'Thanks for making Rebellion so special' - Organisers ready for best ever Blackpool festival

With just a week to go until the doors open in Blackpool for Rebellion Festival 2026 organisers have revealed the four day event has been sold out since February for the first time.

The punk festival is a staple in the Blackpool events calendar and runs from August 6 and August 9 and will this year mark it’s 30th anniversary.

A spokesman for the event said: “This time next week we open our doors to Rebellion 2026!!

“We’ve been SOLD OUT since February – never happened before. So thanks all for your loyalty and making Rebellion so special.”

More than 300 bands will play across nine indoor stages, with genres ranging from classic punk and hardcore to ska, post punk and acoustic performances.

If you are planning to visit the town during the four day indoor event, here’s everything you need to know.

Where does the festival take place?

The Rebellion Festival takes place each year at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, which is on Church Street, FY1 1HL.

Who is playing at Rebellion Festival 2026?

This year’s anniversary line up is simply too huge to include here, but you can be sure the event will feature some of punk’s most influential acts, including The Stranglers, Sham 69, Cock Sparrer, Stiff Little Fingers, UK Subs, Anti Nowhere League and Cockney Rejects.

With more than 300 bands expected to perform, you can find the full line up here.

Where is the best place to stay in Blackpool?

As you’d expect, there is no shortage of fantastic B&Bs, guest houses or hotels to choose from in Blackpool, with several new hotels opening in recent years, including the Pleasure Beach Boulevard Hotel, the Premier Inn near North Pier and the Holiday Inn next to Blackpool North railway station.

How far is the Winter Gardens from the railway station?

If you are planning to travel by train, the good news is that the Winter Gardens is only a 10 minute walk away from Blackpool North Station.

You can check the timetable or purchase tickets here.

More information about this year’s event can be found at rebellionfestival.com.

What else will be happening at Rebellion Festival?

Beyond the live bands, festivalgoers can enjoy a literary festival, an arts and crafts market, acoustic stages and a range of fringe events that have become a hallmark of the Rebellion experience.

Organisers are also staging special run up shows to mark the festival’s 30th anniversary.

TIPS FROM THE ORGANISERS

YOUR TICKETS - You would have been emailed your tickets when you purchased. However, a handy reminder is going out today with a copy in.

WRISTBAND EXCHANGE

Here's a reminder of how WRISTBAND EXCHANGE works:

1. Head to the WRISTBAND EXCHANGE entrance on Leopold Grove. This is the entrance to the Winter Gardens Conference Centre - the map attached should help you get to the right place.

2. Make sure you turn up at the right times! Those with FULL WEEKEND tickets (and THURSDAY DAY tickets) can turn up the DAY BEFORE the Festival (Wednesday 5th August) and exchange your ticket for your wristband. For those of you with Friday/Saturday/Sunday DAY TICKETS, you can only exchange ON THE DAY your ticket is valid for (except THURSDAY, who can exchange on WEDNESDAY or THURSDAY). See our WRISTBAND EXCHANGE opening times below. Note the EARLY opening time on Wednesday so you can get sorted before heading to VIVA for the daytime show there.

Wednesday – 10am to 6pm; Thursday - 11am to 9pm; Friday & Saturday - midday to 9pm; Sunday - midday to 4pm.

3. Here, your TICKETS will be scanned by our lovely team. In return, you will receive your FESTIVAL WRISTBAND. At this point, your ticket is voided - and the WRISTBAND is your most valuable possession!

4. The official Rebellion Merch Stall is right in the Conference Centre Foyer - straight after WRISTBAND EXCHANGE. This will be open from Wednesday too, so you can BROWSE AND BUY before the music starts on THURSDAY! Event shirts go quickly. Don’t wait until Sunday!

5. Do not remove your wristband at any point during the Festival. They cannot be replaced if lost or damaged and you can’t even buy yourself another, as we're SOLD OUT YET AGAIN! However, if your wristband becomes too tight then please return to wristband exchange (with it still on your wrist) and they will remove and replace it.

6. WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS PARTY NIGHT – If you’ve not got your ticket to Neville Staple From The Specials, we will be on hand at wristband exchange to help you purchase. Only £30 too!

REBELLION RUN UP 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

For those of you coming to our RUN UP event, we will post info on that separately. However, if you still haven’t bought a ticket and want to see what’s on check out www.rebellionfestivals.com/run-up

TICKETS FOR 2027

Organisers are expecting unprecedented demand this year for their Festival Special and Early Bird 2027 tickets. There is only a limited number of 2027 Festival Special tickets on sale. They will available on a first come first serve basis.

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

Location: inside the Victoria Street Entrance, just opposite Bella Italia

Opening times:

Tuesday (open for ticket sales for Adam Ant & Neville Staple ONLY; Adam Ant ticketholders can also buy 2027 tickets if they wish) – 6pm to 10pm

Wednesday (open to all 2027 ticket sales; also open for Neville Staple ticket sales) - 12pm to 5pm; open again 6pm – 10pm

Thursday (open to all for 2027 ticket sales) - 11am to 10.30pm

Friday & Saturday (open to all for 2027 ticket sales) - midday to 10.30pm

Sunday (open to all for 2027 ticket sales) - midday to 10pm

Aside from purchasing 2027 Festival tickets, any LATE ARRIVALS who miss the WRISTBAND EXCHANGE opening times above should head to the BOX OFFICE for assistance in exchanging their tickets.

BAGS

No bags or rucksacks larger than A4 will be permitted into the venue. Large handbags are permitted, but they must be no larger than A4 in size, 30cm by 21cm.

Please bear this in mind when you are buying merch and decide to nip out from the venue - if what you have purchased doesn't pass the bag size policy, you will not be able to re-enter, so we recommend you take back to your digs before returning to the venue.

STAGE AND VENUE INFORMATION

For those of you that are regulars, it’s pretty much the same set up as last year!

The RIS stage remains in the Pavilion. Make sure you spend time here checking out the future of punk. The Almost Acoustic Stage is, again, up in the Spanish Hall. New for this year is the screen on the stage. What’s that all about?! Well, when the stage finishes you can watch and listen to the bands in the Empress Ballroom as we’re setting up a live feed. So if you fancy catching the later bands but the Empress is full or you’d rather sit down with a pint than be in the Ballroom, then this is the place to be! It's old home (the bar downstairs) is (still) called The Old Vic, and is still where Bingo, Magic and various acoustic session shenanigans happen. There’s a new(ish) quiet(ish) bar in the Opera house for you to find as you wander up the stairs, we have Accessibility Champions (more info to follow) for those with additional needs and a few other surprises over the weekend.

A few changes to from last year – the Art & Craft market returns to its original home in the Renaissance which is upstairs next to Almost Acoustic. The room in-between there and the Spanish Hall (The Baronial) will have a wonderful Tea & Cake offering and where you can also go to quietly take a moment to visit Rebellion Remembers.

For those of you that are new - welcome to your first year. The venue is BIG - take a good look at the map in this email! Take your time to familiarise yourself and if in doubt just ask - we're a friendly bunch!

You all get a FREE full colour 84 page programme when you get your wristband (that has a map in). There's also free B&W timelists (also with a map in), and there will be maps dotted about - so it won't take you long to find your way around!