We’ve also quizzed Leeds Festival boss Melvin Benn on plans for 2027
Leeds Festival boss Melvin Benn has offered an in-depth glimpse into the event’s ‘new look and new approach’ as well as issuing an important message to those heading to Bramham Park.
Leeds Festival will see thousands of people pack Bramham Park for the annual August bank holiday fun. Having launched in 1999, at Temple Newsam before moving to Bramham Park in 2003, the popular event has taken on many guises down the years and welcomed some of music’s biggest acts.
The headliners for Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds Festival 2026 include Charli xcx, Chase and Status, Dave, Florence and The Machine, Fontaines DC, Kasabian and Raye. Many other big names will also be appearing across the weekend.
Leeds Festival 2026 will be running between Thursday, August 27 until Sunday, August 30. If you’d love to go, you can find out ticket information here.
We are bringing you everything you need to know about Leeds Festival 2026. This will include set times, travel information, banned items from the grounds and gossip about Leeds Festival 2026.
And, who better to get the inside line from than Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, which oversees Leeds Festival and its sister event in Reading. This year, there’s the introduction of a Thursday night headliner to look forward to, new stages and further additions – announced just this week.
We chatted to Melvin about all of this, environmental challenges festivals face, the changing needs of ticketholders and much more, ahead of Leeds Festival 2026.
Melvin, thank you very much for your time. How much are you looking forward to this year’s festival and how are the final touches coming together?
“Any day that I’m talking about it and preparing for Leeds Festival is a good day. It is 27 years of my life. So, this, for me, is a wonderful day. Seeing young people excited about being at the festival and being able to announce the artists which we’ve been able to announce in recent months.
“Talking about the new look and new approach to Leeds Festival. Giving it a younger look, a more modern look in that sense of it. We have got a new team in behind all that – developing the new look and the new feel.
“People that are a lot younger than I am who have been able to bring that input – that’s really exciting for me to be honest. It is preparing for what will be the next 25, 27 years as well really – moving into that next phase.
“The new campsites, the development of what were the boutique campsites last year, which proved really successful. Moving into what they are now with the new names. It is really important.
“The new stages, we’ve added two or three this year, which is fantastic. That’s more music and more value for money. The dance stage, I think, will be intensely popular. A phenomenal line up there.
“I think we are all really pleased and excited about it. Leeds is significantly stronger than last year (for ticket sales) and we are very excited about it.”
There’s been some talk, and publicity, around this being Leeds Fest 2.0. Is that something you agree with? And, do you see 2026 as an evolution of the festival?
“It is, very much so. It is that thing, nothing can stand still. I can’t put the bands on today that I put on in 1999 as they aren’t as relevant anymore. You have got to stay relevant. The bands keep you relevant.
“The festival has to do that too. What the audience wants in 2026 is different to what the audience wanted in 1999. It is Leeds 2.0, we are moving forward. We have got a much more vibrant and refreshed outlook for it and the new team is pulling that together – what they are doing with it excites me beyond belief. It is taking that next step forward and maintaining that relevance.”
You mentioned the recent campsite changes – that particularly update feels like a real passion for you?
“I think they are bedding in now. What surprised me, I’m an old school festival fella, and that additional level of festival comfort and level of additional space. In truth, that level of wanting a hairdryer, on-site at a festival, blows me away. Fantastic.
“It wasn’t something that was the case in my early days of going to festivals. I just think it is wonderful. We have to respond to it. In fact, we are not just responding, we are leading the way with it.
“Many festivals have had that opportunity of being able to purchase boutique camping but what I started last year I pushed for boutique where you didn’t need to purchase boutique camping and it was accessible to all. And, some (people), just want to go wild in the fields and don’t want anything special or different – plenty did though.
“The response to the boutique campsites, last year, was just fantastic. We are building on that. We talk to the fans more and got feedback – that’s how the new names have developed. It is something that we are very excited about. It presents better and offers better.”
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You’ve looked at the campsites, introduced new stages and overseen this year’s rebrand. Is there any other area of Leeds Festival and Reading Festival you’d like to give your attention?
“We are not at that stage yet. The development of the campsites is great but the addition of the warehouse is really, really something I’m excited about. It is a stage that I stopped two or three-years-ago. I regret that I stopped it, the dance music stage (as it was then). And, I’m bringing it back better than it previously was.”
We’ve spoken previously about how important the environmental message is. Presumably, this has even greater importance at the core of your work?
“It really is. We are here in Leeds, in the middle of July (when the interview took place), we have got 29, 30, 31 degrees heat – higher than what would be the norm. And, that has been caused by environmental damage that we have created.
“So, my message, of course, is leave no trace. Look out for the planet. A very clear message in Festival Republic, Leeds and Reading, is look out for each other and look out for the planet. It is the future of the young people coming to the festival. Reducing waste and reducing carbon is absolutely necessary. So, the more that people can reuse things the better.”
It does feel like, in general, the next generation of people are developing a greater understanding of this importance?
“I think so. I think that the heat that we are getting is drawing attention to it in a manner that it never has before. I think we have just been talking about it before and now we are all realising this is too bloody hot for England. This is too hot for England, we shouldn’t be having this temperature. The environmental damage we’ve done over the years, my generation, not the young peoples’ generation, is causing that and we have to correct it.”
Melvin, of course we have Leeds Festival 2026 to look forward to, but, is there anything you can tease for the 2027 edition?
(Laughing) “Way too early, way too early. Obviously, we are already talking to acts for 2027. It is way too early to disclose anything.”
And finally, what is your message for the thousands of people heading to Bramham Park for Leeds Festival 2026 this August bank holiday weekend?
“Come and have the greatest weekend of your life. For most people, coming to Leeds Festival, it is the greatest weekend of their life.”
You can find the latest Leeds Fest info by signing up to our Leeds Festival WhatsApp group. You can also become a member of our Leeds Festival Facebook page.
We’ll bring all the action from Bramham Park over the August bank holiday weekend.
To find out the latest event news in our city you can visit our Best in Leeds homepage. There you will also find a guide to great things to do in Leeds. Stuck at home and wishing you were there? Download your favourite artists from Amazon and Apple music.
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