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National Rail x Pete Tong's 2026 Gig and Festival guide

Top 50: National Rail x Pete Tong's 2026 Gig and Festival Guide

As one of Britain’s most respected DJs and broadcasters, Pete Tong MBE has long had his finger on the pulse of live music and knows that some of the most memorable festival experiences often come from unexpected discoveries. Here, Pete shares the 50 events that should be on every music fan's radar in 2026.

There’s truly nothing quite like the festival season. Whether you’re discovering your next favourite artist on an intimate, tucked-away stage, catching a headline set you’ve anticipated for months, or simply soaking up the atmosphere with friends, every single festival has its own distinct personality and soundtrack.

After decades spent touring the country and championing new music, I’ve learned that the most memorable festival moments are almost always the ones you never planned. The act you happen to stumble across in the afternoon so often becomes the artist you listen to for the rest of the year. It’s precisely those unexpected discoveries that make live music so incredibly special.

I’m constantly travelling around Britain for gigs, club nights, and festivals, and some of my favourite memories are actually made before I’ve even arrived at the venue. Taking the train is always a wonderful way to make the journey part of the experience. It offers a welcome opportunity to appreciate the anticipation, connect with fellow music lovers heading to the same event, or simply put your headphones on and set the tone. On more than one occasion, I’ve found the creative inspiration for my own sets simply by watching the landscape pass by.

With that spirit in mind, and with the support of National Rail, we’ve curated a selection of 50 of the finest festivals and gigs to keep on your radar this summer. From world-famous headline spectacles to those genre-defining hidden gems, there’s something here for every discerning music lover. Whether your passion lies in dance, indie, rock, pop, or country, each event is a brilliant opportunity to witness unforgettable performances and expand your musical horizons.

To make planning your journey that bit easier, I’ve detailed the locations, key dates, and the nearest train stations for every entry.

You can also begin immersing yourself in the experience ahead of arrival by listening to National Rail’s new track, Track Reset(external link, opens in a new tab), during your journey. It’s been scientifically designed to prime your ears for music discovery, helping you tune into the next wave of emerging talent before you’ve even passed through the gates.

However you choose to travel, I hope this guide inspires you to explore new horizons and discover your next musical obsession. Most importantly, I hope you enjoy the journey as much as the destination itself. 


See you out there

Pete Tong, MBE

National Rail x Pete Tong’s 2026 Gig and Festival Guide

1. Boardmasters Festival

The ultimate surf and music crossover on the Cornish coast, historically setting up a beautiful clifftop stage for spectacular headliners like Kings of Leon, Lorde, George Ezra, and Florence + The Machine.

Pete Tong Favourite: “There's something special about watching live music by the Cornish coast. Boardmasters brings together great artists, an unbeatable setting and a real sense of discovery by the sea, making it one of the standout festivals of the summer.”

2. The Weeknd – After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour

Global R&B phenomenon Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) brings his cinematic, high-concept visual stadium residency to London for five huge outdoor nights, joined by special guest opening support from rapper Playboi Carti.

3. Bruno Mars – The Romantic Tour

The multi-Grammy winner delivers a high-voltage, funk-pop stadium spectacle packed with career-spanning hits. Features stellar opening support from special guests Victoria Monét and Anderson .Paak performing as DJ Pee .Wee.

4. Luke Combs – ’My Kinda Saturday Night’ Tour

Country music’s record-breaking arena star makes a historic crossover over to Britain for a rowdy, multi-night stadium event, supported by special guests Thomas Rhett, Ty Myers, and The Castellows.

5. Leeds Festival

  • Dates: Select dates from Thursday 27 August to Monday 31 August

  • Location: Bramham Park, Leeds

  • Nearest Station to Leeds Festival: Leeds (Connects directly to the official festival shuttle bus running straight to the park)

  • Learn more: Visit the official Leeds Festival website

The premier northern alternative rock and indie event, running concurrently with Reading and historically bringing massive world-class headliners like Florence + The Machine, Foals, and Billie Eilish to West Yorkshire.

Pete Tong’s Artist Watchout: Sombr

6. Bon Jovi – The Forever World Tour

The Visit theiconic New Jersey stadium rock outfit returns to Britain for their first massive outdoor run in seven years, delivering legendary stadium anthems.

7. Creamfields

Britain’s premier electronic music weekender, boasting colossal annual arenas and an unmatched legacy of hosting superpower global dance pioneers like Calvin Harris, Tiësto, Swedish House Mafia, and Carl Cox.

8. Victorious Festival

A beautiful coastal metropolitan weekender offering panoramic sea views and an expansive multi-stage lineup that has previously hosted stellar legacy acts like Kasabian, Jamiroquai, Stereophonics, and Madness.

9. Boomtown Fair

  • Dates: Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 August

  • Location: Matterley Estate, Winchester

  • Nearest Station to Boomtown Fair: Winchester (Connects directly to the official onward festival shuttle service)

  • Learn more: Visit the official Boomtown Fair website

An immersive, wildly creative theatrical pop-up city combining jaw-dropping grand set designs with an intense array of underground reggae, drum & bass, punk, and electronic acts, having previously featured boundary-pushing artists like Gorillaz and Boney M.

Pete Tong’s Artist Watchout: Nimino

10. Reading Festival

Britain’s longest-running major music festival, known for its genre-spanning rock, alternative, indie, and hip-hop lineups, having previously hosted massive headline performances from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Fred again.., and Liam Gallagher.

Pete Tong Favourite: “Reading & Leeds have always been one of those festivals where the next generation of artists make their mark. It’s the perfect place to discover your next favourite act before everyone else does, while still catching some of the biggest names in music”

11. Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The planet's largest open-access arts and culture festival, flooding Scotland's capital with thousands of comedy shows, experimental theatre productions, street performers, and underground live music showcases.

12. All Points East

London’s flagship multi-genre city festival, spanning consecutive weekends with an acclaimed history of curation that has boasted headliners including Tame Impala, The National, Raye, LCD Soundsystem, Stormzy, and Gorillaz.

13. Latitude Festival

A highly respected, family-friendly arts weekend beautifully incorporating alternative music headliners, independent literature tents, stand-up comedy, and open-air theatre stages by the lake, previously hosting icons like New Order and Snow Patrol.

14. Kendal Calling

A wonderfully friendly independent pop-rock festival nestled in the rolling green valleys of the Lake District, having previously welcomed legendary British stars like Stereophonics, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, and Nile Rodgers.

15. Camp Bestival Dorset

The premier gold standard for family camping, blending castle-ground spectacles, immersive kids' activities, comedy tents, and iconic pop headliners like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Fatboy Slim, Rudimental, and Rag'n'Bone Man.

16. Forwards Bristol

A progressive inner-city festival blending cutting-edge electronic and alternative guitar music with dedicated talk forums for social change, previously bringing icons like Chemical Brothers and Jamie xx to the Downs.

17. Y Not Festival

A rowdy, celebratory independent indie-rock weekend providing panoramic views of the Derbyshire countryside and a heavy focus on the absolute best of British guitar music, historically headlined by Royal Blood, Blossoms, and Courteeners.

18. Green Man Festival

Celebrated for its fiercely independent, non-commercial spirit and relaxed atmosphere blending stellar experimental indie acts, local folk music, literature, and visual arts beneath the Welsh mountains.

19. Ariana Grande – ‘The Eternal Sunshine’ Tour

Pop icon Ariana Grande commands London for a highly anticipated 10-night European exclusive residency supporting her seventh studio album.

20. Bloodstock Open Air

Britain’s premier independent metal and heavy rock gathering, hosting over 120 alternative, thrash, progressive, and extreme metal bands across multiple stages every summer, famously welcoming heavy titans like Behemoth and Megadeth.

21. Truck Festival

Affectionately known as the “Godfather of small festivals”, offering an independent weekend packed with premium guitar-driven indie-rock headliners and a uniquely community-driven charm.

22. Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Scotland’s most popular family-friendly arts and music weekender, bringing cherished folk, rock, and pop acts to a scenic estate nestled in the stunning Scottish Highlands.

23. Wilderness Festival

A highly stylized boutique escape seamlessly combining indie, neo-soul, and electronic music with open-air banquet dining, woodland wellness lakes, and immersive performance arts.

24. Eastern Electrics

A heavy-hitting single-day metropolitan electronic music celebration showcasing the finest underground names in house, minimal techno, and UK garage.

25. Palace Bowl Presents

A magnificent sequence of open-air headline summer concerts performing on an iconic South London floating lake platform, historically showcasing multi-genre legendary talent in a unique setting. Check out number 34 for a key gig at the event that you won't want to miss.

26. Beautiful Days

The Levellers’ completely independent, award-winning family music festival, offering a

wonderfully eclectic punk, roots, alternative folk, and rock itinerary with no commercial sponsorship.

27. Lost Village Festival

An intimate, surreal, and highly immersive electronic music event set deep inside an abandoned woodland clearing, packed with creative fine dining, art installations, and hidden forest stages.

Pete Tong’s Artist Watchout: Oppidan

28. Shambala Festival

A radically progressive, completely independent creative wonderland celebrated for its strict environmental ethos, eccentric performance art, costume parades, and global world music bills.

29. We Out Here Festival

Curated by broadcasting legend Gilles Peterson, this weekender explores the absolute finest in global jazz, underground club culture, soul, electronic groove, and abstract hip-hop.

30. Rewind Festival South

A colourful, high-energy retro pop event celebrating 1980s new wave icons, synth-pop legends, extravagant neon costumes, and timeless nostalgia hits by the river.

31. The Long Road Festival

Britain’s premier celebration of country, Americana, and Southern roots lifestyle, gathering the biggest names in country music alongside authentic street food markets and classic car displays.

32. Diaspora Calling!

A music and arts festival created by legendary artist Ms. Lauryn Hill, celebrating the culture, creativity and shared histories of the African diaspora.

33. End of the Road Festival

A critically adored alternative indie haven, celebrated for its quiet, music-first environment, roaming peacocks, and expertly curated lineups of alternative, lo-fi, and folk artists.

34. Roots Picnic at Palace Bowl Presents

Following on from the 25th spot, Roots Picnic is a key highlight of the Palace Bowl Presents calendar. It is the first international edition of the iconic Philadelphia hip-hop festival, celebrating the crossroads between music and culture with NAS & The Roots headlining at London's Crystal Palace.

35. Trentham Live

Four consecutive nights of major open-air rock, pop, and indie concerts set against a breathtaking backdrop of historic, lakeside formal gardens every summer.

36. Houghton Festival

Craig Richards' highly acclaimed, adults-only electronic residency celebrated for non-stop music, extended marathon DJ sets, and world-class bespoke sound engineering.

37. ArcTanGent

A heavily specialized progressive rock and metal weekend showcasing over 100 math-rock, post-rock, and cutting-edge heavy experimental bands across five dynamic stages.

38. Rock N Roll Circus

An eccentric, high-concept touring weekend that seamlessly blends live guitar rock concerts with aerialists, fire breathers, and traditional big-top circus dynamics.

39. Moseley Folk & Arts Festival

An immersive, family-friendly independent festival exploring contemporary folk, indie, and acoustic music hidden within a beautiful, private 11-acre woodland glade.

40. Iron Maiden’s Eddfest

A massive, once-in-a-lifetime outdoor 50th-anniversary rock experience turning Knebworth into a themed "Maiden World." Headlined by heavy metal titans Iron Maiden, with main-stage support from The Darkness, The HU, Airbourne, and The Almighty.

41. Shrewsbury Folk Festival

One of the most cherished and traditional roots music festivals in the country, providing world music bills, dance workshops, and atmospheric acoustic showcases across four days.

42. Found Festival

The direct community-centric spiritual successor to Towersey Festival, celebrating acoustic, folk, and storytelling heritage on an expansive, beautiful rural estate.

43. Lakefest

An ultra-friendly, family-oriented boutique festival set beneath a dramatic castle backdrop, blending legacy pop-rock bands with action sports, talks, and fairground zones.

44. Summer Nights at the Bandstand

A highly intimate open-air summer concert series showcasing legendary singer-songwriters, rock icons, and indie heroes inside an atmospheric Victorian amphitheatre by the river.

45. Radar Festival

A premier indoor progressive metal, tech-metal, and math-rock convention, heavily profiling complex modern guitar bands and instrumental virtuosos.

46. Treehouse Festival

A deeply eco-conscious, low-impact acoustic and folk weekender focusing on off-grid woodland camping, timber building workshops, and intimate acoustic campfire circles.

47. My Chemical Romance – Long Live The Black Parade Tour

The alt-rock legends bring their iconic album to Wembley for three massive nights. Opening support acts vary by night, featuring Skunk Anansie, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and Sunny Day Real Estate.

48. Lazydays Festival

  • Dates: Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July

  • Location: Priory Park, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

  • Nearest station to Lazydays Festival: Prittlewell (An incredibly close 5-to-10 minute walk directly into the park grounds) or Southend Central (Features a dedicated free festival shuttle bus)

  • Learn more: Visit the official Lazydays Festival website

A non-camping weekender celebrating craft beverages and street food alongside stellar live performances from major indie, pop, and electronic acts.

49. Haydock Park Racecourse Festival

Combining world-class horse racing with live music, Haydock Park Racecourse Festival offers an unforgettable day out, with headline performances from some of the UK's biggest artists following the day's racing.

Pete Tong Favourite: “This is one of Pete Tong's favourite festivals on the Summer calendar thanks to its unique atmosphere and blend of live entertainment - which is exactly why he'll be taking to the decks there this year!

50. Last, but definitely not least - Glastonbury Festival

  • Dates: Late June every year (with a fallow year every few years)

  • Location: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset

  • Nearest station Glastonbury Festival: Castle Cary (Connects directly to the free, high-frequency official festival shuttle bus service running straight to the site)

  • Learn more: Visit the official Glastonbury Festival website

The absolute pinnacle of the global festival calendar, transforming Somerset into a sprawling city of performing arts and world-class contemporary music, having previously hosted history-making headline sets from icons like David Bowie, Beyoncé, Elton John, and Coldplay. Even though the legendary festival is on a fallow year for 2026, no British festival list would be complete without it. Use this summer to get ahead of the crowds and make sure you're registered and ready to apply for a ticket when Glastonbury returns in 2027.

Plan Your Journey

Nothing Beats Musical Routes

If you're looking for inspiration for more journeys, you can listen to our Musical Routes audio guides, hosted by broadcaster and DJ Jo Whiley.

From punk to classical, pop, grime and more, find out about the music scenes of towns and cities across Great Britain, and how you can explore them by train.