Slam Dunk 2026 Kicking Off Festival Season!

As May edges closer and the British weather dares to behave, there’s a familiar buzz in the air, festival season is about to kick off. And in 2026, few events signal that moment quite like Slam Dunk Festival’s 20th anniversary—a landmark edition that feels bigger, heavier, and more nostalgic than ever.

Returning to Hatfield Park and Temple Newsam across the late May bank holiday weekend, Slam Dunk has long been the UK’s definitive one-day pilgrimage for pop-punk, emo and hardcore kids alike. This year, it leans fully into that legacy but is pushing towards what can be considered one of it’s heaviest line-ups.

At the top of the bill, Good Charlotte bring a dose of early-2000s anthemic nostalgia, marking a rare and highly anticipated return. Sharing headliner status are hardcore juggernauts Knocked Loose, whose ferocious rise makes them a fitting torchbearer for the festival’s heavier evolution.

Elsewhere, Sublime and Taking Back Sunday round out a headline tier that bridges generations—ska-punk grooves, emo classics, and scene-defining records all colliding across the weekend.

Slam Dunk 2026 is introducing two side-by-side main stages dedicated entirely to metalcore, hardcore, and post-hardcore—with no clashes. A surefire winner, and rekindling the time with ‘opposite stages in the big tent’

That means uninterrupted chaos from the likes of Malevolence, Currents, Heriot, and Dying Wish, alongside the unrelenting intensity of Knocked Loose.

Beyond the headliners, the line-up brings in the stalwarts of alternative music across eras. State Champs, The Menzingers, and Trash Boat keep the pop-punk flame alive, while Dashboard Confessional and Hawthorne Heights tap into the emo world full flow!.

Meanwhile, UK favourites like Boston Manor and Deaf Havana sit comfortably alongside cult heroes such as Goldfinger and Motion City Soundtrack, making this one of the most well-rounded Slam Dunk bills in years.

Among the stacked undercard, President stand out as a must-see. Hot off the back of a short sold out run across the UK, the mysterious and intriguing band will bring a blend of post-hardcore with a modern tech heavy riffs.

There’s always something symbolic about Slam Dunk. It’s the first sunburn of the year, the first warm pint in a field, the first chorus shouted back at a stage with strangers who feel like old friends.

A 20-year legacy. A genre-spanning line-up. If festival season has a starting line it’s here! On your marks…. get set…..Go!

SlamDunk is taking place on 23rd and 24th May 2026. Slam Dunk North takes place at Temple Newsam, Leeds. Sam Dunk South takes place at Hatfield.

Stay connected and check out the latest details for this years SlamDunk 2026 right here!