Tropical Pressure Festival 2025

Tropical Pressure Festival 2025 Celebrating 10 years of global music, culture and community by the sea

Honouring its 10th anniversary, Tropical Pressure Festival 2025 is set to be a legendary weekend of music, food and workshops celebrating the vibrant sounds and cultures of Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. Tropical Pressure may be one of Cornwall’s best-kept secrets but its spirit is global, with this three-day gathering offering a magical mix of music, creative workshops, international cuisine, wellbeing and celebration of the natural world.

From humble beginnings to now welcoming 3500 revellers, this small but mighty grassroots gathering has organically grown over the last decade without ever losing its charm. Bringing world culture to a compact, oceanside setting, Tropical Pressure delivers soul-stirring, life-affirming experiences from the festival’s cliffside setting overlooking Porthtowan beach in Cornwall.

“We started with a few hundred people, just an idea and a big love for music and connection. Although we have grown, the heart of the festival hasn’t changed — it’s still intimate, friendly, and full of soul, drawing together music lovers, families, artists and adventurers from all walks of life.” says founder and festival director Tim Stirrup. “Our theme for this year is ‘Journeys’, a tribute to the global roots of the festival and how cultures travel, exchange and evolve — and how they’ve come to find a home here in Cornwall through Tropical Pressure. It’s also about our own journey, from a tiny gathering to a 10-year celebration of creativity and culture.”

The 2025 line-up is the festival’s most expansive yet, with the Roots Arena featuring a powerful and eclectic mix of live bands from over 16 countries, including Peru, Réunion Island, Ghana, Colombia, Senegal, Mali, South Africa, Gambia, Brazil, Jamaica and the UK. Acts not to miss for this year include Novalima from Peru; Réunion Island’s Lindigo; Zion Train and one of Mali’s most beloved artists, Rokia Koné. The global stage line-up is complemented by a lively schedule of free workshops, immersive cultural experiences and hands-on creative activities for festival-goers of all ages, with no need to book. Get involved in activities which range from clay craft to capoeira; permaculture to printmaking; drumming to dance; sound sculpture to shiatsu - there is something to satisfy all interests and curiosity.

As night falls, the festival transforms into a multi-stage dance party with international DJs keeping the energy soaring and the party going into the early hours. With a range of sparkly late-night adventures on offer, move from the magical atmosphere of The Enchanted Dancehall to the disco vibes in La Cornucopia or explore Jupiter’s Yard. A new addition this year, the Skylarking Club, showcases a nearly all-female international DJ line-up, amplifying diverse voices on the global electronic scene. For this special 10th edition of Tropical Pressure, the festival will be opening on Thursday, offering an extra day to enjoy the beautiful site and its surroundings with the renowned Dj El Buho, performing in the Skylarking Club as the opening event.

For those seeking restoration, the Soul Sweats Wild Spa offers a holistic wellness escape, blending fire, water, wood, and air into a soul-soothing sanctuary overlooking the sea - detox in the Seaview sauna and refresh in the cold plunges and showers.

Welcoming children of all ages, families are an integral part of the Tropical Pressure experience. With a small and contained fully grass site, this is a safe and friendly space to introduce young ones to the unforgettable sights, sounds and flavours of the festival. With a dedicated children’s field offering play spaces, free workshops, circus skills and storytelling, the close-knit layout and path to the beach means families are free to roam and share in the adventure. Regular bus shuttles to and from the beach operate and with a compact site, there are no long walks from car parking to camping or the arena.

Held at the Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Tropical Pressure has a strong focus on environmental responsibility being committed to creating the greenest, most eco-friendly festival possible. Most of the site is solar-powered and wind-powered, with an onsite hot composter that breaks down waste and as an all vegan festival, is entirely plant based.

“As part of this year’s theme, we also want to inspire people to think about their journey here – with car shares and shuttle buses available to help reduce our collective footprint.” says founder and festival director Tim Stirrup “No big brands, no commercial noise — just grassroots culture, community, connection, and really good music.” Whether you’re dancing under the stars, drumming in a workshop, or soaking in sea views from the wild spa, Tropical Pressure is a world party with a soul, set in one of the most beautiful corners of the UK.

Highlight artist biographies:

Rokia Kone

One of Mali’s most beloved artists,Rokia Konédraws on a rich tradition of griot storytelling and deep connection with her Malian ancestry. Following the release of her widely-lauded debut album BAMANAN in collaboration with rock producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., Taylor Swift) which brought her two All Africa Music Award nominations and The New York Times Critics Pick, Rokia is now putting her rich vocals to Malian guitar and a West African percussive pulse. In 2017 she joined the all-female music collective Les Amazones d’Afrique, who use music as a vehicle to campaign for gender equality in Africa.

Lindigo

Lindigo is a musical project deeply rooted in the love for Réunion Island, celebrating its land, sky and ocean, remaining true to its origins, connecting past and present generations through powerful rhythms and melodies. Founded by Olivier Araste, who grew up in Bras-Panon, Lindigo's music is inspired by the island's rich cultural heritage, blending African, Indian, Malagasy, and European influences. Olivier's early exposure to the rhythms of traditional ceremonies, influenced by his musician father and brother, shaped Lindigo's sound, which centres on the traditional maloya music.Over 20 years, Lindigo has grown through international collaborations, tours, and albums, with their music, while rooted in maloya, incorporates global influences from Africa, Brazil and beyond.

Novalima

Novalima is a Latin Grammy nominated Peruvian band with their music based on afro-peruvian percussion and chants (many from times of slavery), mixed with influences from Dub Reggae, Electronic beats, funk, soul & afrobeat. Formed in 2001 by four childhood friends from Lima with a shared passion for traditional Afro-Peruvian music and global DJ culture, Novalima stands in the common ground bridging past and future, uniting tradition and innovation.

Zion Train

One of the most unique and enjoyable live dub acts on the planet, their use of dynamic onstage dub mixing whilst performing alongside acoustic instruments and exceptional vocalists, make Zion Train one of a kind. Zion Train, formed in Oxford 1988, have been undisputed leaders in the genre for more than 15 years. The band are heavily involved in alternative and DIY underground culture and have been since the 90s as well as being purveyors of the finest Roots Reggae music throughout this period.

Artist biography

This year's artistic theme has been brought to life by Jack Cowley, whose commissioned artwork captures the essence of movement, memory and shared experience — a visual thread running through posters, merchandise and site design. Each year the festival commissions a different artist to capture the theme with Jack responding to this year's call out, linking the 10 year anniversary and environmental messaging to create the journey concept, which resonated with the festival’s odyssey.