Brighton Festival 2026 marks its 60th edition this year—and celebrations are set to be bigger than ever. Running until 25 May, the festival features over 100 events, including theatre shows, jazz jams, classical concerts and circus acts, making it England’s largest curated multi-arts festival. And for its diamond celebration, Brighton Festival is rolling out an epic lineup with Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, Angélique Kidjo and more must-see stars—all just an hour from London.
Brighton Festival 2026: what’s on and where
60 years ago, Brighton Festival burst onto the scene with a legendary inaugural lineup: Laurence Olivier, Anthony Hopkins, Yehudi Menuhin, Pink Floyd and The Who. This year, the epic lineup spans over 100 events taking place inside Brighton’s top venues and spaces. Uncover the Brighton Festival lineup highlights below:
Music: live jazz, rock legends and more
Laurie Anderson returns to Brighton for the first time since being Guest Director for Brighton Festival’s 50th Edition in 2016. This time, she’s performing songs from The Republic of Love at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Wednesday 6 May at 8pm.
Punk-rock pioneer Patti Smith brings an exclusive event for Brighton Festival’s 60th edition. Audiences can expect spoken word and poetry alongside an intimate live musical performance. Patti Smith: An Evening of Words and Music takes place at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Wednesday 13 May at 8pm.
5x Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo is performing a one-night-only show at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Saturday 16 May as part of her Hope Tour.
Pianist Ivo Neame teams up with bassist Tom Farmer and James Maddren on drums for an exclusive jazz concert. Together they’re known as the Ivo Neame Trio—an ensemble of long-time collaborators famous for inventive compositions and improvisation.
Fancy jamming out closer to home? This series of jazz shows in London journeys through the genre’s rich legacy and pays homage to jazz icons inside The Phoenix Art Club in Soho.
Theatre: world premieres and immersive programmes
Brighton Festival 2026 showcases live theatre at the Corn Exchange this May. Highlights include Kohlhaas (1–5 May), the world premiere of the festival’s first original production, based off the Kleist novella. Time Keeps The Drummer (8–10 May) is a five-hour show featuring 12 local kids and a percussionist, while Dark Noon (21–24 May) dismantles America’s founding myths, performed by a South African cast.
Circus and dance: high-wire rebellion meets digital moves
NoFit State’s carnation: the revolution is coming and I have nothing to wear (2–25 May) runs the whole festival at Black Rock. It’s a fun mash-up of high-wire circus and music that’s all about rebellion.
And right alongside it, Tomorrow Is Now Today Is Yesterday (10 May) is a contemporary dance piece by Korean choreographer Sung Im Her. It explores the impact of social media, oversharing and misinformation through dance.
More things to do in Brighton this month
Aside from the festival, there are plenty more things to do in Brighton this May. Brighton Fringe runs at the same time as the festival (early May–early June), offering a range of comedy, theatre and cabaret shows inside venues like Komedia and Spiegeltent.
Brighton & Hove’s calendar is also brimming with foodie events throughout the rest of the month. If you missed Foodies Festival in Preston Park, you can add Brighton Italian Festival 2026 to your to-do list. It’s taking over multiple locations in Brighton this month and includes a spaghetti disco featuring a DJ set and spaghetti servings at Hotel Pelirocco on 28 May.
If live music is more your thing, Brighton’s also shining with a series of candlelit tributes to TV soundtracks and iconic musicians. This month, the iconic Royal Pavilion is lighting up to host classical tributes to the Bridgerton soundtrack as well as the timeless tunes by Fleetwood Mac.
17 October 2026 21:00
13 June 2026 19:00
Getting to Brighton from London
Planning your trip from London to Brighton? Driving via the M25 takes just under two hours, depending on traffic. London to Brighton trains run frequently from Victoria or London Bridge stations and take between 60 to 90 minutes. For the ultimate budget hack, grab the FlixBus London-Brighton route starting at £4.49—a Brighton day trip has never been easier!
