Wychwood Festival, a cherished gem in the heart of Cheltenham, is back with its 2024 edition, promising an even more spectacular experience than before. Celebrated for its perfect blend of music, comedy, workshops, and family-friendly activities, Wychwood stands out as a festival that truly has something for everyone. This year, it’s set to grow even larger, enhancing its reputation for excellent music programming and a diverse range of entertainment that caters to all ages.
Nestled in the picturesque setting of Cheltenham Racecourse, the festival, running from 31st May to 2nd June 2024, is poised to offer an unforgettable weekend. With the announcement of its second wave of incredible acts, Wychwood 2024 is shaping up to be a standout event in the UK’s festival calendar, blending iconic musical performances with a smorgasbord of activities that guarantee fun and excitement for the entire family.
From legendary musical acts to laugh-out-loud comedy and over a hundred workshops, Wychwood Festival 2024 is more than just a music event; it’s a celebration of culture, creativity, and community. Read on to discover the impressive lineup and the myriad of activities that await at this beloved family festival.
Wychwood Festival 2024
Wychwood, Cheltenham’s most loved family festival, reveals its second wave of incredible names for 2024. Growing in size and reputation year after year for great music programming, hilarious comedians, 100’s of workshops, and children’s entertainment, it’s a feast of activities to entertain all ages across the weekend!
“”Wychwood has something for everyone” – METRO
“It’s easy to see why Wychwood has notched up consecutive nominations for the best family music festival around” – The i
“Perfect family-friendly festival” – Daily Mirror
Friday Night Headliners
Sister Sledge will headline Friday Night. Hailing from Philadelphia, sisters Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim became household names and a symbol of unity with their 1979 worldwide hit and iconic album ‘We Are Family’. The multi-lead vocal group are responsible for some of the biggest dance anthems of all time. Lost in Music, He’s the Greatest Dancer and Thinking of You are universally cherished songs that bring people together in love, life and soulful groove.
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae completes the Friday main stage music lineup. The festival’s new music offering on the revamped Garden Stage for 2024 extends to Lime Garden on Friday night along with local artists Devon and Jo Hill. Melin Meylin & Brogeal join the Sunday lineup. Award-winning stand-up comedian and writer Shazia Mirza, well-known for her appearances on BBC’s Have I Got News For You, joins the Friday night late-night comedy lineup.
Saturday
The Coral will join Texas on Saturday. Emerging during the early 2000s, their eponymously titled 2002 debut album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and listed in the top 5 albums of the year by NME. Their second album, Magic and Medicine, produced four UK Top
20 singles, including the festival anthem Pass It On. The band recently released two albums of 60s-soaked psych-folk, Sea Of Mirrors and Holy Joe’s Coral Island Medicine Show, to much critical acclaim.
Already announced – Texas will headline Saturday, 1st June. Led by frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri, they have produced ten studio albums selling over 40 million records worldwide and last year released The Very Best Of 1989 – 2023 ahead of their triumphant Glastonbury Pyramid Stage 2023 performance.
Sunday
Festival favourite Seth Lakeman will be joining the bands on the main stage on Sunday. Celebrating 20 years since the release of Kitty Jay, the album that marked Seth’s pioneering musical journey, bringing folk music to a new, younger audience, paving the way for the brilliant array of folk artists populating the mainstream music space today.
CBBC’s Hacker T Dog & Katie Thistleton will kick Sunday proceedings off on the Main Stage with a chance for meet and greets after the show. The multiple BAFTA award-nominated Hacker T Dog is now the longest-serving CBBC presenter EVER, having been on the channel for more than 14 years. Now teamed up with BBC Radio 1 host and former CBBC co-presenter Katie Thistleton for his first-ever DJ show! Fans can expect the biggest party anthems and the greatest children’s television themes of all time as he and Katie take to the decks.
Hugely popular, enduring indie favourites Ocean Colour Scene will headline on Sunday, 3rd June. They lit up the Britpop party in the mid-’90s, chalking up three Top 5 albums and seventeen Top 40 singles, including the immortal ‘The River Boat Song’.
Weekend Entertainment
Other acts across the weekend include Seasick Steve, Lightning Seeds, The Bootleg Beatles, Stornoway, Peter Hook & The Light, Kevin Rowland’s Dexy’s (formerly Dexy’s Midnight Runners) The Feeling, multi-platinum selling pop band The Hoosiers, Sunderland Punk quartet The Futureheads, Scottish powerhouse Callum Beattie, fan favourites Thrill.
Collins, comedian Marcus Brigstocke and Mr Motivator will be back for the ultimate main stage Saturday morning workout.
2024 sees the second-year return of the much-loved Howlin’ Pete’s venue, which houses some of the biggest parties and activities across the weekend, including the return of the ever-popular Barrioke feat Shaun Williamson, NOASIS, Junior Jungle, Hip Hop Karaoke and The Daniel Wakeford Experience.
Wychwood will present more than 100 activities and workshops for families of all ages across the weekend. On a new and improved site at Cheltenham Racecourse, Early Bird, Tier 1 and Tier 2 tickets have already sold out. Tier 4 tickets start at just £159.50 + bf for Adults and £79.50 for children aged 10 – 15. Children under 10 go free.
“The best festival for families.” THE INDEPENDENT
Tickets for Wychwood Festival 31st May – 2nd June 2024 are available here Day and Weekend tickets available from: https://wychwoodfestival.com
Address: Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL50 4SH