Reading & Leeds Festival unveils huge stage overhaul for 2026
A huge new look has been unveiled for the sister festivals this year...
By Nick Reilly
Reading & Leeds Festival has unveiled a huge overhaul and major new plans for the festival site at both locations in 2026.
The likes of Fontaines D.C., Florence + the Machine, DAVE, Charli XCX, RAYE, and Chase & Status will head to Little John’s Farm in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds on the bank holiday weekend of Thursday 27-Sunday 30 August this summer.
As part of the massive revamp, the main stage will now be known as The Grid. The second stage will now be called The Gallery, while 2026 will also see the launch of new dance music stage, The Warehouse.
Check out the new stages and the stories behind them in full below.
The Grid
“The home of the festival’s main stage. As well as the headliners, it will feature acts including Sombr, Skepta, Role Model, Loyle Carner (Reading only), Blossoms (Leeds only), Declan McKenna, JADE, Maisie Peters, Keo and more.”
The Gallery presented by Budweiser
“A brand new stage for 2026, The Gallery is an undercover immersive stage. LED screen lights and immersive production runs throughout the entire stage. The Gallery will feature Josh Baker, Geese, Kneecap, Skye Newman, Kettama and Holly Humberstone amongst others. Gunna, Chris Stussy and Viagra Boys will appear in Reading, while Jamie Webster, The K’s and Rose Gray add to the line-up in Leeds.”
The Warehouse
“The Warehouse is a brand-new purpose-built home for dance music with viewing platforms in front and behind the decks, plus huge screen production. It will feature sets from Skepta b2b Prospa, Hybrid Minds, Hedex, Silva Bumpa and Rossi, amongst others. Max Dean will appear back-to-back with Luke Dean as well as Bou, in what will be the first ever custom-built, experiential dance stage for Reading and Leeds.”
The Ballroom
“For the first-time ever, Reading and Leeds Festival will have a transformed stage complete with unique chandeliers and draping that plays host to artists who are defining and dominating 2026. The stage will feature a mix of genres, including appearances from YT, Florence Road, Niko B, Paris Paloma, Bassvictim, Overpass, Speed, Frost Children, Bleech 9:3, Westside Cowboy, Chloe Qisha, Radio Free Alice, Dexter in the Newsagent, Whatmore and Clementine Douglas, amongst others.”
The Canopy
“The Canopy is a major platform for new music. It will play host to the likes of Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Camille Blackman, Kibo, Finessekid, Cruz Beckham and The Breakers and more.”
The Yard (Reading only)
“The Yard will bring the industrial edge of alternative club culture. It is situated in the open-air with shipping containers as part of the configuration.
“These new stages are joined in Leeds Festival by the return of LS23 and Piccadilly Circus, with full programming to be revealed in the coming weeks.”