New festival in Roundhay Park announced for July 2026

In mid-September, the global company AEG Presents announced that they would be launching a new festival in Roundhay Park at the start of July. While only two of the headliners have thus been revealed (Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi), many are hopeful that Roundhay Festival will become a highlight of the cultural calendar in the north of England.

AEG Presents is responsible for many famous festivals across the globe, such as Coachella, BST Hyde Park, and All Points East. Partnering with the Leeds City Council, they aim to host multiple days of events that embrace the city’s values, encourage sustainability, and play host to some of the biggest names in music. With headliners like Lewis Capaldi, an award winning Scottish singer-songwriter, and Pitbull, with over 50 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the festival is expected to draw in a large audience of potentially up to 70,000 people.

The festival is sponsored by American Express, with customers being able to access presale tickets and exclusive offers. General sale tickets begin on the 8th October, with the organisers recommending using official ticketing agents like Ticketmaster and AXS instead of through secondary sites. There are anti-tout measures in place to ensure that all tickets are valid and the festival’s official website strongly recommends purchasing tickets through the aforementioned official channels.

There is also a focus on sustainability and accessibility. The festival will have accessible viewing platforms and BSL interpretation for all Main Stage acts. Efforts will also be made to minimise the environmental impact, signalling a sustainable future for live music. As well as this, a partnership with Roundhay School will help to get kids involved in the industry and event management, setting them up with skills that will be vital to them in the future when they enter the workplace.

Some people expressed their concerns with the festival, namely traffic congestion and damage to the park. Sarah Dawson, the Vice Chair of the Friends of Roundhay Park charity has assured that protecting the park is one of their priorities and that “the onus will be on the festival organisers to ensure that the space is returned to its original condition after the event.” The park itself is over 700 acres, with the potential to have the capacity of 70,000 people. While organisers have promoted the use of public transport to get to and from the festival, it is unclear how congested the roads around the area will be. When Ed Sheeran performed at the park in 2019, there were reports of gridlocked roads and long queues for shuttle buses, despite the council enforcing road closures and parking restrictions. The park has a legacy as a stage for many famous artists who have performed there throughout the years, from Madonna and the Rolling Stones to Michael Jackson and U2. Leeds itself is also no stranger to large audiences for live music events, hosting the annual Leeds Festival in Bramham Park. With this past experience, locals hope that the council will be able to plan accordingly to prevent major disruption to the residential area.

The festival is predicted to greatly benefit the local area. The increased economic activity will help boost Leed’s economy through the engagement with local vendors, suppliers, and staff, whilst also highlighting the importance of community and raising the profile of the city. Throughout the week, there are planned to be many free activities that are open to all – from arts and culture to wellbeing and acting. The hopes are that this festival becomes a highly profitable annual event, attracting large audiences and highlighting the culture that Leeds has to offer.

Words by Anya Fernihough