Beautiful Days has never been a festival that chases trends. No advertising, no corporate gloss, just music, art, and the kind of atmosphere you can’t manufacture. In 2026, the Levellers’ beloved Devon gathering is marking one of its most ambitious years yet.
Nearly 60% of tickets sold before a single act was announced. Now the line‑up is here — and it’s a corker!
Friday night on the Main Stage sees the return of Super Furry Animals, reuniting after a decade away. Few bands embody Beautiful Days’ eclectic spirit quite like the Furries — psychedelic, playful, genre‑slipping, and endlessly inventive. Their headline set already feels like a future highlight.
Saturday belongs to Madness, a band whose songs are woven into the DNA of British culture. Expect a field‑wide singalong to the classics and a celebration of a career that continues to evolve.
And on Sunday, the festival’s founders Levellers close the weekend as they approach their 40th anniversary — a milestone that feels perfectly aligned with the festival’s own sense of legacy. Their acoustic Levellers Collective set will also open the Big Top on Friday, bookending the weekend with a sense of homecoming.
The 2026 bill reads like a love letter to alternative culture across generations.
Skindred bring their ragga‑metal carnival, powered by Benji Webbe’s unstoppable charisma.
Gogol Bordello return with their global punk firestorm — chaotic, joyful, and cathartic.
The Wonder Stuff celebrate 40 years with the same bite and bounce that defined their early days.
Billy Bragg continues his four‑decade journey as one of the UK’s most vital voices.
Rising Welsh indie force The Royston Club and genre‑bending powerhouses Nova Twins inject the future-facing energy.
The Undertones, now 50 years in, remind us why their anthems still hit with teenage urgency.
Add Big Special, Gurriers, Gwenno, Chameleons, Skinny Lister, Snayx, Split Dogs, and a host of others, and the Main Stage becomes a cross‑section of punk spirit, folk roots, and boundary‑pushing noise.
The Big Top’s headliners alone could anchor a festival:
The Proclaimers on Friday — timeless, melodic, and still capable of uniting generations.
The Divine Comedy on Saturday — Neil Hannon’s orchestral pop brilliance in full technicolour.
The Beta Band on Sunday — reunited after 21 years and ready to reclaim their cult status.
The supporting cast is equally rich: Richard Thompson, Tanita Tikaram, Steeleye Span, Lisa O’Neill, Skerryvore, Turin Brakes, Damien Dempsey, Eddi Reader, Luke Haines, Sound of the Sirens, and more. It’s a programme that honours folk tradition while celebrating the artists who keep reshaping it.
The Little Big Top brings DJ culture, rave energy, and late‑night mischief with sets from Phil Hartnoll (Orbital), DJ Yoda, Chris Hawkins & Bez, Dreadzone’s Greg Dread, Shades of Rhythm, and a full roster of beatmakers, MCs, and party-starters.
The Theatre Tent returns with family shows, comedy, physical theatre, and the kind of eccentric programming that gives Beautiful Days its unmistakable personality. Expect Bingo Bango, Le Navet Bete, The Orchard, Shrek The Musical, and more.
And of course, the festival’s legendary Sunday dressing‑up theme will be revealed closer to the event — always a highlight, always a riot of colour.
Bell tents and campervan passes are already close to gone, and with the line‑up now public, the remaining tickets won’t last long. Beautiful Days has become one of the UK’s most cherished independent festivals because it never compromises on what matters: community, creativity, and a sense of belonging.
2026 looks set to be one of its most memorable editions yet.
21–23 August 2026 | Escot Park, Devon
Festival website: www.beautifuldays.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/beautifuldaysfestival/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/beautifuldaysfestival
