Wychwood Festival has added even more big names to its bumper 20th anniversary celebrations, as the much-loved family-friendly event returns to Cheltenham Racecourse from 29th to 31st May 2026.
Completing the headline bill is Craig David presents TS5, bringing his high-energy fusion of live vocals, MCing and DJing to the Prestbury Hills. The show promises a dynamic, nostalgia-fuelled set packed with garage classics, old-school anthems and current chart hits.
He joins a blockbuster weekend of headliners, with indie heavyweights Kaiser Chiefs set to fill the racecourse with anthems on Saturday night, before folk-rock legends Levellers close the festival in style on Sunday evening.
Indie favourites bolster Sunday bill
Sunday has become even more unmissable with the addition of Manchester art-rockers Everything Everything and Newcastle favourites Maxïmo Park, who return to Wychwood as Special Guests, having last played the racecourse in 2015.
Everything Everything’s electrifying live reputation precedes them, while Maxïmo Park’s catalogue of singalong indie hits is sure to ignite the crowd once more.
These new additions join an already stacked line-up featuring Feeder, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Boney M, The Pigeon Detectives, The Twang, Newton Faulkner, Elles Bailey, The Wedding Present, The Subways and Chesney Hawkes, alongside a vibrant mix of festival favourites, rising stars and joyful curveballs synonymous with the Wychwood experience.
Historic Thursday opening
In a first for the festival, Wychwood will open its gates on Thursday for an additional night of music, headlined by Dutty Moonshine Big Band.
Speaking about the milestone moment, the band said: “Wychwood is up there as one of the amazing festivals on the circuit and it’s an absolute belter of an honour to headline and bring our madness to the first ever Thursday in Wychwood history.”
Award-winning family focus
Fresh from being crowned Family Festival of the Year at the UK Festival Awards 2025, Wychwood continues to champion inclusive, family-friendly entertainment. Thousands travel from across the UK each year to enjoy hundreds of activities spanning arts, comedy, children’s literature, workshops and more across The Village Green and beyond. Under 10s go free.
With day splits now confirmed, ticket holders can begin planning their weekend schedules to catch their favourite acts.
Festival Director Graeme Merifield said: “For our 20th anniversary, we really had to go all out for our headliners. Craig David brings a whole new dimension to the festival for 2026 with garage and R&B hits. When followed by Kaiser Chiefs and Levellers there really is something for everyone. Adding Everything Everything and Maxïmo Park guarantees even more indie anthems over the weekend, and completes our strongest music line-up yet. Tickets are going fast and we’ve been delighted with the response to our new Thursday add-on, so with this news we are on the road to another celebratory, record-setting year at the racecourse.”