Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Rebellion Festival, the world’s largest annual punk event, is set to return August 6th to 9th to its long-standing home, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Initially known as Holidays In The Sun, the Winter Gardens first opened its doors to mark the then 20th anniversary of punk and hosted headliners X-Ray Spex, The Damned and Buzzcocks for the landmark three-day event back in 1996. Another thirty years on and Rebellion Festival is going stronger than ever. Returning again as punk rock celebrates its 50th anniversary on from that initial explosion of energy in 1976, interest in the music and culture shows no signs of dissipating and the last two years have seen the festival completely sell out across the four-day gathering.
“Goodness, 30 years! Over half our lives doing the thing we love most,” exclaims festival organiser Jennie Russell-Smith. “We just can’t wait to celebrate our anniversary with everyone this year. We’re working hard to make sure it’s a wonderful year for all of our supporters old and new. Going into it on the back of two sold out years is both exciting and challenging but as usual we’re going to put the best festival possible on (as we try to every year).”
Every year, Rebellion Festival work hard to curate a line-up that balances festival favourites alongside new talent and bands from every area of the alternative and punk communities, and 2026 is no different.
“We’ve tried to include as many bands as possible who’ve really become part of the fabric and family of Rebellion,” states Jennie. “Stiff little Fingers, Cock Sparrer, Sham 69, The Stranglers, The Bar Stool Preachers, Die Toten Hosen, UK Subs, Cockney Rejects, Slaughter and the Dogs etc, too many to mention them all but they know who they are.
“Diversity and up and coming bands are always foremost in our thoughts so it’s great to have Millie Manders and the Shutup, Maid of Ace, Split Dogs etc to celebrate with us”, continues Jennie. “Most of all we’re looking forward to seeing the people that support us year in year out, there’d be no Rebellion without them and we appreciate them massively.”
These join many other bands already booked to grace the several Winter Garden stages, which include Skids, Buzzcocks, Ferocious Dog, Spear Of Destiny, Ricky Warwick, The Godfathers, Subhumans, Scream, Anti-Nowhere League, Penetration, Bow Wow Wow, Ruts DC, Bad Cop Bad Cop, Adolescents, UK Subs, Discharge, The Chameleons, Au Pairs, The Courettes, The Kids, Riskee and the Ridicule, GBH, The Dickies and many many more. Check out this year’s impressive lineup HERE.
Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com for more information and updates and to buy tickets for what is surely going to be the best celebration 50 years of punk rock, and Rebellion’s own big 30th birthday!
Family friendly / All Ages event with under 12s FREE (accompanied by an adult).
Discounted tickets on sale now from HERE.
