Bearded Theory has finalised its lineup for the 2026 festival, confirming a host of new acts including Everything Everything, The Horrors, and The Twilight Sad. The multi-award-winning independent event returns to Catton Park in Derbyshire from May 20th to 24th, 2026. The latest wave of artists joins a bill already boasting major headliners Pixies, Garbage, and Skunk Anansie.
The newly announced acts span a wide range of genres, reinforcing the festival’s reputation for eclectic programming. Alongside Mercury-nominated indie outfit Everything Everything and post-punk icons The Horrors, the roster now includes Scottish rockers The Twilight Sad and psychedelic prog veterans Ozric Tentacles. Electronic music fans will be catered for by acid-house pioneer A Guy Called Gerald, while literary and counter-culture figurehead Irvine Welsh is also set to appear.
Further additions to the main lineup include underground legend Jon Spencer, indie-pop trio Swim School, and American artist Sir Chloe. The festival has also confirmed appearances from Opus Kink, afro-psychedelic group BCUC, The Leisure Society, Tankus, Rianne Downey, Better Joy, Basht., Black Water County, DIY Soundsystem, and The Beatles Dub Club.
A significant feature of the 2026 event is the return of Beans on Toast’s annual Foolhardy Takeover of the Woodland stage. The folk singer has curated a hand-picked selection of acts to join himself and the previously announced comedian Stewart Lee. The finalised takeover lineup now includes Katacombs, K.O.G Soundsystem, Mr Bruce, and Nuala & Tankus, promising a mix of music and spoken word in the festival’s more intimate glade setting.
Tickets for the festival are on sale now, with monthly payment instalment plans available to help spread the cost until May 2026. While some boutique camping options have already sold out, organisers have introduced ‘The Junkyard’, a new accommodation area featuring iconic silver Airstream trailers. These offer private showers and plush bedding for a more luxurious festival experience. Standard tickets and remaining accommodation options can be purchased here.
Beyond the music, the festival continues to expand its family and wellness offerings. The Festival School, which allows children to attend lessons on-site without missing school days, is introducing a pre-school provision for 100 children aged 0-4 for the first time, alongside its standard classes for Reception to Year 10 students. For adults seeking relaxation, the EARTH area returns with crafting workshops and the ‘Sauna Box’ wood-fired sauna experience.
Full Bearded Theory 2026 line-up:
- Pixies
- Garbage
- Skunk Anansie
- CMAT
- The Damned
- Kae Tempest
- Everything Everything
- Fat Dog
- Badly Drawn Boy
- Bad Nerves
- Big Special (T)
- Ferocious Dog
- Getdown Services
- Idlewild
- Kate Nash
- Kid Kapichi
- Lambrini Girls (T)
- NewDad
- Panic Shack
- Peter Hook and the Light
- Reverend and the Makers
- Sprints
- The Horrors
- The Twilight Sad
- A Certain Ratio (T)
- A Guy Called Gerald
- Adult DVD
- Au Pairs
- Basht.
- BCUC (T)
- Beans on Toast
- Better Joy
- Bez
- Chalk
- Dub Pistols (DJ Set)
- Eat Static (DJ Set)
- EMF (W)
- GANS (W)
- Girl Scout
- Goldie
- Good Health Good Wealth
- Graeme Park
- Heartworms
- Henge
- Irvine Welsh
- jasmine.4.t
- Jon Spencer
- Kezia Gill
- King Prawn
- Leeroy Thornhill (ex Prodigy)
- Neville Staple – From The Specials
- Opus Kink
- Ozric Tentacles
- Phil Hartnoll (Orbital DJ set)
- Pop Will Eat Itself
- Rianne Downey
- Senser
- Sir Chloe
- Stewart Lee
- Swim School
- The Magic Numbers
- The Molotovs
- The Sabres of Paradise (Live)
- The Unthanks (T)
- The Wedding Present
- The Wildhearts
- Toots and the Maytals feat Leba Hibbert
- Utah Saints
- Venus Grrrls (T)
- Westside Cowboy
- 3 Daft Monkeys (T)
- Amelia Coburn
- An Dannsa Dub (T)
- Andrea Kenny (T)
- Black Water County
- Bloodworm (T)
- Cara Means Friend (W)
- Chris Hawkins BBC 6 Music DJ Set (T)
- DIY Soundsystem
- DJ Rap
- Drum Machine
- Grandmas House
- Jess Silk
- Jools (W)
- K.O.G Soundsystem
- Katacombs
- La Sécurité
- LIINES (T)
- Meatdripper (T)
- Meryl Streek (W)
- Miki Berenyi Trio
- Mr Bruce
- Muddy Summers and the DFWs (T)
- Native James (T)
- Nuala
- She’s In Parties
- Slay Duggee
- Split Dogs (T)
- Tankus
- Taylor More Swiftly
- Teke::Teke
- The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
- The Beatles Dub Club
- The League of Rebelz
- The Leisure Society
- The Nightingales and Ted Chippington
- The Pale White
- The Wran
- thistle.
(W) playing Wednesday
(T) playing Thursday
Image credits:
Izzy Challoner
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