Wilderness 2026

The first music festival after COVID-19 restrictions lifted will always hold a special place in my memory. Back in 2021, not even torrential rain or the minor tragedy of leaving my sleeping bag on the train could dampen the mood at my first (and, until now, only) Wilderness Festival.

Five years on I find myself wondering: was that magic genuinely a feature of Wilderness, or were we all just drunk on the novelty of being allowed to gather in a muddy field again?

Wilderness carries an unavoidable reputation as the UK’s ultimate “posh” festival and is sometimes viewed as little more than a rich person’s playground of boutique banquets, pricey spa tents and eye-wateringly expensive glamping options.

However, these critiques felt lazy, so I went back to find out whether Wilderness could deliver broad enough appeal to beat the posh allegations. Is there enough on offer for the average festival enjoyer who doesn’t want to dig deep for a sit-down five-course feast or an exclusive yoga session by the lake?

With a 2026 lineup stacked with iconic names, from Annie Lennox leading a powerhouse curation of female talent to Scissor Sisters riding the high of their massive reunion tour, the stage was set for a cracking weekend of entertainment. 

The site had expanded since my last visit, so I made sure to head straight to one of these exciting new spaces: The Riddle, the festival’s phone-free, walled-garden sanctuary, where Greg Wilson was on the decks to kick off proceedings. With a lengthy set of delightfully silly rock and R&B remixes along with your usual disco classics, this was a great introduction to the space. Despite what initially felt like a vintage festival feel, the illusion of an egalitarian dancefloor briefly evaporated at the sight of a reserved VIP seating area encroaching on the edge of the space, complete with velvet rope and security positioned right at the edge of the floor. 

On the Main Stage that afternoon, Good Neighbours were bringing their upbeat indie-pop with synth-driven songs that sounded reminiscent of Empire of the Sun. The dedicated crowd down the front seemed to lap up every note. Across the site at The Dive, Wilderness Festival’s dedicated space for up-and-coming bands, we managed to catch Jools’ raucous punk set which led to brief involvement in my first and only mosh pit of the weekend. 

Back at the Main Stage that evening’s entertainment was all about dance music. Eats Everything was first up, bringing his usual eclectic, genre-hopping style that often defined many of my favourite nights out as a student. After getting the crowd in the mood, the reins were passed over to DJ royalty Carl Cox. Cox did what he does best, transforming Cornbury Park into an open-air club delivering a mix of house and funk classics that had the masses two-stepping into the night.

Before the night came to a close, it was time for some good old-fashioned guitars so we took a trip to The Atrium, Wilderness’ iconic sloped big top venue, which hosts an eclectic lineup from rock bands to comedy troupes and even the Wilderness Orchestra. But Friday night was all about Brighton’s Lime Garden, who delivered their self-described “wonk pop” to a small but eager crowd. The band clearly grew in confidence throughout the set, with songs that veered seamlessly from traditional art-rock into something a lot funkier with the kind of variety to keep you locked in throughout. It was a genuine delight to see the festival showcase emerging talent in such a prime slot.

Saturday began with an obligatory morning dip in the swimming lake, then it was back to The Atrium for revered folk singer Bill Ryder-Jones. On backing track duties, he was accompanied by his not-so-trusty Tascam four-track cassette recorder, which seemed to have a mind of its own throughout his set and forced a few restarts. If that wasn’t enough bad luck, the intrusive noises and cheers of the nearby cricket match kept drifting over, drawing the odd giggle from Ryder-Jones too. I could not help but be charmed by how much of a good sport he was. I had largely overlooked his music despite being a fan of his former band The Coral, and went away keen to dive in.

Before setting up camp at the Main Stage for the evening’s headliners, I made a final detour to The Dive to catch emerging indie rock group SLAG. Having recently had their tracks on heavy rotation, hearing cuts like ‘Ripped’ live for the first time was a highlight. The band oozed effortless cool, delivering a set tailor-made for BBC 6 Music dads — and based on the crowd they drew, those dads were absolutely lapping it up.

Heading back to the Main Stage for the evening’s trio of big-name artists, I couldn’t help but notice how small some of the daytime crowds had been. As mentioned, Wilderness notoriously attracts punters with deeper pockets than most; while the stages had programmed great music throughout the afternoon, many attendees were clearly preoccupied with the array of paid experiences on offer.

It was hard to blame them, though, as the tents hosting the various banquets looked alive with people enjoying amazing food and no doubt the finest wine too. Despite having eaten well elsewhere, I couldn’t help feeling a touch jealous!

Wilderness isn’t just about Michelin-starred chefs, of course. Activities on offer ranged from morning yoga and ice baths to Fortnum & Mason picnics in the woods — a dreamy day for some, but I was happy sticking with my humble shawarma wrap and a free morning dip in the swimming lake. I did laugh, however, when a friendly steward told me he’d been approached by a vendor offering “hand analysis” for £20 a pop. I walked away genuinely wondering if that was £20 per hand.

Back at the Main Stage, the evening entertainment was fully underway. Indie pop legends Saint Etienne were on their final run of shows as part of their farewell tour, and the Wilderness crowd was treated to a career-spanning set showing off their signature blend of 60s pop melodies and breezy dance beats. Their cover of Neil Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ had the crowd primed and engaged for what was to come next.

The energy was only going to go up from here as we took a spot down the front for electro legends Soulwax. The stage setup involved what looked like giant metal scaffolding hosting the band’s three drummers towering over the group and crowd. The set was received well and this was the most energetic I had seen the Wilderness crowd all weekend. The beats hit hard and the drums thundered throughout the field during set highlight ‘Is It Always Binary’. 

To close proceedings, it fell to Scissor Sisters to bring their larger-than-life set to the Main Stage. An unstoppable opening double header of ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’ and ‘Laura’ sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy. Everyone was either up dancing or perched on someone’s shoulders, singing along to hits like ‘Take Your Mama’ as loudly as they could. Closing with the deliciously seedy ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’, they drew an ecstatic reaction — a perfect reminder of just how much this band means to so many and how, despite their American roots, they have become a truly treasured part of British music culture.

The night was filled with opportunities to dance with 2ManyDJs tearing up The Valley, Wilderness’ very own mysterious and dark naughty corner, with ravey beats and electro classics, while a detour to the campy Pink Room had us enticed by the distant sound of clacking fans. We were met with queens onstage dipping and twirling to a ravey remix of Geri Halliwell’s ‘Scream If You Wanna Go Faster’.

The final day began at The Atrium with the Wilderness Orchestra, who delivered a stirring tribute to the music of The Beatles alongside a stellar lineup of guest vocalists, including the brilliant Camille O’Sullivan. A euphoric singalong to ‘Hey Jude’ definitely set the tone for the afternoon.

Over on the Audi Haven stage, Jamie Cullum played an intimate, standing-room-only set. Recognising the size of the crowd spilling outside the tent, he stepped out mid-performance to croon directly to the fans who couldn’t get in. A nice touch.

The main event on the final evening was the legendary Annie Lennox and her specially curated evening entitled Sisters, in aid of her charity The Circle, which campaigns against gender-based violence worldwide. Our host was Deborah Frances-White of The Guilty Feminist and the stage featured a powerful lineup of talent: Ríoghnach Connolly with her gorgeous, haunting folk, followed by Becky Sikasa’s soulful R&B and an impassioned speech on the need for global feminism by actor Benedict Wong. Former headliner Jessie Ware arrived as the final guest, delivering a string of tracks that left the crowd ready for Lennox herself.

Taking the stage for a tight, half-hour set, she did not disappoint. Opening with one of her all-time great hits, ‘Walking on Broken Glass’, she had the Wilderness crowd instantly hooked. It was moving to see that even after all these years, Lennox can still feel the raw emotion of her own music, visibly moved to tears during a delicate piano version of ‘Here Comes the Rain Again’. Before long, she sent everyone into delirium with ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’. Is there a more iconic way to close a set?

To close out the weekend, The Last Dinner Party took to the stage to deliver a memorable performance drawing from their two albums in a gloriously dramatic, tight set that served as the perfect farewell to send the Wilderness faithful off into the night one last time. It’s exciting to see where the band go next as they begin to take their place as festival headliners.

Ultimately, Wilderness remains a festival of contrasts: a place where champagne banquets, £20 hand readings and VIP hot tubs can sit alongside free lakeside swims, impromptu singalongs and world-class music. Escapism doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag, but if you have money to burn, Wilderness will happily help you spend it. I certainly went away in the knowledge that there is something for everyone in the fields of Wilderness Festival.