mailing List
Fill out your e-mail address on the Newsletter page to receive the Santa Pod Email News Letter.

Important Notices

  1. EXIT & RE-ENTRY GUIDE: Bug Jam is one of Santa Pod’s busiest and most popular events in the calendar and we have a large number of visitors using rural routes through our neighbouring villages. To relieve our local communities of unnecessary traffic during the event, Bug Jam operates a strict re-entry policy to minimise disruption: visitors choosing to leave the venue anytime during the weekend will need to pay to re-enter the venue even if they have already purchased a ticket. So, please bring all of the camping supplies that you will need for the weekend including enough petrol/diesel! Your continued cooperation in this matter is always appreciated and keeps the Bug Jam vibe alive.
  2. NO SPACE SAVING: Campers will no longer be able to save space for friends arriving at a later time. Large groups should book club camping pitches, and small groups should aim to arrive together.
  3. CAMPING SPACE & LARGER VEHICLES: If your camping space is considered excessive by the campsite stewards, the organisers reserve the right to reduce the size of the area you have taken up. Please be sensible in this respect to avoid any inconvenience with your set up. The contents of larger vehicles will be checked and noted on arrival for non-camping related items. If you are bringing sofas and similar furniture items to Bug Jam you must take these items away with you when you leave site.
  4. LIMITED TICKETS: The number of tickets going on sale will be strictly limited. That means first-come-first-served, and those who book in advance will have priority over anyone trying to buy tickets on the gate. If tickets sell out before the event, NO tickets will be available to buy on the gate, so Santa Pod can be certain that we can accommodate everyone.
  5. NO CHINESE LANTERNS: Chinese lanterns are banned at Santa Pod Raceway as they pose a real fire hazard to the crops and thatched roofs surrounding the track.
  6. NO GLASS: No glass bottles, jars etc allowed on site. This is for you and your car's safety and especially for those in the camping areas. Cars will be searched on arrival.
  7. CHILD WRISTBANDS: Children can sometimes wander off, wristbands for children will be issued when you arrive, please write a contact phone number on the wristband and make sure your child wears it so we can call you if we find the little treasure should they become separated from you.
  8. When you arrive and leave site, please keep your speed down, don't litter and respect local residents.

Full Terms & Conditions

*As part of your Sporting Event entrance only.