Could This Be Boardmasters’ Biggest Year Yet? First 2026 Acts Revealed

Boardmasters has revealed the first wave of artists heading to Newquay for 2026, with Fatboy Slim, Kasabian, Loyle Carner and The Kooks among the big names coming to the Cornish coast.

Presale sign-up for 2026 tickets is already open and closes at midnight on Wednesday 26th November, with presale tickets live from 10am on Thursday 27th November at <a href=”https://boardmasters.com”>boardmasters.com</a>.

Cornwall’s Cliffside Festival Returns

The festival returns across its two coastal sites at Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, described in the release as “born from the surf” and “raised by music”. Rather than being confined to a single field, the event is “carved into the cliffs”, with an Atlantic backdrop where “sea spray cuts through basslines”.

Across five days in August, Boardmasters promises “raw, unleashed Cornwall” with endless live music, pro surf, skate battles, cold water dips, yoga on the cliffs and Cornish food “that tastes like summer”.

Headliners: Kasabian and Fatboy Slim

The release says “this year’s music line-up is not for the faint hearted”, with two heavyweight UK headliners.

Kasabian, described as “rock rebels”, formed in Sergio Pizzorno’s bedroom in Leicester in 1997 and have gone on to score seven consecutive UK No.1 albums, more than 10 million album sales, 1.5 billion Spotify streams, multiple major awards and landmark festival headline sets. Their eighth and most recent album, ‘Happenings’, was also a No.1, and new single “Hippie Sunshine” trails their upcoming ninth album ‘ACT III’.

Fellow UK legend Fatboy Slim brings a four decade career as a GRAMMY and BRIT Award winning DJ and producer, making him one of the world’s most recognisable electronic artists. According to the release, he has “played every major stage” and is known for high energy shows, trademark re edits, Hawaiian shirt, bare feet and iconic tracks including “Right Here, Right Now”, “The Rockafeller Skank” and “Praise You”, alongside newer releases “Role Model” and “Bus Stop Please” with Daniel Steinberg.

Big Names, Exclusives and Firsts

Brighton indie favourites The Kooks join the line up “defining a generation with sun soaked singalongs”, alongside Loyle Carner, highlighted for “poetic lyricism and soulful sincerity” as one of UK rap’s most compelling voices.

Tash Sultana, described as a one person powerhouse blending psych rock, reggae and soulful electronica, will play Boardmasters as their only English festival performance of the year.

Welsh rapper and singer songwriter Ren will make his first ever festival appearance on the main stage, with the release praising his “fearless storytelling” that blends raw emotion with genre crossing artistry.

Afternoon special guest headliners Dizzee Rascal, Tinie Tempah and Example are set to bring high energy grime and bass sets.

Phase One Acts Across Genres

Beyond the main headliners, the rest of the phase one announcement stretches across indie, live bands and electronic dancefloors.

Names include Pendulum [Live], Rudimental, James Arthur, Brooke Combe, The Darkness, Goldie [Live], Matt Corby, Alessi Rose, DJ AG, Dimension, Window Kid, 4am Kru, Saint Ludo, Lambrini Girls, Florence Road and more.

Surf, Sport, Wellness and Culture

Boardmasters is pitched as much more than music, with Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach becoming “a living, breathing patchwork of exploration”.

On the water, the Boardmasters Open features WSL Men’s and Women’s Pro, Junior Open, surf lessons and coastal adventure packages. On land, there is an “expansive world of wellness and sport” including yoga, sound baths, spa and sauna sessions, hot tubs and ice baths, massage, Muscle Beach fitness, run clubs, football competitions, cardio core classes and disco yoga.

Arts and culture “pulse through the festival” with jewellery and craft workshops, art and mask making, talks and live hangs with scene starters and community makers. There are also skate sessions, comedy, bingo, silent disco and more. All of this is set alongside Cornish culture, local art installations and a food offering that champions Cornish produce and world flavours.

Freedom To Roam Cornwall

The release highlights that attendees are free to come and go, with “genuine freedom to explore the wild peninsula outside of the site”. Families, students, locals and visitors are all described as part of the same community, wandering local beaches, catching surf or dipping into a midday set.

Afternoons can focus on wellness or release, while night times are when “the cliffs come alive”. The one constant, the festival says, is Cornwall and “the indescribable energy it transmits”.

Boardmasters also leans into a more rugged image of festival life, saying it “isn’t about being picture perfect”. As the release puts it, “the wind might ruin your hair, the sea might knock you off your board, and your voice might not make it past Sunday, but that’s exactly the point.”

Tickets, Prices and Key Dates

Tickets going on sale include:

• 5, 4 and 3 day camping

• Coach and ticket bundles

• 3 day no camping

• VIP Camping

• Extras such as hospitality lounge tickets, child and teen tickets

Weekend tickets start from £234 plus litter bond and booking fee.

Flexible payment plans allow fans to spread the cost over up to 9 months from as little as £26 per month (not including litter bond and booking fee), with PayPal pay in three options available.

Accommodation and travel packages go on sale at the same time, including boutique, pre pitched and camping upgrades, along with Big Green Coaches from major UK cities.

Key ticket and line up dates for Boardmasters 2026 are:

• Wednesday 26th Nov, Midnight – Presale sign up closes

• Thursday 27th Nov, 10:00 – Presale tickets live (exclusive 24 hour window for registered fans)

• Friday 28th Nov, 10:00 – General onsale, with remaining tickets released to the public

Line Up Announced So Far

Fatboy Slim
Kasabian
The Kooks
Loyle Carner
REN
Tash Sultana
Rudimental
Pendulum (Live)
James Arthur
Alessi Rose
The Darkness
The Royston Club
Goldie (Live)
Brooke Combe
Lambrini Girls
Dizzee Rascal
Example
Tinie Tempah
Getdown Services
Luvcat
Asha Banks
Florence Road
Freddie Halkon
The Pill
Charlie Noordewier
Villanelle
Take A Chance On Us
Dimension
Ewan McVicar
Clementine Douglas
DJAG
4AM Kru
Bushbaby
Hannah Wants
In Parallel
K Motionz and IC3
La La
Omar+
Sota
Window Kid
Arthi
Charlie Boon
Dubtendo Allstars
General Levy
Saint Ludo
Cirque Du Soul DJs
Jakkob
Joe Hunt
King Booo!
Woody Cook
Pitbull Tribute (Mr Worldwide UK)
Big John (DJ Set)
Rufus Rice
Ibiza Final Boss

Presale sign up closes at midnight on Wednesday 26th November, with presale tickets opening at 10am on Thursday 27th November and general onsale at 10am on Friday 28th November. Full pricing, payment plans and ticket options are available at boardmasters.com.