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Reading Festival 2026: Dates, prices, and how to get there
Find out the dates, pricing, and add-ons for the 2026 Reading Festival. Plus, learn how to stay connected during the festival.
Reading Festival 2026 takes place from 27 to 30 August at Richfield Avenue, Reading, with tickets starting from £125 for a day pass and £325 for the full weekend. It’s one of the oldest music festivals in the UK. This Rockstar Energy-sponsored event takes place annually during the August Bank Holiday in England.
From dates to lineups and some tips, we have prepared a short guide with everything you need for the festival!
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What is Reading Festival?
Reading Festival is a famous music festival in the UK, similar to Glastonbury. Its first edition took place in 1961, but it was then known as the National Jazz Festival. However, during the 1970s, it changed its name to Reading Festival.
This yearly festival takes place every August Bank Holiday in England, where people will experience a unique musical experience on different stages with different genres, ranging from pop to metal.
So far, Reading Festival has featured famous bands like Blink-182, The Strokes, and My Chemical Romance, and this year’s edition includes huge names like Charli XCX, RAYE, and Florence + The Machine.
Who is performing at the 2026 Reading Festival?
| Day | Headliners | Other performers |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 28 August | Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C. | Skepta, Declan McKenna, Geese, Skye Newman, Josh Baker |
| Saturday, 29 August | Dave, RAYE | sombr, Gunna, Viagra Boys, Mall Grab, JADE |
| Sunday, 30 August | Chase & Status, Florence + The Machine | Loyle Carner, Role Model, Kneecap, Men I Trust, Kettama |
Overall, the Reading Festival has over 100 artists confirmed across the three days, with more acts expected to be revealed closer to the event.
When is Reading Festival 2026 taking place?
Like previous years, the Reading Festival will occur during the August Bank Holiday in England.
Wondering when the Reading Festival starts? This year’s edition runs from Thursday, 27 August to Sunday, 30 August, 2026 — campsites open on the 27th, with headline performances taking place Friday through Sunday.
Where is Reading Festival 2026 taking place?
Reading Fest will be held at Richfield Avenue, Reading, the same place it has been held for almost 45 years.
Looking for ways to reach the Reading Festival address? Here are some things to consider:
- Big Green Coach: The official travel partner for the event offers transportation from different UK cities, costing up to £100, depending on where you’re traveling to.
- Train: The Reading train station is a 20-minute walk from the festival site, but these usually don’t run late at night.
- Shuttle Bus: From the town to the festival site, you can take the Service 97 or 98, which costs £1.50 per trip, or pay £6.50 for the weekend to save some money using the Reading Buses app.
- Taxis: Taxis departing from the Reading train station cost an average of £5-6, but they might increase the price if there’s too much traffic or on slow journeys.
How much does it cost to attend the 2026 Reading Festival?
If you want to experience the Reading Fest, you have two options to get event tickets.
- Daily ticket: Tickets are on sale for £125/day (Friday and Sunday), or £195 for Saturday for those planning to attend on a specific day.
- Weekend ticket: Those planning to attend Reading Festival can get a £325 or £361 ticket. The expensive one includes an early entry add-on. Prefer not to camp? A weekend ticket without camping is available for £295.
- Under-13s: Children under 13 enter free when accompanied by an adult ticket holder.
There are some additional add-ons to consider including in your Reading Fest checklist.
- Green or White Car Weekend Pass: Make things easier by paying £55.5 for a weekend pass to attend the festival more easily and quickly.
- Refresh Retreat: From £20 to £75, you can access a private locket, luxury toilet, luxury shower, and a refresh retreat lounge based on your preferred package.
- Campervan Pass: If you’re travelling to the festival site with your campervan, the weekend ticket costs £142.50.
Note: Both the add-ons and official entry tickets can be paid in installments.
Tips for attending Reading Festival
Since you’re attending one of the most important festivals in Europe, you have to make things as perfect as possible.
Here are some tips to experience Reading Festival to the fullest:
- Book everything in advance: Make sure you have everything booked. Airbnb or hotel room, extra baggage allowance for your tent, flight tickets, or even the campervan pass.
- Buy the event tickets: Tickets for Reading are still on sale. Make sure you buy them before they are sold out!
- Download the Reading App: By downloading the app, you can keep an eye on updates about the festival, Reading Festival timings, delays, and much more.
- Know the bag policy and re-entry rules: Bags must be no larger than A4 size in the arena, and glass isn’t allowed on site. Weekend camping ticket holders can leave and re-enter freely throughout the weekend, but day ticket and non-camping weekend ticket holders cannot re-enter once they leave for the day.
- Stay connected: If you’re travelling from outside the UK, an eSIM for the UK with unlimited data will help you navigate with Google Maps, upload pictures and videos, and even check the official app.
- Eat and stay hydrated: Take your time to eat and stay hydrated; you don’t want to miss your favorite band because you’re in the nursing room resting. Just in case, you can opt for a UK travel insurance as a smart move for the festival.
- Check the schedule: While the Reading Fest line-up is available, official on-stage times have yet to be announced, so keep an eye out for this.
- Pack enough clothes: Take enough clothes as part of your Reading Festival essentials. After a long day at the main stage, you might want to wear something clean the next day.
- Making a summer of it: If Reading isn’t your only stop this summer, check out our guides to Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Bloodstock Open Air.
Stay Connected at Reading Festival with Holafly
Between three days of stages, a packed campsite, and constant checking of the Reading app for schedule updates, staying connected matters as much as packing a tent. An eSIM for the UK from Holafly comes with unlimited data, speeds up to 5G, and 24/7 customer support, so you can pull up Google Maps, check set times, and share highlights without hunting for wifi or worrying about roaming charges.
Your Reading Festival plan doesn’t have to end when the last set does. Keep your Holafly eSIM installed, and Always On: 1 GB of monthly backup data tops you up every 30 days — enough to check train times, book a last-minute Airbnb, or map your route to the next stop, at no extra cost.
Count memories, not data
Never lose connection with unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly.
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I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.
