Cementing its status as one of the UK's must-visit festivals for families, Wychwood Festival celebrated an unforgettable weekend between 28-31 May, marking its 20th edition with a feel-good atmosphere that’s set to stand as the festival’s finest ever moment.
Not resting on its laurels, Wychwood Festival dropped some huge news for 2027 in unique style. The Human League are confirmed as next summer’s Saturday night headliner! Those at the festival witnessed a sensational teaser on Saturday afternoon, as a plane flew over the festival grounds towing a banner which read “Don’t You Want Me Baby! See You In 2027?”.
Under scorching sunny skies and the background of the spectacular Prestbury Hills, Wychwood proved beyond a doubt why so many are crowning the festival as one of the best in the country - fresh off the back of winning Family Festival of the Year at the UK Festival Awards 2025. Bringing together a curated lineup of music, comedy, workshops, laugh-out-loud fun and more, from start to finish Wychwood delivered what festival-goers demand from an immersive boutique music & arts festival at unbeatable value. Creating memories at every turn, the 2026 summer season kicked off at Cheltenham Racecourse with a record 12,000 festival-goers across the weekend, coming together for the famously friendly and welcoming event.
Boasting its strongest musical lineup of all time, the Wychwood masses were treated to disco ball party-starter Sophie Ellis-Bextor on Friday, powerhouse headline set from indie titans Kaiser Chiefs on Saturday and the seminal favourites Levellers on Sunday evening, who closed out the main stage.
Elsewhere across the weekend the likes of Everything Everything, Feeder, Maxïmo Park, Boney M, The Pigeon Detectives, Chesney Hawkes, Newton Faulkner, The Twang and The Wedding Present provided the soundtrack for fans of all ages. Wychwood’s hand-picked selection shone a spotlight on a crop of vital new voices, with Adult DVD, Elles Bailey, Bloodworm and Pale Blue Eyes delivering exciting sets as ones to keep an eye on this year.
What makes Wychwood so unique is its ability to balance these phenomenal performances with pure summertime silliness - encapsulated by a crowning main stage performance from Barrioke which saw a jam-packed field revel in singalong bangers and on-stage moments alike. Alex Horne made his Wychwood Festival debut bringing the Horne Section for a hilarious journey with tales and synchronised dance moves mirrored by the smiling crowds. From Shrek-themed hilarity with The Ogretones, the wide-eyed throwbacks of James B Patridge’s Primary School Bangers, to the unadulterated joy of K-Pop Demon Hunters vs Swifty Disco, the crowds are every bit a part of the show at Wychwood.
The winning combination of afternoon Comedy on the Garden Stage and late night Comedy at Howlin’ Pete’s, provided something for everyone, at any given hour. This year’s impressive line-up boasted the likes of Henning Wehn, Louise Leigh, Andrew White, Javier Jarquin, and Kate Martin who all went down a storm. This year’s Village Green was bursting with an unbeatable array of engaging workshops, activities and all-ages antics throughout the day, making Wychwood the UK’s ultimate festival for families. Everything from Barbara's StoryBox and the Cheltenham Poetry Festival Workshops, to Silly Science, Darning, Hoola Hooping, Junk Drumming, Sea Shanties and the Sunday Parade.
Speaking about Wychwood Festival 2026, Managing Director Graeme Merifield said:
“Seeing the 20th edition of Wychwood Festival take place this weekend feels surreal. When we started this in 2005, I never imagined it would endure and evolve into the festival it is today. It’s so heartwarming seeing so many people that have been here from the start, so many loyal festival-goers and families who have grown up alongside the festival, and all those working behind the scenes - and it’s this that makes me believe we’ll still be here in another 20 years to come. I want to thank all our performers, from the unbelievable headliners Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Kaiser Chiefs and long-time Wychwood favourites Levellers, who shared the stage with an array of timeless artists, comics, entertainers, and so many talented up and coming local artists too. We’re all so thrilled to share our first big headline act for 2027 already, which added even more excitement to an already action-packed weekend! Looking forward to making more sunny memories here at Cheltenham Racecourse again, as we’ll be together in electric dreams with The Human League next summer!”
Wychwood Festival’s 20th anniversary was one for the books, one for the community, and one for a future that’s full of promise. A weekend equally steeped in feel-good reflection and excited anticipation for what’s in store, the sun sets on yet another magical moment, cementing Wychwood’s place as one of the UK’s most cherished independent family festivals. Leaving memories to treasure and plenty to look forward to in the years ahead, the countdown to 2027 is now firmly underway. Will you be joining us?
Wychwood Festival returns 4 - 6 June 2027 at Cheltenham Racecourse. Limited early bird tickets sold out in record time, tier 1 weekend camping tickets available now from £129.50+ booking fee via: Wychwoodfestival.com
