GUILFEST 2026: SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR, RUDIMENTAL, THE LOTTERY WINNERS AND A SCORCHING START TO GUILDFORD’S FAVOURITE FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL REVIEW | GUILFEST 2026 – DAY 1 | GUILDFORD, SURREY | 3rd July 2026 by Kevin O’Sullivan

For thousands of music lovers, GuilFest isn’t simply another festival on the calendar.

It’s part of the Surrey summer.

Set within the beautiful surroundings of Stoke Park, GuilFest has spent more than 30 years building a reputation as one of the UK’s best-loved family festivals. While many events have become bigger and increasingly commercial, GuilFest has never lost its identity. Families, lifelong music fans and first-time festivalgoers all share the same field, creating an atmosphere that few festivals manage to replicate.

Day one had everything.

Wall-to-wall sunshine, soaring temperatures and what felt like one of the biggest crowds the festival has welcomed in years combined to create a fantastic atmosphere from the moment the gates opened. The only downside to such popularity was navigating the packed site, with queues for the bars stretching to impressive lengths as people searched for a welcome cold drink in the relentless heat.

If there was one man perfectly suited to open proceedings, it was Rick Parfitt Jr.

From the moment he burst onto the stage, he had the crowd exactly where he wanted them. His energetic set of classic rock favourites immediately lifted the temperature even further, with his version of Status Quo‘s ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’ carrying particular significance. It served as a heartfelt tribute to his father, Rick Parfitt, whose band famously played GuilFest around twenty years ago. It was a fitting nod to the festival’s rich history and the perfect way to launch the weekend.

Following that was never going to be easy.

Melanie Blatt took to the stage with a DJ set celebrating the music that helped define an era. As a founding member of All Saints, she helped deliver nine Top 10 singles, five UK number ones and more than 10 million record sales worldwide, making her a genuine pop icon.

Coming straight after Rick Parfitt Jr.’s explosive opening, however, the change of pace inevitably slowed the momentum. It wasn’t that the set lacked quality—it was simply the challenge of following such an electrifying start.

Thankfully, Tiffany brought the energy straight back.

Making the trip from America, the pop superstar looked every inch the icon in towering platform boots as she reminded everyone why songs such as ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ and ‘Could’ve Been’ made her one of the biggest stars of the late 1980s. The audience responded in kind, singing every word and restoring the party atmosphere.

If there was one performance that truly exploded into life during the afternoon, it was Dutty Moonshine Big Band. Already Glastonbury favourites, the 13-piece collective delivered one of the liveliest sets of the day. Blending swing, jazz, drum and bass and electronic music into one irresistible package, they transformed Stoke Park into a sea of dancing festivalgoers and proved exactly why they continue to grow in popularity.

ABC demonstrated that timeless songs never lose their appeal. Martin Fry remains one of pop’s great frontmen, leading the Sheffield legends through classics including ‘Poison Arrow’, ‘The Look of Love’ and ‘When Smokey Sings’. Four decades on, his vocals remain remarkably strong, while the band’s polished performance showed exactly why their music continues to endure.

The Lottery Winners once again proved why they are regarded as one of Britain’s finest live acts.

Fresh from supporting Robbie Williams and following the chart-topping success of Anxiety Replacement Therapy and last year’s KOKO, the Leigh quartet delivered a set overflowing with humour, warmth and irresistible songs. Frontman Thom Rylance had both the crowd and his own band in hysterics throughout, effortlessly switching between comedy and heartfelt performance.

One of the highlights came with ‘You Again’. Originally recorded with Reverend and The Makers, it felt tailor-made for the glorious Guildford sunshine and produced one of the biggest singalongs of the day.

If The Lottery Winners had the crowd smiling, Piers Aggett of Rudimental made sure they were ready to party.

One quarter of one of Britain’s most successful dance acts, Aggett delivered an electrifying DJ set packed with the anthems that have helped Rudimental amass more than five billion streams worldwide. ‘Feel the Love’, ‘Waiting All Night’ and ‘These Days’ turned Stoke Park into one huge dancefloor, providing the perfect build-up to the evening’s headline performance.

There could hardly have been a better handover.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor arrived to a huge welcome, telling the crowd she had brought her family along to enjoy GuilFest before taking to the stage herself. It was a lovely reminder of exactly what makes the festival so special.

From the opening song she barely stopped moving.

Her boundless energy proved completely infectious, encouraging thousands in front of the stage to dance along with her. Backed by a superb live band, she delivered hit after hit before saving the inevitable finale until last.

As the unmistakable opening of ‘Murder on the Dancefloor‘ echoed across Stoke Park, the entire festival came alive. It was the perfect ending to a day that had celebrated everything GuilFest does so well—bringing together different generations, different musical styles and a shared love of live music.

As thousands of people slowly made their way home through the warm Surrey evening, there was a feeling that GuilFest had once again reminded everyone why it remains one of Britain’s finest family festivals.

There may be bigger festivals. There may be louder festivals. But few combine community, nostalgia, outstanding live music and genuine family spirit quite like GuilFest.

Day one set the bar exceptionally high.