After a sold-out 2025, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention returns on 13–15 August 2026 with a bill that spans folk greats, rock royalty and rising names, and the friendly, independent spirit that has defined the festival since 1980. Tickets are on sale now and, given last year’s demand, are expected to move quickly.
If you’re new to Cropredy, this guide has the lot: who’s playing, how to book, what it costs, where to camp, and how to reach the village by road, rail and waterway. If you’re a regular, there are a few new wrinkles worth knowing, and some returning favourites that feel like summer itself.
Key Details
- When: Thu–Sat 13–15 August 2026
- Where: Cropredy, near Banbury, Oxfordshire (3 miles from M40 J11)
- Who’s curating: Fairport Convention (acoustic set opens Thursday; full-band headline finale on Saturday)
- Tickets: 3-day tickets only, camping included (pricing below) — via Fairport Convention and AXS
- Vibe: music-first, independent, village-wide welcome — pubs, canal and pastures included
What makes Cropredy special?
Fairport launched Cropredy long before festival branding became a sport. The format has barely changed in four decades: a single big stage; careful curation by the band; no corporate hard sell; and prices that don’t make your eyes water. The setting (a sweep of fields on the edge of a canal village) does the rest.
Last year underlined the magic. Sunshine, songs, and the sort of cameos only Cropredy seems to conjure, including Robert Plant joining Deborah Bonham on the Saturday afternoon. As The Guardian once put it, “Cropredy is as much a British summer institution as Wimbledon.”
2026 line-up: legends, leaders and new voices
The hosts: Fairport Convention
The band who defined British folk-rock return as both curators and headliners. Fresh from a UK tour this year, expect a stripped-back opening set on Thursday and the traditional full-throttle finale on Saturday night, with special guests dropping in. With Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders, Chris Leslie (and Dave Mattacks on drums), 2026 also marks 30 years of the current line-up.
“Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” passed 32 million streams this year; not bad for true originals with a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award and Liege & Lief voted Radio 2’s Most Influential Folk Album of All Time.
Rock and roots headliners
- Soft Machine — Canterbury scene architects whose adventures in prog, jazz-rock and psychedelia have influenced generations.
- Turin Brakes — Mercury-nominated, Top-5 veterans of The Optimist LP and Ether Song, returning to Cropredy in their 25th year.
- Richard Thompson — the Fairport alumnus and songwriter’s songwriter, joined by Zara Phillips, with very familiar colleagues Simon Nicol, Dave Mattacks and Dave Pegg adding extra sparkle.
Folk leaders, here and now
- Danny & The Champions of the World — heartland rock and soul with big choruses and bigger heart.
- Breabach — Highlands/Islands roots with double bagpipes and dazzling finesse.
- Le Vent du Nord — Québec’s standard-bearers for Francophone folk, joyful and rhythm-rich.
Returning favourites and wildcards
- Hayseed Dixie — the riotous inventors of “rockgrass”, back to wake up Saturday evening.
- The Spooky Men’s Chorale — pin-drop ballads, absurdist humour and highly inappropriate covers; welcome back, mates.
New and emerging
- The HAAR — Molly Donnery with Cormac Byrne, Adam Summerhayes and Murray Grainger.
- Danny Bradley — Lennon Contest grand prize-winner; folk-blues storyteller.
- Will Pound & Jenn Butterworth — a virtuosic English-Scottish duo whose live improvisations go viral.
- Rob Jones & The Restless Dream — midnight Americana and northern heartland rock.
- Barbara — Brighton’s chamber-pop charmers with songs praised by Paul Weller.
- Banter — “the future of folk”: high-energy reinventions with dance-floor snap.
- Celtic Social Club — Brittany to Ireland and beyond; modern, melodic and festival-ready.
- Gerry Colvin Big Band — folk-pop raconteur with decades of stories and songs.
- Cropredy Primary School — the village’s folk class returns after winning hearts in 2025.
Tickets, prices and how to book
- 3-day festival ticket (camping included): £240.00 per person
- Youth (12–17 inclusive): £90.00
- Children under 12: free (with a ticket-holding adult)
- Vehicle (weekend): £65.00 per vehicle
- Day visitor parking (all three days): £15.00 total
- Backpackers & bikers: camp free
- Tickets: e-tickets issued as standard (paper tickets by phone/post to the festival office)
Book now: via the Fairport Convention website and AXS (official box office partner). Capacity is limited and expected to sell out.
Camping and the village
Camping comes with your festival ticket; backpackers and bikers camp free. The festival footprint embraces the village, its pubs and the canal — part of Cropredy’s charm. As always, please be kind to residents and waterways: leave space for boats, keep noise down at night, and take litter home or to the right bins.
- Families: under-12s go free with a ticket-holding adult; check the festival site for family facilities.
- Access: accessibility information is handled via the ticketing pages; contact the box office early if you need particular arrangements.
- Shops & cash: Banbury supermarkets are a short drive; festival traders are on site; bring a card and a back-up cash option.
Getting there: rail, shuttle, road and canal
- By rail: Trains run to Banbury from Oxford, London Marylebone (Chiltern), Birmingham (Chiltern/CrossCountry) and beyond. Journey times vary; check National Rail for live timings and last trains. Banbury station is the hub for festival transfers.
- Festival shuttle: A shuttle typically operates between Banbury station and Cropredy village during peak arrival and departure windows. Exact times and fares are published by the festival closer to August; bring a contactless card and a back-up cash option.
- Taxis & set-down: Pre-book local taxis for late finishes. If being dropped off, follow signed set-down points to keep lanes clear for residents and farm traffic.
- By road: Cropredy is about 3 miles from M40 J11 (Banbury). Follow festival signage; weekend vehicle passes are required (see ticket info). Day-visitor parking is signposted; don’t block village lanes.
- By canal: Mooring near the site is limited; arrive early, respect boaters and towpaths, and observe any temporary restrictions.
Tip: If you’re bringing children or arriving late, pack head-torches for the towpath and field walks.
Why Cropredy endures
Some festivals chase novelty. Cropredy trusts the simple things: a single big stage, a thoughtful running order, and the knowledge that music + place + people is enough. Keep your chair line friendly, mind the guy ropes, and you’ll likely leave with new favourites and a few new friends.
FAQs
Is it three days or can I buy a day ticket?
2026 is three-day tickets only (camping included).
Can I bring children?
Yes: under-12s enter free with a ticket-holding adult. Youth (12–17) tickets are £90.00.
What about vehicles and parking?
Weekend vehicle pass is £65.00; day visitor parking (all three days) is £15.00 total.
What’s the site like?
Large, gently sloping fields on the edge of the village with a single main stage, camping alongside, easy access to the canal and pubs.
Is there a published day-by-day running order yet?
A day schedule follows closer to August; watch the festival site and social channels.
