Download Festival 2026 announces new acts – how to get tickets and budget smart

Download Festival 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest rock weekends of the year. Even better, a second wave of artists was announced on 23 February. Fans heading to Donington Park from 10–14 June 2026 now have even more to look forward to.  

New acts added to the line-up 

The festival has added 14 new artists, including: 

• A Day To Remember 

• Creeper 

• Daughtry 

• Hot Milk 

• Marmozets 

• Silly Goose 

• Frozemode 

• BAND‑MAID 

• Conjurer 

• THE PRIMALS (the official Final Fantasy XIV band, appearing outside Asia for the first time) 

• Decessus (fronted by Miss World Chile Ignacia Fernández) 

These join the huge headliners: 

• Limp Bizkit 

• Guns N’ Roses 

• Linkin Park 

Where the Download Festival is held 

Download takes place at Donington Park in Leicestershire, near East Midlands Airport, with good links to Nottingham, Derby and Loughborough. The festival runs from Wednesday 10 June to Sunday 14 June 2026.

How to get tickets (even as they sell out) 

A lot of the most popular ticket types are already gone, especially some of the camping packages, but you still have options. 

What’s sold out 

• General camping (5 nights) - Standard camping tickets that give you access to the main campsites for 5 nights; now sold out.  

• Eco camping - A greener camping option where you commit to the festival’s eco‑charter,  this area has reached full capacity. 

• Campervan spots - Spaces for bringing your own campervan or caravan to stay on-site;  all campervan pitches are now sold out 

• Camping Plus - An upgraded camping area with added comforts like a 24‑hour reception and pamper facilities; now sold out for 2026. 

What’s still available 

• General camping (3 nights) -  A standard camping ticket for three nights (Friday to Monday), which is still on sale starting from £345.  

• One day tickets – Day tickets to the event available via the PayPal presale; you need to pay with PayPal to book these; they start from £135.  

• Weekend arena‑only tickets (no camping) - Access to the festival arena for the music across the weekend, but without camping; these start from £310.  

• Rock Retreat at Melbourne Hall - A boutique, upgraded campsite at nearby Melbourne Hall that offers a more luxurious festival stay; 5 nights of camping plus access to the arena from £673 per person.  

What about accessibility tickets?  

The accessible campsite is now at capacity, but you can still buy a standard ticket and then apply for accessible facilities separately.  

Accessible toilets are available in all general campsites. Essential companion tickets are included in your accessibility application and don’t need to be bought for most ticket types.  

Are there payment plans available?  

The Download Festival does offer payment plans as well as the Pay in 3 option via PayPal. Payment plans are available for specific ticket types, such as the 3 Night General Camping where you can split the cost over four interest-free instalments.  

The Pay in 3 option via PayPal is available through Ticketmaster and again allows you to split the cost in three interest-free instalments. You pay a third of the ticket on the day you buy your tickets, then you pay the remaining two thirds over the next two months.  

Payment plan options are typically only available if you book your tickets in advance.  

How to get to the Download Festival 

Getting to Download takes a bit of planning because Donington Park isn’t in a city centre. Whether you're coming by train, coach or car, sorting your travel early can save you money and stress on the day. 

Train 

The closest major stations are East Midlands Parkway and Derby. There are regular transfer buses between the stations and the festival, making it a convenient way to get there. It’s roughly half an hour from Derby and 20 minutes from East Midlands Parkway.  

Coach (Big Green Coach) 

Big Green Coach is Download’s official coach partner. They run direct return coaches from multiple UK pick‑up points straight to the festival gates. It’s a simple option if you don’t want to drive or deal with trains; the exact cost will vary depending on where you’re travelling from and what package you opt for, but you can see all the deals on the Big Green Coach website.  

To give you an idea, a return trip from Manchester City Centre for a one day ticket costs £70. It’s an early start though, with the bus setting off at 6.30am. There are also weekend tickets, and options to bundle your ticket with Download festival tickets.  

Car  

If you're driving, you must pre‑book your parking pass. Your car park hanger will be posted to you before the festival and must be displayed on arrival. 

How to save on travel  

• Book early – train and coach prices usually rise closer to June. 

• Use railcards to cut train fares if you qualify. 

• Car‑share with friends or via lift‑sharing apps to split petrol costs. 

How to budget for the Download festival

Between train tickets, bus tickets, and actual festival tickets, getting to the Download festival can cost you several hundred pounds before you even get there. Payment plans allow you to split the cost over a few months, but then you still need to budget for things like camping gear, food while you're there, drinks, merch, and other bits and pieces. We've rounded up some of our best festival budgeting tips here if you're heading to the Download festival and wondering how to make your money stretch further.

Key takeaways 

• New acts added: Download announced 14 new artists on 23 February, boosting demand. 

• Some tickets still available: Camping is sold out, but day tickets and arena-only tickets remain.  

• Accessible campsite full: Standard tickets + accessibility applications are still allowed.  

• Travel early = cheaper: Book trains/coaches now to keep travel costs low.  

• Budget smart: Share gear, bring food and set a daily spending target.