Download Festival has officially unveiled the line-up for its famous District X entertainment zone for 2026, dropping the news just as weekend camping tickets for the event completely sell out.
The late-night and alternative programming will be spearheaded by unexpected additions like iconic 90s boyband Five, who are playing the festival for the very first time. They will be joined by rock-disco crossover legends Electric Six, an acoustic set from The All-American Rejects, and DJ sets from childhood TV legends Dick & Dom.
With the festival returning to the legendary Donington Park from 10-14 June 2026, fans will need to act fast if they haven’t yet secured their spot. While weekend camping tickets have now completely sold out, the final remaining weekend arena and day tickets are still available to purchase via the official Download Festival website.
District X promises a wild mix of performances beyond the standard heavy metal fare. Attendees can expect major DJ sets from Creeper, Modestep, Cancer Bats’ Liam Cormier, and Holding Absence’s Lucas Woodland. Live music will feature Australian rockers Dune Rats and London rap trio Frozemode, alongside secret sets that will only be revealed during the festival weekend.
As always, the District X village embraces the weird and wonderful side of festival culture. This year’s offering includes TokenGrass, a bluegrass tribute to anonymous metal band Sleep Token, and Nic Cage Against The Machine, a Rage Against The Machine tribute band fronted by a Nicolas Cage impersonator. Cancer Bats will also perform as their Black Sabbath alter-ego, Bat Sabbath, while Scottish accordion player RuMac and viral sensation James B. Partridge’s Primary School Bangers will draw massive crowds.
For those looking for laughs, the world-famous The Comedy Store will present a full programme of live stand-up featuring over 25 acts, including Thomas Green, Matt Bragg, Felicity Ward, Dinesh Nathan, and Sikisa. Entertainment across the weekend also spans Bongo’s Bingo, Panic! At The Bingo, Heavy Metal Sports, Live Band Karaoke with Ten Years Too Late, Chris Fleming Millennial Magician, and Never Mind The Download pub quizzes.
A host of live podcasts will take to the stage throughout the festival, including RØRY’s ADHD Love, the Sappenin Podcast, and The Metal Roundup Podcast. The late-night parties will be soundtracked by an endless rotation of DJs, including K-Pop Emo Hunters, Nickelbrat, Master Of Pop Hits, Alex Baker, and Sophie K.
The District X madness will serve as the after-hours playground for the main DLXXIII arena line-up. This year’s main festival is headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park, with major performances scheduled from A Day To Remember, Scooter, Electric Callboy, Cypress Hill, Pendulum, Bad Omens, The Pretty Reckless, Trivium, Halestorm, Babymetal, Tom Morello, and Dogstar.
Image credits:
Andrew Whitton
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