With everything from family‑friendly weekends in fields to one of the country’s biggest rock and pop festivals at Bramham Park, festival‑goers will be spoilt for choice once the season gets going.
For anyone still wondering where to venture, we’ve put together a guide of key dates to consider.
The season strikes its first notes in June, when the Willowman Festival marks its 10th anniversary from June 18 to 21, promising an eclectic mix of music, dance, and entertainment for all ages in the heart of North Yorkshire at Knayton, just off the A19 near Thirsk.
Classical fans will be spoiled for choice later in the summer as the York Early Music Festival returns from July 3 to11, featuring internally-acclaimed guests performing in some of the city’s most atmospheric venues. The festival opens with Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers presented by I Fagiolini and closes with Solomon’s Knot in their rendition of Bruhn’s St Mark Passion.
The Big Moon who will support Self Esteem at Live at York Museum Gardens on Friday, July 10. (Image: Supplied)
Staying in the city, Live at York Museum Gardens’ series will welcome Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) headlining on Thursday, July 9, with special guests Heaven 17, China Crisis and singer‑songwriter Andrew Cushin. Next up on Friday, July 10, Self Esteem will be leading the line-up with support from Moonchild Sanelly and Joshua Idehen.
Staxtonbury Family Music Festival will bring three days of live music, camping and family fun to fields off the A64 near Staxton, running from July 17 to 19, continuing its steady growth from humble beginnings to a vibrant village‑scale event.
Baldersby Park near Topcliffe will again become home to the Deer Shed Festival from July 24 to 26 , offering three days of music, comedy, arts, science, theatre and sport for all ages in a family‑friendly setting.
North Yorkshire Deer Shed festival (Image: James Drury)
Back in the city, York’s Music Showcase Weekend at York Racecourse will blend racing and chart‑friendly sounds in late July, with Craig David presents TS5 announced for the Friday evening card on July 24 and Tom Grennan confirmed to play after racing on Saturday, July 25. It is already being pitched as one of the racecourse’s big crossover draws of the summer.
York Racecourse Music Showcase Weekend. (Image: Picture: Jeremy Phillips)
For something more classical, the popular picnic-style concert, York Proms, will be staged on Sunday, July 26, promising music from the world of classical and opera, film soundtracks and show songs.
The season culminates over the August bank holiday as Leeds Festival 2026 returns to Bramham Park from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30, 2026 at Bramham Park in Leeds.
The line-up for Leeds Festival 2026 has been announced. (Image: Matthew Eachus)
With Glastonbury on a fallow year, Leeds is positioning itself as Britain’s biggest festival of the summer, boasting an all‑British and Irish slate of headliners including Charli XCX, Chase & Status, Dave, Florence + The Machine, Fontaines D.C. and RAYE.
For the first time, Leeds will host a main‑stage headliner on the Thursday, with Kasabian set to open the extended weekend and acts such as Skepta, Kneecap and Kettama already confirmed further down the bill.
Organisers across the region say more acts and fringe events will be announced in the coming months, so festival‑goers are being urged to book early and keep an eye on websites and social feeds for updates.
