Slam Dunk Festival 2026: Two Days. One Massive Celebration.
Slam Dunk turns 20 this year — and it’s throwing itself one hell of a birthday party. On 23 May (Hatfield) and 24 May (Leeds), the UK’s premier pop-punk and alternative festival celebrates two decades of chaos, confetti and circle pits with a lineup that spans generations of the scene.
The big news? Good Charlotte and Sublime top the bill, joined by an avalanche of punk, emo, metalcore, and ska royalty. It’s a lineup that feels both nostalgic and alive — a love letter to the soundtracks that raised a generation of Vans-wearing teenagers, now grown up but still ready to scream the words back.
the lineup: the past meets the future
This year’s Slam Dunk feels like a time capsule cracked open — old favourites standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the new wave.
Pop-punk icons Good Charlotte headline with a rare UK appearance, bringing their anthems of teenage rebellion and eyeliner defiance to a crowd that’s waited years to shout “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” under open skies.
Then there’s Sublime, making their first ever UK festival stop — a long-overdue welcome for the Californian ska-punk legends whose beach-born grooves and gritty soul defined an era.
Beyond the headliners, the undercard is stacked: Knocked Loose bring the breakdowns, Boston Manor represent the UK’s emotional edge, Saosin fly the flag for post-hardcore veterans, and a new class of names — think Magnolia Park, As December Falls, Holding Absence and PVRIS — ensure the next decade of Slam Dunk is already locked and loaded.
Five Acts You Can’t Miss at Slam Dunk 2026
GOOD CHARLOTTE
Two decades after their debut, the Madden brothers are still masters of pop-punk theatre. Expect nostalgia, sing-alongs, and maybe a few surprises.
Best for: Fans who know every word to The Anthem and still feel it in their bones.
2. SUBLIME
Sunny riffs, lazy skank beats, and a bittersweet legacy. Their UK debut promises something rare — a set equal parts laid-back and emotional.
Best for: A golden-hour beer, a sway in the grass, and the sound of California in the air.
3. KNOCKED LOOSE
No band captures pure catharsis like this Kentucky powerhouse. Their live shows hit like a fist to the chest — brutal, chaotic, and unforgettable.
Best for: The pit. Just the pit. Bring water and conviction.
4. BOSTON MANOR
Hailing from Blackpool, they’ve evolved into one of Britain’s most inventive alt acts — balancing sharp hooks with real emotional weight.
Best for: Fans who like melody with muscle, and lyrics that cut close to home.
5. SAOSIN
A reunion that hits straight in the 2000s feels. Precision riffs, soaring vocals, and that unmistakable emo urgency.
Best for: The diehards. Expect goosebumps when the first chorus drops.
why 2026 matters
Slam Dunk 2026 isn’t just another edition — it’s a milestone for a festival that started as a club night and grew into a cornerstone of the alt-scene calendar. It’s the living proof that guitar music — in all its forms — still packs stadium-level emotion and grassroots passion.
In an age of streaming and algorithms, Slam Dunk remains gloriously human: sweat, beer, eyeliner, laughter, and a few tears when that one song hits harder than you expected.
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REVIEW BY: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI
