Author: Jack Needham

Festival Insights | Head of Content

Cheltenham Jazz Festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a line-up curated by double-Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Taking place from 29 April to 4 May 2026, Corinne Bailey Rae as the festival’s guest curator for 2026-2028 has invited Joss Stone, Lady Blackbird, Gotts Street Park, Ladies of Midnight Blue, Emma Jean-Thackray and Tinariwen its 2026 edition. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cheltenham Festivals (@cheltfestivals) Corinne Bailey Rae, Cheltenham Jazz Festival Guest Curator, said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Cheltenham Jazz Festival as Guest Curator in its 30th year and to be helping shape its artistic journey over the next three years.…

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Newly launched for 2026, the Essex-based festival State Fayre has announced Alanis Morissette as its Saturday night headliner. The festival says the announcement “follows Neil Young’s decision to cancel his upcoming European tour dates, including his performance at State Fayre.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by State Fayre (@statefayre) Taking place at Hylands Park. Chelmsford from 26 – 28 June 2026 the festival will celebrate rock music, Americana and BBQ. With a capacity of ~30,000, the weekend festival will also feature previously announced headline performances from Kings Of Leon and The Lumineers, alongside The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, Orville Peck and more. Tickets are on…

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Hertfordshire’s Campo Sancho has announced Laurent Garnier for its 2026 edition. The French DJ and producer will join the cosmic-disco DJs Sean Johnston & Tom Sharkett (live), London post-punk group Decius, the Girls of the Internet collective and more across the 23-25 July weekender. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Sancho Panza festival (@campo_sancho) The Campo Sancho founders said: “We’re super excited for this year’s event – 2026 honestly feels like the best lineup we’ve ever planned and we can’t wait to open in July. Campo is friends and friends of friends in a big warehouse…

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Junction 2 returns to Boston Manor Park, London, for its 10th edition in 2026. Taking place on 25-26 July and 2 August, Junction 2 will encompass two main stages – the open-air dancefloor The Bridge and the aptly named nature space The Woods – to host some of the biggest house and techno DJs and clubbing brands across three days. On 25 July, Junction 2 collaborates with London club fabric to bring Nina Kraviz, Jeff Mills, Gabrielle Kwarteng b2b Peach and more to the London festival, while 26 July will welcome Miss Monique, Indo Warehouse, Carina Lawrence and more. On 2 August, Junction 2 will host I Hate Models, Funk Tribu, Charlie Sparks, AMMARA, and more. The festival also…

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Kaiser Chiefs, Levellers, Feeder and Sophie Ellis-Bextor have been announced for Cheltenham’s Wychwood Festival, which will celebrate its 20th edition this year. Taking place at Cheltenham Racecourse from 29-31 May 2026, the festival will also welcome Boney M, The Pigeon Detectives, Newton Faulkner and Chesney Hawkes. A Friday headline act is also yet to be announced. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wychwood Festival (@wychwoodfestival) The newly announced acts join The Subways, Adult DVD, Nuns Of The Tundra, Dub Pistols and more. For 2026, Wychwood has also expanded its billing and will open its gates on Thursday to encompass four days of live music…

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British pop star Lily Allen has been added to Gothernburg’s Way Out West festival, and joins the newly announced Wilco, Current Joys and Lambrini Girls. Taking place at Slottsskogen Park in Gothenburg from 13–15 August 2026, soul act Jalen Ngonda and singer-songwriter Veronica Maggio also join the line-up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by wayoutwestfestival (@wayoutwestfestival) They will join the previously announced headliners The Cure, Gorillaz and Ravyn Lenae, alongside the likes of Zara Larsson, Lorde, Four Tet, Dijon, Anna von Hausswolff and more.  Celebrating its 18th edition in 2026, Way Out West is known for its eclectic pop, rock and rap line-ups alongside a staunch ethos…

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The Manchester-based community festival Green Island has announced that 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, DJ Paulette, Blue Lab Beats and more will play during its 2026 residency. Taking place at the Hulme Community Garden Centre and NIAMOS on 6 June, 25 July and 5 September, the South African band BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness), JayaHadADream, Ruf Dug and more will also play the festival. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Green Island Festival (@greenisland_festival) Now in its sixth year, the festival is a celebration of both global and local sounds in the unique surroundings of a…

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The Wrexham-based, multi-venue festival for new music that is FOCUS Wales has announced a fresh round of 105 acts for its 16th anniversary edition. Newly announced acts include the likes of North Wales band Bau Cat, Canadian hip-hop group Boutique Feelings and Palestinian artist BASYL.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by FOCUS Wales (@focuswales) The fresh acts for FOCUS Wales 2026 include artists from across 22 countries spanning USA, Canada, Scotland, Indonesia and more, says the festival. Some of those joining the event, taking place from 7-9 May, also include Beijing’s art-pop act KyoYoko, classical musician Oskar Haag, folk-trad artist Ceitidh Mac and more. Taking…

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Shambala Festival is a UK festival success story. At least in all the obvious usual metrics. This yearly weekender represents the truly diverse nature of what can be built in a field for just three-ish days. It’s a place where artists from across the continents share stages with the folklorish musics and traditions here in the UK. For one weekend a year, the green space they call home blooms with colour, creativity and lots of kids running around in face paint. On the business side, it’s a guaranteed yearly sell-out that enjoys a dedicated fanbase who return year, on year,…

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Super Furry Animals, Beverly Glenn-Copeland & Elizabeth Copeland, Kurt Vile & The Violators and more have been announced for End of the Road 2026. Now in its 20th year, the Dorset festival has also added Lucinda Williams, Ty Segall, Fat Dog, caroline, YHWH Nailgun, Just Mustard and james K to this year’s weekender. They all join the previously announced headliners CMAT, Mac DeMarco and previous UK Festival Award winners Pulp. View this post on Instagram A post shared by End Of The Road (@endoftheroad) Welcoming 15,000 attendees across the weekend, End Of The Road has five musical stages hosting over 100 live…

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