Lancashire’s beloved independent festival Beat-Herder celebrates its 21st year in 2026 with a monumental line-up and four days of unfiltered joy in the breathtaking Ribble Valley, returning 16–19 July.

Born from the DIY spirit of the 90s free party movement, Beat-Herder has spent two decades building a fiercely independent, wildly creative gathering in the North, where towering stage builds, world-class DJs, live bands, immersive theatre and surreal installations collide. Voted Festival of the Year at the 2024 Northern Music Awards and crowned Best Festival by TPD TV, the cherished event continues to prove that bigger isn’t always better, and that magic thrives in the details.

From hidden tunnels and teleporting phone boxes to a secret swimming pool, stained-glass parish church and cars you can dance on, Beat-Herder’s immersive, hand-built world-building remains unrivalled. Every field holds a surprise; every corner a story. At its heart are six school friends who built this extraordinary gathering. Twenty-one years on, Beat-Herder remains fiercely independent, defiantly creative, and powered by a community of kindred spirits where strangers become lifelong friends.

This 19th edition marks 21 years since its true inception in 2006, promising one of the strongest line-ups in the festival’s history, anchored by bona fide icons and the most exciting names in contemporary dance music.

Thursday 16 July sees Beat-Herder throw open its gates exclusively to limited four-day ticket holders, kicking off celebrations in style. Toil Trees remains the festival’s spiritual core, hosting marathon sets and forward-thinking selectors. On Thursday night, expect eclectic house and melodic grooves come courtesy of Olive F, before Jordan Peak ramps up the tempo with driving electronic energy. As night falls, Tiga delivers his signature blend of sleek electro and peak-time techno, with dance music royalty Groove Armada closing the stage with a classic, high-energy DJ set packed with anthemic moments.

Over at The Ring, bass culture takes centre stage with roots and reggae flavours from Kaya Fyah, breakbeat dynamism from Ed Solo, jungle pioneer Roni Size bringing heavyweight credentials, and the high-octane drum & bass collective Born on Road keeping the energy surging late into the night.

In the ancient Stone Circle field, Smoky Tentacles sets an adventurous tone as masked electrobrass outfit FULU blend theatrical visuals with infectious, festival-ready grooves, delivering the kind of unexpected magic that defines Beat-Herder’s opening night.

Into the main weekend – this year’s Main Stage line-up delivers some of the festival’s biggest moments of the weekend: Friday kicks off the weekend with the kaleidoscopic chaos of Brutus Gold’s Love Train, the uplifting harmonies of House Gospel Choir, and the unmistakable Manchester house legacy of K-Klass, setting the tone for a festival of genre-blurring brilliance. The night climaxes with dance pioneers Faithless, whose era-defining catalogue continues to soundtrack dancefloors worldwide.

Saturday brings a high-octane showcase of drum & bass and electronic mastery. Cam Cole delivers genre-blurring electronic grooves, The Orb (live AV) takes the crowd on a cosmic journey,  Slamboree brings euphoric energy, and Kings of the Rollers ft. INJA combines jungle and D&B royalty with razor-sharp lyricism. Headliners chart-topping duo Sigma are set to deliver a masterclass in high-energy drum & bass.

Sunday closes the weekend with reggae authority David Rodigan, spinning decades of deep-digging sound system culture, cosmic beats with live performance from Transglobal Underground, the soulful power of Queen Omega & The Royal Souls, and drum & bass heavyweight Wilkinson, known for euphoric, high-octane festival anthems that get crowds moving from the first beat.

Back at the Toil Trees, Friday delivers a marathon of electronic energy. Krysko kicks off with driving, festival-ready grooves, X&Ivy layer hypnotic, forward-thinking house and techno, while Eats Everything unleashes a high-octane, genre-blurring DJ set. Late-night energy peaks with SHEE, delivering eclectic and atmospheric selections, before DJ Seinfeld spins emotive, euphoric club grooves, and Van Damn closes the stage with immersive, deep, and dynamic beats that carry the party into the early hours.

Saturday is a marathon of genre-blurring house and techno. Kirollus delivers hypnotic, immersive sets that carry the energy into the evening, followed by Laurence Guy, whose melodic deep house provides a perfect blend of rhythm and atmosphere. Make a Dance brings euphoric, peak-time beats, while Sarah Story, BBC Radio 1 tastemaker, energises the crowd with uplifting and eclectic sets. Late-night, Luke Alessi spins forward-thinking, dynamic house, and Kara Okay closes the stage with emotive, genre-blurring selections, keeping the party alive into the early hours. 

Sunday brings immersive, extended performances from Mr Scruff & MC Kwasi, whose genre-blurring, improvisational sets are an annual Beat-Herder highlight. Cinthie delivers forward-thinking deep house with hypnotic, dancefloor-ready grooves, while Demi Riquisimo impresses with a standout acid- and Italo-house-inspired sonic palette. TSHA keeps the energy soaring with euphoric, technically masterful selections, and Ninja Tune’s salute will be set to close out another epic weekend of beats and barminess on a high.

The Ring continues to champion bass-driven innovation and genre-defying sets, making it one of Beat-Herder’s most dynamic stages. Friday kicks off with high-energy beats from Harriet Jaxxon, a forward-thinking selector blending jungle and UKG, A-Skillz, a breakbeat legend known for seamless mixing, Mooqee, delivering rolling basslines with infectious groove, and Bombstrikes Soundsystem, a high-octane collective known for their hard-hitting D&B sets.

Saturday features jungle, drum & bass, and breakbeat legends and standout talent: Grace Garcia brings eclectic, bass-heavy sets with a charismatic energy, Madame Electrifie fuses electronic textures with explosive rhythms, Aphrodite lays down iconic jungle grooves, and Lens delivers inventive, cutting-edge breakbeat and bass explorations. Stage curators and legendary electronic duo Utah Saints, energise the crowd with their classic rave and house anthems. Sunday keeps the momentum alive with rising stars Notion, known for genre-blurring, bass-driven DJ sets, and Sophia Violet, whose eclectic electronic selection is both fresh and immersive.

Standing 80ft wide and 30ft tall with flames blazing from its ramparts, The Fortress delivers a weekend journey through UKG, bass, house, techno, breaks, and jungle. Friday highlights include Warpfit, known for pounding basslines and energetic sets, REESE, a hardcore and jungle innovator, Big Ang, delivering high-octane UKG and garage rhythms, and ODF, whose rolling drum & bass sets keep the crowd moving. Late-night energy peaks with Soul Mass Transit System, and famed for genre-bending underground vibes, Prozak, a techno and breakbeat specialist.

Saturday continues the journey with Northern duo Infrared, Paul Taylor, a house legend, and Time to Rush, whose dynamic sets move from peak-time euphoria to underground precision. BK, a hard house icon, Club Angel, and Gary Beck, techno powerhouse, round out the weekend, ensuring The Fortress is a temple of underground sound.

Sunday brings breaks into jungle with rising and established talents alike. Dom James delivers tight, dancefloor-focused breaks, DJ Hybrid fuses deep bass and experimental textures, Uncle Dugs drops rolling jungle grooves, VXRGO provides high-energy selections, Silva Snipa brings cutting-edge breaks, Pete Cannon delivers bass-heavy dancefloor anthems, and Tim Reaper, a jungle legend, closes the weekend with unstoppable intensity.

Smoky Tentacles continues its reputation for the unexpected: Friday sees a rare DJ appearance from Phil Hartnoll of Orbital. Weekend sets from Dreadzone, Dave Seaman, and Tim Toil complete the cosmic offering.

At The Factory, Beat-Herder’s playground for experimental rhythms, forward-thinking production, and immersive bass,  Friday opens with Samurai Breaks and Drumsound & Bassline Smith, delivering high-octane drum & bass and breakbeat sets that set the weekend in motion. Saturday showcases innovative selectors, including Breakage, whose deep, textured bass and rhythmic mastery keep the crowd moving, alongside LMajor, delivering a dynamic blend of drum & bass and electronic exploration. Sunday closes the stage with the improvisational genius of Beardyman, whose live looping, beatboxing, and electronic creativity push boundaries and create a one-of-a-kind festival experience.

Meanwhile, BH&DWMSC, Beat-Herder’s own Working Men’s Club, keeps things gloriously Northern with variety acts, bingo, pints of bitter and a special appearance from Scottish accordion sensation Rumac.

Nick Chambers, co-founder says: “Beat‑Herder has always been about more than just great music, for us, it’s about bringing together a community of kindred spirits in our unique and hand-made world. This year’s line‑up reflects that spirit across genres, generations and global sounds. We can’t wait to welcome old friends and new faces alike into another magical weekend.”