With less than one month to go until the mighty return of Download Festival, DLXXIII has unleashed its ‘Beyond The Bands’ offerings, giving Download-goers an even more exciting experience onsite with brand new food, drink, gaming, wellness and fitness options.
Taking place on 10-14 June 2026 at the hallowed grounds of Donington Park, Download will be headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park. All weekend tickets are now sold out, but last remaining Saturday day tickets are available here: www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
Brand new for this year’s DLXXIII are some huge new collaborations with Final Fantasy XIV and Fourth Wing. District X will host a Final Fantasy XIV Online stand, where rich storytelling, shared adventures, epic battles and a vast world await. Over in the arena, there will be a groundbreaking collaboration with Fourth Wing, where Download-goers and fans of the Rebecca Yarros novels can visit the General’s Office and bag an exclusive merchandise item.
In a first for Download Festival, Four Quarters Arcade Bar will be in District X South with a curated selection of over 20 iconic arcade games, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Crazy Taxi and Time Crisis. Four Quarters will also be hosting competitions and tournaments on the big screen, including Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Guitar Hero.
The Cinema will once again return with their Lionsgate partnership in The Outpost, where they will show the likes of John Wick (in honour of Keanu Reeves, who will be performing in the Arena with his band Dogstar), Final Fantasy XIV: Dad Of Light and A Brief History Of Skateboard Videos, a specially curated 90 minutes of short films presented by LSFF. And on that note, South West Skate Ramps will be returning to District X with free skate sessions and dedicated lessons for children.
Also new for this year will be The Pit, Download’s premier styling collective, who will be located in District X near the Mercian Axe brewery bar. From master barbers to body piercers to high impact alternative beauty, The Pit is fully equipped to handle every style need the Download Family could ask for. And for those who want to stay fit onsite, RockFit return to the Doghouse with their rock and metal fitness workout offering, which includes their new RAGE Body Combat class.
For those who want to prioritise their wellness onsite, Flow State will be back at The Outpost hosting morning sessions that will include gentle movement, meditation, body regulation exercises, breath work and sound baths. In addition to the hour-long sessions every morning, they will now be hosting a 30 minute Q&A after every session. Elsewhere, Raven Records will be returning to host their pop up in District X South, featuring a curated selection of metal music, merchandise, alcohol-free drinks and metal-inspired coffee.
For the first time ever, Download will be hosting Rockschool workshops for children between the ages of 8-17. Led by professional musicians and teachers, the workshops will be fully kitted out with drums, guitars, bass, keyboards and microphones so children can wow the crowds with their favourite song and gear up to be the festival’s future headliners.
This year will feature a new food stage – the Hellfire Stage – dedicated to the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. It will be hosted by Maisie and Shane McBagley BBQ and will feature chilli-eating competitions (hosted by the Clifton Chilli Club) and hot dog eating competitions (hosted by Ollie Eats), as well as live fire-cooking mastery and expert demonstrations from an elite line-up including Shropshire Lad, The Fat Foodie, Cooking With LD and many more.
On the subject of food, Download will host over 160 fantastic food traders across the site, with more than ever catering to vegan, vegetarian and coeliac diets. The top tier line-up of food traders includes the likes of Lost Souls (vampire-themed pizza), Club Mexicana, Loki Poke, Be A Daal, Wholesome Junkies, Bunnyman’s Bunnychow, The Rock And Roll Toastie Co and many more.
Following on from the recent District X announcement featuring live sets from the likes of Five, DJ sets, comedy and live podcasts, DLXXIII’s Beyond The Bands offerings prove that Download is much more than just its stellar band line-up, with truly something for everyone to enjoy across the five days. More information and last remaining Saturday day tickets at www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
- Brand new for this year: Final Fantasy XIV and Fourth Wing collaborations, Rockschool workshops, The Pit styling experience, Four Quarters Arcade Bar and more
- Returning this year: The Cinema x Lionsgate partnership, showing the likes of John Wick, Final Fantasy XIV: Dad Of Light and LSFF presents A Brief History of Skateboard Videos
- Also returning: Flow State Wellness, RockFit, South West Skate Ramps, Raven Records pop up and more
- New Hellfire Stage in the Arena, dedicated to Ozzy Osbourne: featuring chilli eating and hot dog eating competitions, live fire-cooking mastery and expert demonstrations from an elite line up
- Over 160 fantastic food traders across the festival, with returning favourites and brand new ones, with more than ever catering to vegan, vegetarian and coeliac dietary requirements. Highlights include: Lost Souls pizza, Bunnyman’s Bunnychow, Rock & Roll Toastie, Club Mexicana, Be A Daal, Nugs and The Roaming Rotisserie
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