Greenbelt Festival – UK 2026

Background & History

Greenbelt Festival, born in 1974 at the Christian Centre in Cheltenham, emerged from a bold vision by a group of progressive Christians, artists, and activists who sought to create a space where faith, creativity, and social justice could collide in transformative ways. Founded by a collective of “misfits in a field,” led by figures like Jim Palosaari and inspired by the countercultural spirit of the era, Greenbelt aimed to challenge conventional religious frameworks while fostering a community where artistry meets activism. Its inaugural gathering drew 2,000 attendees for music, talks, and worship, blending folk, rock, and theological debates in a radical act of communal hope. Over five decades, Greenbelt has grown into a cultural juggernaut, now attracting 11,500 attendees annually at the majestic Boughton House estate in Kettering since 2014, surviving financial struggles in the 1990s and thriving despite industry challenges like post-COVID festival closures.

The festival’s evolution reflects its adaptability and commitment to inclusivity, moving from Cheltenham to venues like Southwell Minster before settling at Boughton House, a 17th-century Baroque estate that amplifies its grandeur. Greenbelt has hosted icons like Billy Bragg, Mavis Staples, Sinéad O’Connor, Brian Eno, and Kate Rusby, alongside activists like Jeremy Corbyn and disability advocate Liz Carr, cementing its role as a platform for both established and emerging voices. As a registered charity (289372), it partners with organizations like Christian Aid, Trussell Trust, and Embrace the Middle East, raising funds for global justice causes—over £100,000 since 2010. Its awards, including the AIE Gold Award for Access, AGF Awards for Sustainability and Green Comms, and Rainbow List Award for Inclusion, underscore its leadership in accessibility and ethics.

Greenbelt’s cultural significance lies in its ability to weave progressive Christianity with secular activism, creating a space where attendees debate climate justice, dance to Afrobeat, or pray in quiet glades, all under the banner of “Hope in our Hands.” The 2026 edition, set for August 27–30, introduces affordability measures (ticket prices frozen at 2025 levels amid the cost-of-living crisis), expanded digital access via No Fly Zone streams, and enhanced Greenerbelt initiatives like solar-powered stages. From its grassroots origins to its current stature, Greenbelt remains a beacon for those seeking a better world, welcoming all—regardless of faith, identity, or background—to a festival that’s as much about dreaming as it is about doing.

The festival’s manifesto, a living document read daily on-site, encapsulates its ethos: a place where the political meets the practical, where provocation and celebration coexist. Its history is peppered with milestones, like the 1983 introduction of the Act of Communion, a shared meal symbolizing global solidarity, and the 2014 move to Boughton House, which boosted capacity and accessibility. Greenbelt’s commitment to nurturing new talent—through venues like the Hot House for emerging artists—ensures it remains a launchpad for creatives, while its partnerships with faith communities like the Iona Community deepen its spiritual resonance. As it approaches its 53rd year, Greenbelt 2026 promises to amplify its legacy of radical hospitality, challenging attendees to reimagine faith, art, and justice in a fractured world.

Event Highlights

• Main activities or performances: Greenbelt 2026 will feature over 150 performances across multiple stages, with the Main Stage hosting folk icons like Kate Rusby, Afrobeat star K.O.G, and indie rockers Lowkey, blending music with social commentary in the estate’s formal gardens.
• Main activities or performances: The No Fly Zone venue, a digital and live hub, offers intimate talks and performances, with 2025’s 37 streamed shows (available until October) setting the stage for 2026’s expanded lineup, including disability activist Liz Carr and climate justice panels.
• Main activities or performances: The Hot House tent delivers late-night cabaret, comedy from Tim Key, and theatre from Loudmouth Theatre, spotlighting queer and BIPOC voices in a vibrant, inclusive space.
• Main activities or performances: Workshops, free with tickets, span contemplative prayer (Iona Community), activism training (Christian Aid), songwriting with folk artists, and eco-craft sessions, fostering creative and ethical engagement.
• Special traditions or features: The Act of Communion, a cornerstone since 1983, unites thousands in a shared meal and reflection on solidarity, often themed around global issues like migration or climate change.
• Special traditions or features: Daily manifesto readings open the festival, inviting attendees to reflect on Greenbelt’s mission; evening lantern processions blend prayer and protest, weaving themes of hope and resistance.
• Special traditions or features: Greenerbelt initiatives, including zero-waste zones, solar-powered stages, and carbon-offset planting, maintain AGF Sustainability Awards; pay-it-forward Supporter tickets subsidize access for low-income attendees.
• Special traditions or features: Children’s and youth programs offer storytelling tents, eco-crafts, and justice workshops, fostering intergenerational activism; the festival’s dog-friendly ethos includes pet-friendly zones.
• Unique attractions for visitors: Interactive art installations, like justice murals co-created by attendees, reflect Greenbelt’s activist spirit; the Craft Fair features ethical makers from partners like Embrace the Middle East.
• Unique attractions for visitors: Wellness spaces offer trauma-informed yoga, meditation, and Quaker-inspired silence sessions, set in wooded glades for reflection amid the festival’s energy.
• Unique attractions for visitors: The Greenbelt Talks series, with recordings available post-festival, features theologians, activists, and poets like Rowan Williams, exploring faith and justice intersections.
• Unique attractions for visitors: Heritage walks through Boughton House’s Baroque gardens weave Northamptonshire folklore with global stories, enhancing the festival’s cultural depth.

Date & Duration

• Dates: August 27 – August 30, 2026 (Thursday to Sunday)
• Duration: 4 days, with gates opening Thursday 2:00 PM for early arrivals; main programming runs Friday to Sunday, with late-night events until 1:00 AM; campsite access until Monday 10:00 AM.

Venue / Location

• City: Kettering, Northamptonshire, England
• Main venue: Boughton House, a breathtaking 17th-century Baroque estate spanning 300 acres of manicured gardens, ancient woodlands, and serene lakes, owned by the Duke of Buccleuch, offers a majestic yet intimate setting since Greenbelt’s relocation in 2014.
• Notable areas within the venue: The Main Arena, set in formal gardens, hosts headline music and talks; the Glade Arena, nestled in wooded areas, offers acoustic sets and storytelling; the No Fly Zone venue near the lake blends live and streamed content.
• Notable areas within the venue: The Hot House tent buzzes with late-night cabaret and comedy; accessible camping near Gate 1 includes flat pitches and mobility paths; children’s zones in the Walled Garden feature eco-play and crafts.
• Notable areas within the venue: The Craft and Food Villages, centrally located, showcase ethical traders; quiet glades provide reflection spaces; Greenerbelt hubs offer solar-powered charging and recycling stations.
• Notable areas within the venue: Historic Boughton House tours (additional $15 USD) explore Baroque art and architecture, tying into festival themes of beauty and justice; lakeside paths host evening vigils.
• Notable areas within the venue: The Youth Hub near the campsite fosters activism workshops; the Prayer Tent offers interfaith spaces for meditation and dialogue, enhancing inclusivity.
• Google Maps address: Boughton House, Kettering NN14 1BJ, UK (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Boughton+House/@52.406,-0.674,15z)

Ticket Information

• How tickets are sold: Purchase online via greenbelt.org.uk with interest-free payment plans (e.g., $19 USD/month for Supported tickets, spread over 11 months); limited on-site box office at Gate 1; personal assistant tickets free for accessibility needs (bookings open May 2026); avoid unofficial resellers.
• How tickets are sold: Digital wristbands, color-coded for camping and concessions, mailed or collected on-site; proof required for concessions (students, benefits) and accessibility (DLA/PIP).
• Whether admission is free or paid: Paid event; under-4s free with adult ticket; accredited volunteers (500+ roles) and press receive complimentary entry with perks.
• Ticket pricing in USD only: Adult weekend Supported $191 USD, Standard $254 USD, Supporter $318 USD; Youth (12–17) $64 USD; Concession (students, Universal Credit/JSA/ESA/PIP) $127 USD; under-4s free; camping included; mobility scooter rental $76 USD (based on 2025 GBP at $1.27/£1, prices frozen for 2026).
• Any special seating or VIP options: Free personal assistant tickets for disabled attendees (book via gbaccesscamping@gmail.com); accessible viewing platforms at Main Stage and Glade Arena; Supporter tickets include priority queues and festival tote.
• Any special seating or VIP options: Family bundles discount youth tickets; No Fly Zone streaming pass ($44 USD) for virtual access to 37+ shows; programme ($12 USD) with schedules and essays.
• Minimum and maximum tickets pricing: Minimum $0 USD (under-4s free); Maximum $318 USD (Supporter weekend ticket).

Contact Information

• Email: gbinfo@greenbelt.org.uk (general inquiries, artist applications); gbaccesscamping@gmail.com (accessibility); tickets@greenbelt.org.uk (ticket support); press@greenbelt.org.uk (media); volunteer@greenbelt.org.uk (volunteering, opens January 2026); sustainability@greenbelt.org.uk (Greenerbelt queries).
• Phone: +44 20 7329 0038 (main office, 9 AM–5 PM GMT); +44 1536 676011 (on-site noise complaints during festival); email preferred for international or detailed queries.
• Website: https://www.greenbelt.org.uk (tickets, lineup, manifesto, streaming); https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/festival-info (practical guides); https://www.northantstourism.com (local info).
• Social Media: @GreenbeltFestival (Instagram, X/Twitter for live updates); facebook.com/GreenbeltFestival (25k+ followers, community forums); YouTube for talk archives; Spotify for curated artist playlists; Dispatches newsletter for priority updates.
• Key Staff: Festival Director (not specified, contact gbinfo@); Access Coordinator (gbaccesscamping@); Programming Lead for arts/activism; Sustainability Lead for Greenerbelt; Volunteer Coordinator (volunteer@).
• Press/Volunteers: Press via press@greenbelt.org.uk (releases, interviews, accreditation); volunteering via volunteer@greenbelt.org.uk (500+ roles in stewarding, setup, bars, offering free entry, meals, and camping).
• Note: Response times 24–72 hours, faster via email; English primary, with on-site support in Spanish, Arabic, and BSL via partners; newsletter signup via website critical for lineup and ticket alerts.

Cultural Experience

Greenbelt Festival is a vibrant crucible where progressive Christianity, secular activism, and global artistry converge, creating a transformative space for attendees to explore hope, justice, and creativity. The Main Stage pulses with performances from folk legends like Kate Rusby, whose ballads echo the English countryside, to Afrobeat innovators like Bab L’Bluz, whose rhythms carry Moroccan Gnawa traditions, alongside spoken-word provocations from activists like Liz Carr or theologians like Rowan Williams. These acts, set against Boughton House’s Baroque gardens, are enriched by visual projections and Q&As that unpack themes of migration, climate justice, and queer liberation, fostering a dialogue that bridges faith and action.

Workshops are the festival’s heartbeat, offering hands-on experiences like contemplative Taizé prayer led by the Iona Community, activism training with Christian Aid on ethical investing, or poetry workshops with emerging BIPOC writers, encouraging attendees to don justice ribbons or eco-badges from craft stalls. These sessions spark intergenerational and cross-cultural connections, with families crafting protest banners or debating theology in open forums, blending ancient rituals with modern calls for change. The Hot House tent’s late-night cabaret, featuring queer comedians and drag artists, reimagines sacred spaces as radically inclusive, earning Greenbelt its Rainbow List Award.

Costumes amplify the festival’s eclectic spirit, with attendees sporting fair-trade textiles, rainbow flags, or activist pins from ethical stalls, reflecting both personal expression and solidarity with global causes like Palestinian or refugee rights. Northamptonshire’s heritage shines through heritage walks weaving local folklore—tales of medieval estates—with global narratives from partners like Embrace the Middle East, whose artisans sell handwoven goods. The Act of Communion, a shared meal since 1983, symbolizes collective hope, while evening lantern processions blend prayer and protest, illuminating paths with candles and chants.

Greenbelt’s commitment to inclusivity extends to quiet glades for neurodiverse reflection, trauma-informed yoga inspired by Ignatian spirituality, and interfaith dialogue spaces welcoming all beliefs—or none. Its support for charities like Trussell Trust and Hope House music therapy programs underscores folk’s healing power, with workshops teaching children simple hymns. Greenbelt leaves attendees with a renewed sense of purpose, carrying its “spark of God” (or gin-fueled inspiration) into their communities, ready to dream and build a better world.

Food & Drinks

• Must-try specialties: Ethical food stalls offer Northamptonshire pork pies ($10 USD) and vegan mushroom pasties ($9 USD), alongside justice-themed dishes like Palestinian maqluba ($12 USD), Ethiopian injera with lentil wat ($11 USD), or Syrian tabbouleh ($8 USD) from refugee-led vendors.
• Must-try specialties: Global options include Trussell Trust-supported community soups ($7 USD), gluten-free quinoa salads ($9 USD), and Indian dosas ($8 USD), all sourced from fair-trade or local suppliers.
• Must-try specialties: Charity-inspired dishes, like Embrace the Middle East’s falafel plates ($9 USD), tie food to activism; allergen-free options ensure inclusivity.
• Sweet treats and vegan options: Local bakers provide ethical chocolate brownies ($5 USD), vegan baklava from Middle Eastern artisans ($6 USD), or gluten-free Northamptonshire honey flapjacks ($4 USD).
• Sweet treats and vegan options: Plant-based halva ($5 USD) or organic fruit crumbles ($6 USD) reflect festival themes of abundance and community sharing.
• Beverages and bars: Craft ale bars feature local brews like Phipps NBC ($6 USD/pint) and fair-trade wines from Palestinian vineyards ($9 USD/glass); non-alcoholic kombucha ($5 USD) from eco-vendors.
• Beverages and bars: Justice-focused drinks include Palestinian mint lemonade ($4 USD), Ethiopian coffee ceremonies ($6 USD), or herbal teas for reflection ($4 USD) at the No Fly Zone cafe.
• Beverages and bars: Reusable cups ($5 USD, refundable) reduce waste; free water stations with compostable signage promote hydration and sustainability.
• Dietary accommodations: All vendors provide allergen menus via festival app; picnics encouraged (no glass/alcohol); surplus donated to Trussell Trust foodbanks, aligning with Greenbelt’s Living Wage Employer status.

Getting There

• Nearest airports: London Luton (LTN, 50 miles/1-hour drive, taxis ~$100 USD); East Midlands (EMA, 60 miles/1.25 hours); Birmingham (BHX, 70 miles/1.5 hours); budget flights via Ryanair/easyJet to LTN.
• Nearest airports: National Express shuttles from LTN (~$40 USD, book at nationalexpress.com); car rentals at terminals (~$50 USD/day) for groups or families.
• Public transport: Trains to Kettering Station (from London St Pancras, 1 hour, ~$50 USD; National Rail: +44 3457 484950); festival shuttle buses from station (~$10 USD round-trip, 10 min).
• Public transport: National Express coaches from London, Birmingham, or Manchester to Kettering (~$30–$50 USD); local Stagecoach bus 18 (~$5 USD) to Boughton House gates.
• Driving and parking: Via A14/M1, follow AA signs to Boughton House (avoid sat-nav through Kettering center); parking $25 USD (included with tickets); free accessible parking for blue badge holders; on-site EV charging via Greenerbelt solar hubs.
• Driving and parking: Liftshare carpooling through festival app reduces CO2 (20kg per 100-mile trip); secure bike parking with festival-branded locks (free); traffic updates via @GreenbeltFestival.
• Other options: Taxis from Kettering Station (~$15 USD, book via Kettering Taxis: +44 1536 483000); cycling from town (5 miles, flat paths); pedestrian access via Boughton Lane with clear signage.

Accommodation Options

• On-site camping: Standard pitches across Boughton House’s fields (included with weekend tickets); family zones with kids’ loos, baby changing, and quiet hours; open Thursday 2:00 PM to Monday 10:00 AM.
• On-site camping: Accessible camping near Gate 1 offers flat pitches, ramps, and shuttle access; trailer tents and small RVs (up to 7m) included with standard tickets.
• On-site camping: Quiet zones for neurodiverse attendees; eco-camping areas with compost toilets and solar showers emphasize Greenerbelt ethos.
• Glamping upgrades: Boutique bell tents via festival partners ($300–$500 USD, with beds, lighting, and rugs); book via greenbelt.org.uk; private loos/showers included.
• Glamping upgrades: Group glamping for families or communities ($600–$900 USD, sleeps 6–8); ethical providers prioritize sustainable materials; requires festival ticket.
• Campervan and RV: Designated fields ($50 USD add-on for vehicles over 7m); accessible pitches with medical hook-ups (apply via gbaccesscamping@); pre-book via tickets@.
• Nearby hotels and B&Bs: The George Hotel Kettering (3 miles, $100–$150 USD/night); Rushton Hall (2 miles, $150–$250 USD); Boughton B&B (1 mile, $90–$140 USD); book via visitnorthants.com (+44 1604 367000).
• Nearby hotels and B&Bs: Wicksteed Park lodges (4 miles, $120–$200 USD); Barton Hall Hotel (3 miles, $110–$180 USD); early booking critical for 11,500 attendees.
• Alternative stays: Airbnb farmhouses near Kettering ($120–$250 USD/night); self-catering cottages via Booking.com ($200–$400 USD); Northants Tourism (+44 1604 367000) offers ethical stay recommendations.