2026 UK festival exclusives

See them before they’re gone: where to find the festival headliners that are only playing the UK once this summer

There’s something special about catching your favourite artist at a festival – but when that appearance is their only festival date of the summer, it feels even more unmissable.

In a year of packed touring schedules with artists hopping from field to field around the country, a one-off festival slot carries a different kind of energy. It’s not just another stop on the run. There’s no autopilot. No “what city are we in tonight?” moment.

While the names at the top of the poster might not be the only reason you’re buying your festival ticket, it still feels extra special to watch their only summer set knowing it’s not going to be repeated. So here’s our guide on where to catch the 2026 festival headliners that are only playing the UK once this summer…

David Byrne

In a UK festival exclusive for Latitude Festival’s 20th anniversary party, groundbreaking artist and former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne brings his acclaimed Who Is The Sky? world tour to the Suffolk countryside for one of the summer’s most anticipated live moments. Backed by a 12-piece band, the show will blend music, theatre, choreography and striking visual design, showcasing a level of creativity that continues to set him apart on stage.
Where: Klarna presents Latitude
When: 23-26 July 2026

Katy Perry

A standout summer awaits Blenheim Palace as the Oxfordshire estate prepares to launch its inaugural Blenheim Palace Festival. Set against the stunning backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the five-day celebration will feature some of the biggest names in pop, dance and soul. And who could feel more fitting than actual pop royalty Katy Perry? The ‘Firework’ hitmaker brings her back catalogue to the palace, promising a high-energy set packed with big choruses, feel-good pop classics and… Fortnum & Mason hampers.
Where: Blenheim Palace Festival
When: Wednesday 1 July

Disclosure

House duo Disclosure will bring their live show to Creamfields for the first time since their surprise b2b with Steve Angello in 2024, now headlining the Arc Stage on Friday 28 August. Expect an immaculate blend of deep house, dance-pop and garage – with all eyes on who they might bring out as their own special guests in their 2026 festival exclusive.
Where: Pepsi MAX presents Creamfields
When: 27-30 August

Charli xcx

Still riding the wave of her 2024 sixth studio album (every summer’s a brat summer, right?) and this year’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack, Charli xcx is taking over Reading and Leeds Festival for one night only, turning the festival fields into a thumping warehouse rave.
Where: Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds Festival
When: 27-30 August

Dave

Fresh off winning the Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act prize at this year’s Brit Awards – and 2025’s acclaimed album The Boy Who Played The Harp – Dave brings his razor-sharp storytelling to Reading and Leeds for a festival exclusive this August. Recent shows have seen him seamlessly move from deeply personal, more intimate moments to full-on crowd-pleasing energy while effortlessly switching between piano, guitar and rap.
Where: Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds Festival
When: 27-30 August

Opeth

Swedish progressive rock titans Opeth will play their only UK tour date of 2026 at TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall, with Paradise Lost and Katatonia also joining the bill. They’re a band that have always been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to live shows, and their expansive, atmospheric sound is sure to shake the Grade I-listed Piece Hall.
Where: TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall
When: Saturday 1 August

Swedish House Mafia

Having dominated the EDM scene since the early 2010s, supergroup Swedish House Mafia are set to headline the APEX Stage at Creamfields on Sunday 30 August. Expect the soaring build-ups and festival-ready drops the group are known for but hopefully some new music too, as the trio have confirmed that fresh tracks are coming in 2026 as part of their evolving ‘3.0’ era.
Where: Pepsi MAX presents Creamfields
When: 27-30 August

Black Eyed Peas

Taking place inside Milton Keynes’ Stadium MK on 27–28 June, SMK Live is a new two-day festival showcasing some of the biggest names in pop and dance music. And Sunday’s spotlight belongs to global pop heroes Black Eyed Peas, ready to get it started and have everyone dancing along to their biggest hits like ‘I Gotta Feeling’, ‘Pump It’ and ‘Where Is The Love?’.
Where: SMK Live
When: 27-28 June

Limp Bizkit

Having played Download numerous times over the years, Limp Bizkit now reach a new milestone: for the first time, they’ll close a night as headliners. Fred Durst and co bring their trademark nu-metal energy to Donington Park on the Friday, hopefully delivering fan favourites including ‘Nookie’, ‘Break Stuff’ and ‘Rollin’’.
Where: Download Festival
When: 10-14 June

Guns N’ Roses

Rock heavyweights Guns N’ Roses return to Download as headliners after their last appearance in 2018, this time with a UK festival exclusive for 2026. Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan are still at the core, but with new drummer Isaac Carpenter and a handful of newer singles in the mix, the set should feel refreshed – and hopefully have a few surprises thrown in too.
Where: Download Festival
When: 10-14 June

Linkin Park

It’s a nu-metal double-header at Download this year as Linkin Park bookend the festival with Limp Bizkit to close off Sunday night with their only UK headline slot of 2026. Now firmly in their reboot era – with Emily Armstrong fronting the stage in memory of Chester Bennington – expect their set to be both a tribute and a transformation.
Where: Download Festival
When: 10-14 June

Garth Brooks

If you’ve still got a cowboy hat in the cupboard from your last CMAT gig, get ready to dig it out again for Garth Brooks – the best‑selling solo artist in US history. The country superstar makes a rare trip to London this summer for BST Hyde Park on 27 June, marking his first UK show in nearly three decades. Brooks’ songs have connected with audiences across the globe and have helped change the whole genre, making this exclusive UK set one for the history books.
Where: American Express presents BST
When: Saturday 27 June

Mumford & Sons

Banjo-wielding trio Mumford & Sons return to London’s Hyde Park this July, a decade after their last BTS headline slot. Expect new tracks from 2026 album Prizefighter alongside beloved bluegrass pop classics that will have everyone stomping, clapping and playing the air fiddle like the good ol’ days. Support comes from The War On Drugs (with more still to be announced), who are also making the date their only UK festival appearance this year.
Where: American Express presents BST
Date: Saturday 4 July

SISTERS: curated by Annie Lennox

Ex-Eurythmic and life-long global feminist campaigner Annie Lennox brings The Circle to Wilderness this summer – an evolution of the SISTERS concert she debuted at the Royal Albert Hall last year (when she was joined by Celeste, Ríoghnach Connolly and Nadine Shah). Raising funds and awareness to support women and girls confronting gender-based violence and economic injustice around the world, SISTERS is something much more than a headline festival slot, but expect to hear a celebration of Lennox’s lifetime in music alongside a spotlight on injustice.
Where: Audi presents Wilderness festival
When: 30 July-2 August