Following this year’s landmark 20th anniversary celebration, award-winning Lake District music & arts festival Kendal Calling has announced its massive 2026 line-up with mainstage headliners Two Door Cinema Club, Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice and The Kooks leading an incredible bill of musical legends and rising stars alike.

Taking over the beautiful Lake District’s Lowther Deer Park from Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd of August, the 40,000-capacity festival will transform the park into the third biggest town in Cumbria for the weekend, and, with over 95% of tickets already sold before even announcing an act, Kendal Calling will no doubt continue its unprecedented 20-year run of sell out festivals.

Leading today’s announcement for the festival’s 2026 adventure are veteran art-rockers Biffy Clyro. One of the festival’s biggest ever headliners, the Scottish icons will be celebrating the success of their tenth studio album, this year’s Futique, which debuted at no. 1 in the UK and finds the Scottish trio still determined as ever to push the envelope of innovative guitar music as they celebrate three decades as one of Britain’s most important rock bands.

Joining them at the top of the bill are Irish indie pop icons Two Door Cinema Club who will be performing their critically acclaimed debut album Tourist History in full alongside fan favourites and cult classics picked from their subsequent four LPs and two decades of inimitable synth-powered pop rock.

Flying the flag for the next generation of festival headliners, Wolf Alice went from being one of the country’s most hyped bands to winning the 2018 Mercury Music Prize with their astounding second album, Visions of a Life. The band’s latest release, this year’s The Clearing, finds the quartet draw inspiration from the heady transatlantic rock scene of the ‘70s and frame it through their native North London, transporting them to sold-out arenas and festival headline slots in the process.

Bringing the festival’s opening night to a close will be beloved indie outfit The Kooks who’ll be in the Lake District to celebrate 20 years of their debut album Inside In/Inside Out, now five times platinum certified and featuring indie anthems ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and ‘Naïve’. The Kooks will be joined on Kendal Calling’s Thursday night opening party by a massive supporting line-up including Wakefield indie legends The Cribs, singer-songwriter and ‘A Thousand Miles’ icon Vannesa Carlton and lots more.

With over 120 acts announced today, the 2026 edition of Kendal Calling is boasting one next summer’s most essential line-ups. Joining today’s announced headliners includes everyone from pop-icons Scissors Sisters, Gabrielle and Groove Armada to indie heroes The Vaccines, Jamie Webster, The Lathums and The Snuts with appearances from some genuine legends as well including The Libertines, Doves and some special guests TBA.

Long-time festival fans will also be happy to hear that frequents guests and friends of the festival including Sh*t Indie Disco, Dick & Dom, & The Lancashire Hotpots will be returning alongside a surefire appearance from Tim Peaks Diner curator, Tim Burgess.

With the festival deeply committed to supporting new music and creating a platform for some of the most exciting new artists in the country, this year’s festival sees hotly-tipped alt-rock quartet Keo, BBC Sound of 2026 longlisted Irish four-piece Florence Road West Yorkshire riser Ellur, Falkirk folk-punks Brógeal, much-hyped Black Country duo GANS, Merseyside singer-songwriter Ruby Duff and many more take to the stage at the Deer Park.

Founded in 2006, the inaugural Kendal Calling was a two-day, 900-capacity gathering headlined by an eclectic combination of Australian electro-rock stadium fillers Pendulum and Kendal’s own British Sea Power (now Sea Power). The festival sold out in advance, as has every iteration since; including this year’s four-day, 40,000-cap 20th anniversary special where Kendal Calling invited friends new and old to reflect on two decades that have seen the award-winning festival grow into one of the most in-demand events of its kind in the UK.

Over the years, Kendal Calling has spiralled into a complete other-worldly experience with joy and discovery to be found in all four corners of its picturesque site. Embodying the idea of a true festival escape – Kendal Calling has become as much about the art and the experience as it has the amazing music that soundtracks the weekend each year. From the illuminated woodland of Lost Eden, to the Sunday teatime carnival to the attention to detail on crafting immersive venues across site – the Deer Park becomes a complete feast for the senses at the end of July.

Kendal Calling will reveal more of 2026’s programme including comedy, live art, installations, the illuminated wonderland of Lost Eden, Kids Calling, parties, talks, films, Tim Peak’s, food & drink, themes, parades and so much more over the coming months.

With unparalleled music lineups, surprises at every turn and an inimitable sense of community & character, Kendal Calling invites visitors to explore even further as they create a unique wonderland in the ancient parks of the Lake District, for just one weekend a year.

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Ben Robinson – Co-founder Kendal Calling said:

“I’m so excited to reveal next year’s line-up! Our brilliant team has secured a line-up worthy of the jaw dropping faith the Kendal Calling family put in us each year. Selling 98% of the tickets before announcing a single artist is the biggest compliment we could ever receive, so here’s an early Christmas present  to say thank you!”

“It’s been a long time coming booking Biffy Clyro, we’ve been courting them like blushing school kids for a decade, it will be a true highlight. As will Wolf Alice as they bring a big smile to the Cumbrian hills.  Like any classic movie it’s not all about the leading roles, as ever we’re welcoming a cast of hundreds of artists to our stages and I can’t wait for you all to dig into this incredible group of musicians.”

MUSIC LINE-UP:

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB • BIFFY CLYRO • WOLF ALICE •  THE KOOKS*

SCISSOR SISTERS • THE LIBERTINES •  SPECIAL GUEST TBA

SPECIAL GUESTS: THE VACCINES • JAMIE WEBSTER • THE LATHUMS • DOVES • GABRIELLE • THE SNUTS • GROOVE ARMADA DJ  •  CIRCA WAVES • SPECIAL GUESTS • THE CRIBS* • ASH • DYLAN JOHN THOMAS  •  THE CORAL • HARD FI • KEO • THE HUNNA • DEAF HAVANA• THE TWANG  • WE ARE SCIENTISTS • VANESSA CARLTON* • FLORENCE ROAD • THE LILACS • FREDDIE HALKON • THE FUTUREHEADS • VISTAS • DIVORCE • BLACK HONEY • RIANNE DOWNEY • THE MOONLANDINGZ • DUTTY MOONSHINE BIG BAND •

TIM BURGESS • THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS •  ISSEY CROSS •  LLOYD COLE

DUBTENDO ALLSTARS • FLEETMAC WOOD • CRAZY P DJ SET • IN-PARALELL • GARDNA LIVE • K-KLASS LIVE • BEARDYMAN • BROGEAL • DICK & DOM • THE ROSADOCS • PENTIRE • THE ORIELLES BEAUX • NELL MESCAL • DEA MATRONA • ELLUR • WITCH FEVER • PASTEL • LIANG LAWRENCE • CONNIE CONSTANCE • SLAMBOREE • TC & THE GROOVE FAMILY • SON MIEUX • KEYSIDE • GANS • THE UNTOLD ORCHESTRA PRESENTS MOVIE ANTHEMS SOFIA & THE ANTOINETTES • LEVI ROOTS’ CARNIVAL PARTY • HELLO COSMOS • HYPHEN • MUSTBEJOHN • MONKA • BIS BROOKI • THE OGRETONES • REVIVALRY • GIRL IN THE YEAR ABOVE • RUBY DUFF • CREEPING JEAN • CHERRYHOLT • BEX • THE THINGUMJAIGS • LEAZES • VACANT WEEKEND • SH** INDIE DISCO • ARCTIC NUMPTIES • NADIA KADEK • THE NORTH • MARK GARDENER PRESENTS… LAUIRE MCMAHON • HELICON • MAGIC SEAS • TWO HEADED HORSE TULPA • THE CORDS • GIFTHORSE • CROSSFIRE • JON DASILVA & ANDY ROBINSON • MICH DULCE & HER MIDNIGHT CALLERS STARSHAPED DJS • MOOD HOOVER • LUCIGENIC • THE MADDOCKS • DAVE HASLAM • NAOMI KALU • K-ESTATE • TINY TIM PEAKS • TIM PEAKS FM WITH CHRIS HAWKINS • THE SLY • BLACK BORDELLO • VOODOO RADIO • BAGGY MONDAYS BLACK POWDER MERCHANTS • TWISTED TIME MACHINE • JORDAN VILLA • RUM REMEDY

PLUS LOST EDEN, RANCH 76, THE PICTUREHOUSE, THESTAGGER INN

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