Wychwood Festival reveals Day Splits and Full Programme, one month to go until 20th celebrations!

FULL PROGRAMME AND DAY SPLITS REVEALED WITH ONE MONTH TO GO UNTIL WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL OPENS UP FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

BARBARA’S STORYBOX CHILDREN’S LITERATURE STARS ANNOUNCED

11 LOCAL BANDS WIN SLOTS ON WYCHWOOD’S STAGES

OVER 100 VILLAGE GREEN ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS FOR ALL AGES, A STACKED COMEDY BILL, DELISHOUS FOOD & DRINK AND FOUR DAYS OF CAMPING UNDER THE IDYLlIC PRESTBURY HILLS

29TH-31ST MAY 2026

CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

REMAINING TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE:

https://wychwoodfestival.com/

With one month to go before Wychwood Festival opens up for its biggest weekend yet between 29th May and 31st May, the final lineup of events and the full running order across the weekend have been revealed. With so much to explore beyond the incredible live music lineup, this year boasts impressive names in the Comedy and Children’s Literature tents, plus a mouth-watering array of food, and activities for all ages to enjoy.

This year Wychwood celebrates a momentous milestone, with the beloved independent festival turning 20. Marking the occasion, loyal festival goers from the surrounding community have been sharing their favourite memories from the racecourse over the past two decades, reminiscing about cherished moments shared with their families and loved ones - and even a flashback to a wedding ceremony that took place on-site in 2012. Enjoy these moments via the website here to see what makes Wychwood so special to so many: https://wychwoodfestival.com/memories

Joining a star-studded main stage lineup - headlined by Craig David Presents TS5 on Friday night, Kaiser Chiefs on Saturday, and Levellers on Sunday evening an exciting selection of the best up-and-coming acts from the surrounding areas has been handpicked for Wychwood this year. The ‘Apply to Play’ winners for this year include popular local bands Drinking with Lucy, Freya Delgarno, Lo Hi Lo, Loophole, Luc Franklyn, Pavey Arc, Pebble Daisy, Tan Sholto, The Burway, The Callbirds and Underscore who will all showcase their talents across the festival stages. More info here. For the first time, the previous years winners Truck have played a part in selecting this year's winners, seeing local Cheltenham favourites pass the baton to more emerging talent for 2026. Always championing local talent, this year Wychwood also welcomes Cheltenham-based modern alternative rock band, Nuns of the Tundra.

Plus, for the first time in the festival’s history a Thursday night at the racecourse will be headlined by Dutty Moonshine Big Band and signals the start of an extended anniversary celebration.

Wychwood Comedy Club returns, kicking off six hours of daytime stand-up over the festival weekend with a jam-packed lineup on the Garden Stage. Friday headliners include: Jonny Awsum, Mabel Read, Howard Read, Darryl Carrington, Dani Johns. Saturday headliners include: Card Ninja, Edi Johnston, Andrew White, Joe Wells and Sunjai Arif. Sunday headliners include: Angie Mack, Patrick Monahan, Bella Humphries, Amelia Hamilton and Duncan Oakley.

Leading the charge for the Saturday Late Night Comedy at Howlin Pete’s is the unofficial German Comedy Ambassador to the UK Henning Wehn, as seen regularly on Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and QI. This Saturday night line up will be joined by the likes of renowned comics Louise Leigh, Andrew White, Javier Jarquin and Kate Martin.

Wychwood Festival’s much-loved Children’s Literature tent returns for 2026. Barbara’s Story Box - in loving memory of Barbara Pendrigh, who masterminded the Story Box events for so many years - will be filled with brilliant authors, captivating illustrators, and unforgettable tales on the Village Green. Festival goers are invited to meet the heroes behind some of their favourite children’s stories all weekend long.

Barabara’s Story Box Line Up Includes:

Poetry pizza with Simon Mole, Magpie And The Sparkling Words with Lucy Rowland, Starlight Stables with Jo Cotterill, Best Dog Ever with Smriti Halls, A Holiday For Bear with Duncan Beedie, Bunnies In A Rocket with Philip Ardagh, Astrosaurs with Steve Cole, The Butterfly House with Harry Woodgate, Football G.O.A.T with Matt Oldfield and Seth Burkett, Happy Hills with Sophy Henn, Clippa And Clawzo with Tim Ewins and Beth Bridger, Squirrel And Duck with Tom Percival, The Turtle Who Turned The Tide with Rachel Bright, Pia’s Pet Club with Serena Patel, Chicken vs Egg with Gareth P Jones. More info here.

Whilst Wychwood is renowned for its well-curated music and workshop lineups, that’s not all - there’s also an irresistible array of sensational street food on offer. Exciting food offerings this year include: hand-stretched pizzas from Slice One, sweet and savoury crumbles from Crumble Pots, signature raclette from Gloucester’s Melted Cheese Company, authentic chinese cuisine from Happy Dumpling, The UK's beloved classic-crispy battered fish and golden chips from the Fish and Chip Bus and many more! With a wide range of veggie, vegan and gluten-free options available. More info here.

Shaping up for the biggest year yet in Wychwood Festival’s history, fans look forward to a live music lineup stacked with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Craig David Presents TS5, Levellers, Everything Everything, Maximo Park, Feeder, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Boney M, The Pigeon Detectives, Newton Faulkner, Chesney Hawkes, and many more.

Adding to the celebratory edition of the UK’s fast-growing family-friendly weekender will be a selection of festival favourite moments. The UK's #1 Shrek musical tribute The Ogretones, Shaun Williamson's Barrioke, and Taskmaster creator Alex Horne’s The Horne Section are all confirmed for Wychwood 2026, alongside Hip Hop Karaoke, 3 Daft Monkeys, Mr B Gentleman Rhymer, The X & Y, Witney Soul Club and of course local Wychwood stalwarts Thrill Collins, keeping festival spirits suitably high from start to finish.

Fresh from being crowned Family Festival of the Year at the UK Festival Awards 2025, Wychwood continues to set the standard for inclusive festival experiences. Thousands flock from around the UK in growing numbers each year, and it’s no wonder with the hundreds of family-friendly activities, arts, comedy, children’s literature and workshops laid out across the weekend at The Village Green and beyond - plus it’s free for under 10’s!

Taking place beneath the beautiful Prestbury Hills at Cheltenham Racecourse, Wychwood marks the very first weekend of the summer festival season and has become a treasured tradition for families and music lovers alike. With a minor anniversary to celebrate together this edition is certainly not to be missed!

The 20th edition of Wychwood Festival takes place 29th - 31st May 2026, Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire. Remaining tickets are available via Wychwoodfestival.com