Wychwood Festival Reveals Full 20th Anniversary Programme and Day Splits Ahead of Biggest Year Yet

With just one month to go until gates open beneath the Prestbury Hills, Wychwood Festival has unveiled its full 20th anniversary programme — and it’s shaping up to be its most expansive, joy-packed edition yet.

Returning to Cheltenham Racecourse from 29th–31st May 2026, the beloved independent weekender has now revealed full day splits, the complete comedy and literature line-up, over 100 Village Green activities and workshops, 11 newly announced local Apply to Play winners, plus a stacked food and drink offering — cementing this milestone edition as far more than a music festival.

Leading the charge across the weekend are Craig David Presents TS5 (Friday), Kaiser Chiefs (Saturday) and Levellers (Sunday), alongside a huge cross-generational bill featuring Everything Everything, Maxïmo Park, Feeder, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Boney M, The Pigeon Detectives, Newton Faulkner, Chesney Hawkes and many more. Adding to the anniversary energy, Dutty Moonshine Big Band will headline a festival-opening Thursday night for the first time in Wychwood history, launching four days of celebrations in style.

Always a champion of emerging talent, Wychwood has also announced this year’s Apply to Play winners — eleven standout local acts joining the bill across the weekend, including Drinking With Lucy, Freya Delgarno, Lo Hi Lo, Loophole, Luc Franklyn, Pavey Arc, Pebble Daisy, Tan Sholto, The Burway, The Callbirds and Underscore, alongside Cheltenham favourites Nuns of the Tundra.

Beyond the music, Wychwood’s much-loved Comedy Club returns with six hours of daytime stand-up across the weekend, while Saturday’s Late Night Comedy is led by Henning Wehn, joined by a heavyweight supporting cast. Elsewhere, crowd favourites Shaun Williamson’s Barrioke, The Horne Section, Hip Hop Karaoke, The Ogretones and more promise the kind of glorious chaos Wychwood does best.

For families, the festival’s celebrated children’s literature hub returns as Barbara’s Story Box, honouring the late Barbara Pendrigh, with a packed programme of authors, illustrators and storytellers including Philip Ardagh, Steve Cole, Rachel Bright, Sophy Henn, Tom Percival and more.

And as ever, the Village Green remains the beating heart of the festival, with more than 100 activities and workshops for all ages spanning arts, crafts, wellbeing and hands-on adventures — one of the many reasons Wychwood was crowned Family Festival of the Year at the UK Festival Awards 2025.

Food-wise, expect a seriously strong spread too, from hand-stretched pizza and raclette to dumplings, crumbles and classic festival comfort food, with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options across the site. As Wychwood turns 20, the festival is also celebrating the community that has grown around it, sharing memories from two decades at the racecourse — including family traditions, lifelong friendships and even a wedding held onsite in 2012 — underlining why this fiercely independent festival continues to hold such a special place in the UK festival landscape.

With four days of camping, a huge multi-generational lineup and its biggest programme to date, Wychwood 2026 looks set to be both a birthday party and a victory lap.

Wychwood Festival takes place 29th–31st May 2026 at Cheltenham Racecourse. Remaining tickets are on sale now via Wychwoodfestival.com.