Max SteventonAlthough the summer festival season of 2025 has only just passed, many events have already begun unveiling their first-wave lineups for 2026.
Among the most high-profile headliners is Kneecap, who will appear at Boomtown (cap.77,000) following an eventful summer that saw the Irish rap trio barred from performing at Hungary’s Sziget Festival after being denied entry by the government.
Taking place from 12-16 August in Hampshire, other Boomtown headliners include Four Tet, Scissor Sisters, Madness, Shaggy, and Skrillex, among others.
Meanwhile, Brockwell Park’s Cross the Tracks, (cap.30,000) announced Little Simz as its 2026 headliner today (29 October), with London jazz collective Kokoroko also joining the Brixton-based festival’s lineup. Cross the Tracks is a one-day festival scheduled for 24 May.
GALA Festival (cap.9,000), taking place at Peckham Rye Park in London, shared its 2026 lineup this week featuring house acts Palm Trax and Chaos in the CBD for the May Bank Holiday weekend.
In the heavy metal world, Made of Stone festival (cap.5,000) organisers also unveiled their first-wave of metal bands this week. Located at Mote Park in Kent, bands include Saxon and The Temperance of Movement.
In September, AEG revealed plans for its 2026 festival calendar, with Lewis Capaldi confirmed to headline both BST Hyde Park (cap.65,000) and the newly launched Roundhay Festival (cap,70,000) in Leeds. Capaldi will also top the bill at the Isle of Wight Festival (cap.70,000) alongside Calvin Harris and The Cure.