Eden Sessions hits 150 shows with biggest line-up yet

Twenty-four years ago, three bands played to 1,000 people inside a former Cornish clay pit, and nobody involved was thinking further ahead than the next summer. This July, the Eden Sessions will stage its 150th show.

The milestone arrives in the same year the Eden Project marks its 25th anniversary as an education charity and global botanic garden, and the 2026 run will be the biggest Eden Sessions line-up ever staged, with 10 dates and more than 20 artists.

Bastille return for the 150th show

The 150th Session falls on Thursday, 9th July 2026, when indie-pop band Bastille return to play in front of the Biomes. The band last played Eden in 2017, with that sold-out show later broadcast on BBC Four as part of the Live at Eden series.

Eden Sessions debuts this year come from North London quartet Wolf Alice and chart-topper Becky Hill, with alt-rock band Snow Patrol also returning. Special guests across the run include MEEK, American Hi-Fi, Alfie Templeman and Everything Everything.

The full 2026 line-up

The 2026 line-up announced so far includes Wolf Alice on 16th June, Snow Patrol on 18th June, Becky Hill on 20th June, Pixies on 26th June, Bowling for Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls on 5th July, Bastille on 9th July, The Maccabees on 11th July and Mika on 12th July. Ben Howard and CMAT are also on the bill.

From a one-off experiment to 900,000 ticket holders

John Empson has been involved in booking artists for the Sessions since the start. “The first Eden Session was actually a one-off experiment featuring three bands: Six by Seven, Natacha Atlas and Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, playing to just 1,000 people, and we grew it from there, only ever thinking about the year ahead, not trying to predict the long term, this was at a point when hosting major concerts inside an environmental project was still considered a pretty unconventional idea,” John said.

Since 2002, more than 900,000 people have watched around 190 artists perform at the venue. The list of names who have played the reclaimed clay pit includes Elton John, Oasis, Diana Ross, Pulp, Kylie Minogue, The Who, Bryan Adams, Muse, Lionel Richie and Kasabian. Eden also hosted Live 8: Africa Calling in 2005 as part of Bob Geldof’s Live 8 concerts in support of the Make Poverty History campaign.

John pointed to environmental credentials as part of what has set the Sessions apart. “The Sessions have always stood for more than just music. We were early pioneers of environmentally conscious touring, championing greener approaches at a time when sustainability was still seen as a fringe concern within the music industry,” he said.

“For many artists, the combination of Eden’s environmental ethos, dramatic natural setting and close audience connection remains a defining reason for returning.”

The shows that stood out

Asked about highlights, John recalled the moment Elton John brought two full-scale shows to the venue. “It changed our perspective about what we could achieve,” he said.

“Artists often don’t realise until they arrive what a special location it is. We’ve had Eddie Izzard arrive with 12 articulated lorries, and Blink-182 bring a full stadium production with 25 trucks navigating Cornwall’s narrow roads, but the minute anyone sees Eden, they just get it.”

Other moments listed by Eden include Motörhead’s 2015 appearance, which became the band’s final UK show following the death of Lemmy Kilmister and took place just a day after they played Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. In September 2021, six shows were staged in a single week to make up for Covid cancellations, featuring Ben Howard, McFly, Royal Blood, Snow Patrol, The Script and IDLES. The following year, My Chemical Romance began their reunion tour at Eden, their first UK performance in over a decade.

A £6.8 million economic impact

The Eden Project has welcomed more than 25 million visitors over 25 years, with an economic impact measured at £6.8 million across that period, much of which Eden says would not otherwise have occurred in Cornwall. Most visitors stay several nights, and the majority of Eden’s workforce and supply chain is based locally.

In 2019, the Eden Project partnered with global live events company AEG Presents to deliver the Sessions, expanding the booking reach. Volvo Car UK extended its partnership as Presenting Partner of the Eden Sessions and Official Electric Car Partner of the Eden Project in January 2025.

Eden Sessions director Simon Townsend said: “What began as an experiment has grown into something genuinely special, without ever losing its soul. Celebrating 150 Sessions in the same year as Eden’s 25th anniversary is an extraordinary moment. This year sees us put on our biggest ever Sessions line-up and will bring together artists spanning generations, bringing people together in a truly special place.”

Simon added that more than 100 people work on each show day, from production crews and stewards to technical teams and Eden staff. “Beyond the stage, the Sessions also play a real role in supporting Cornwall’s wider economy, bringing visitors into the region and helping sustain local jobs and businesses,” he said.

“As we look ahead, we will continue to host world-class artists while protecting the intimacy, ethos and excitement that have defined the Sessions since the beginning.”

What’s next

All Eden Sessions ticket holders get free two-day access to the gardens and Biomes, on the day of the show and the day after. During Eden’s 25th year, visitors will also find new attractions on site, including the Giant Marble Runs, with more than 100 metres of wooden marble runs across eight locations.

One booking that has so far eluded Eden is the one John would still most like to land. “In the future? Who knows, but we’d still love to get Radiohead, that would be over 25 years in the making,” he said.

Tickets for all 2026 shows are available through edensessions.com.