Kendal Music Festival is under way on Friday 4 September and continues on Saturday 5 September 2026. The festival is free, uses venues across Kendal town centre and is designed to spotlight local music while supporting the businesses that host it.
The most detailed confirmed programme is at Brewery Arts, where music runs across both days. The wider line-up is available through the official festival app and can change on the day.
Kendal Music Festival at a glance
- Dates: Friday 4 and Saturday 5 September 2026
- Price: Free
- Booking: Not required for the Brewery Arts programme
- Main format: Live music at walkable town-centre venues
- Organiser: Kendal BID
- Official planning tool: Festival app with favourites and a personal schedule
See the Kendal Music Festival Event for the Friday and Saturday occurrences.
Friday Brewery Arts line-up
Friday's Brewery Arts music is in the bar. The published running order is:
- 2.30pm-3.30pm: Tom Owen, a Cumbrian singer-songwriter
- 4pm-4.45pm: Rhiannon Paige, country-pop-rock
- 7.30pm-8pm: Sarah Carey, Kendal acoustic and punk songwriter
- 8.20pm-9.30pm: Freyja Evelyn, indie-folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
Brewery Arts headlines the event as 12pm to 9pm, but its detailed Friday list places Freyja Evelyn until 9.30pm. Plan around the later listed finish and check the live page before travelling.
Saturday Brewery Arts line-up
Saturday is planned for the Brewery Arts Garden:
- 2pm-4pm: Hiroshima Twinkie, indie folk rock and four-part harmony
- 4.45pm-6.15pm: Life In Neon, indie pop-rock
- 7pm-9pm: The Peloton, an eight-piece blend of ska, jazz, reggae and indie pop
If the weather is unsuitable, Brewery Arts says the programme will move into the Malt Room. Check on Saturday before assuming the garden is in use.
How to use the wider festival
Kendal Music Festival is not confined to Brewery Arts. The organiser describes performances in pubs, bars, cafés and outdoor spaces across the centre. All participating venues are intended to be within walking distance.
Use the official app for the current full programme, save priority acts and build a personal schedule. Do not try to attend every listing. Leave walking time, capacity queues and food breaks between performances.
Do you need tickets?
The festival is free. Brewery Arts says no booking is required for its programme and no table reservation is needed for festival food. Free entry does not guarantee a place if a room reaches safe capacity, so arrive before a must-see act.
Food and drink
Many festival venues sell food and drink. Brewery Arts will serve both throughout its programme. Opening arrangements can differ from an ordinary day, but visitors should still allow enough time to order before the next set.
Kendal has a strong cluster of cafés, pubs and restaurants around Highgate, Kirkland, the market area and the riverside. A short meal break can make a long festival day much more realistic.
Parking in Kendal
Brewery Arts has a paid 50-space car park including four accessible spaces. It is convenient but too small to serve the entire festival. Charges start from £3.50 for an hour according to the venue, and the council monitors payment.
Other Kendal car parks are within walking distance. Check each car park's tariff, maximum stay and locking time. A space that suits an afternoon visit may not suit a 9pm or 9.30pm finish.
The organiser recommends public transport or walking where possible to reduce congestion.
Arriving by train
Kendal station is within walking distance of the town centre. Oxenholme Lake District is on the West Coast Main Line and connects to Kendal on the Lakes Line. Local trains also continue towards Staveley and Windermere.
Check the return timetable before committing to the final act. A late-running set does not guarantee a later train.
Accessibility
Accessibility varies between venues. The festival advises visitors to check the relevant venue and contact it directly about specific arrangements.
Brewery Arts occupies several adapted spaces, so step-free routes and seating differ. Contact the box office if a wheelchair position, respite seat, familiarisation visit or other adjustment is essential. Do not assume an outdoor garden set and a Malt Room fallback have identical access.
What to bring
- A charged phone for the festival app and live updates
- A waterproof layer for walking and the outdoor Saturday plan
- A portable battery if building a full-day schedule
- Payment for food, drink and parking
- Any essential medication and access information
- A realistic plan with gaps between venues
A simple same-day plan
Start by selecting one or two priority acts. Choose a car park or rail arrival that still works after the last set. Add nearby performances only where the walking gap is comfortable. If Saturday is wet, check whether Brewery Arts has moved indoors before heading to the garden.
Information checked 4 September 2026. Artist times, rooms and the wider venue programme are subject to change.
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