SLAM DUNK 2026: The UK’s Biggest Independent Rock Festival Returns To Celebrate 20 Years

by Craig Harston

Since first launching as a one day festival in 2006, headlined by a then on-the-rise Fall Out Boy, Slam Dunk Festival has grown from humble beginnings to one of the don’t-miss festival dates of the year. The festival has managed to secure some of the biggest acts in pop punk, punk rock, ska, emo and metalcore over the years, including All Time Low, Bowling For Soup, Don Broco, Enter Shikari, Jimmy Eat World, Less Than Jake, Neck Deep, NOFX, The Offspring, Panic! At The Disco, Paramore, Sum 41 and You Me At Six as well as providing a platform for ‘up-and-coming’ bands to play to a bigger audience, amongst them As December Falls, Boston Manor, Dream State, Hot Milk, The Meffs, Millie Manders And The Shutup and WSTR, many of which have gradually moved up the roster.

Already with one eye on next summer, the first wave of bands for 2026 has been announced and it’s a great sign of things to come as the festival celebrates two decades. Headlining the weekend will be pop punk veterans Good Charlotte, played their only European show of 2026. Best known for pop punk anthems like ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous’ and ‘Girls & Boys’, the four-piece returned in 2025 with their first album in seven years, ‘Motel Du Cap’ and Slam Dunk will be the first place for UK fans to hear songs from the new album! Good Charlotte said, “We are excited to come back and play the UK for the first time in 7 years and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Slam Dunk will be a great time. Kicking off this next chapter of GC in the UK this way will be a lot of fun and a great precursor for what is still to come! Some of our fav shows in our career have been in the UK and this will be no exception!”

Joining the multi-platinum selling band on the pop punk side of things will be legendary Chicago band Allister, returning to the UK with their high energy songs, hardcore-edged pop punks Set Your Goals, powerhouses Stand Atlantic following their biggest headline shows to date, Cartel, who will be celebrating twenty years of their breakthrough album ‘Chroma’ and Motion City Soundtrack will be hitting the fields following their first new record in a decade, the recently released ‘ The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World’, which shows they’ve not missed a steo in the past ten years! Plus, their will be plenty of pop rock on offer from live favourites A, alt-rock band Tonight Alive, Broadside and Seattle heavy pop band The Home Team.

Bringing the heaviness to the stacked line-up will be metalcore band Bury Tomorrow, heavyweights Cancer Bats, pop metal force unpeople and the on-the-rise metal band PRESIDENT, while there will also be plenty of emo on offer with elder emo favourites Dashboard Confessional on the bill alongside the iconic Hawthorne Heights, rising stars Driveway and the excellent Taking Back Sunday making damn sure you catch their set as they’ll be playing their breakthrough album, 2006’s ‘Louder Now’ in full!

It of course wouldn’t be a summer festival without at least a bit of ska punk and Slam Dunk will see 90s ska bands Goldfinger and The Suicide Machines return alongside Slam Dunk favourites Zebrahead bringing the party – plus the legendary Sublime will be playing their first UK show ever! Having recently played a blinding show at Coachella, it’s not one to miss! The popular punk rock band The Menzingers round out the first announcement.

It’s a line up that’s so far guaranteed to be unmissable but with plenty more to come!

Ben Ray, Founder of Slam Dunk Festival said, “When I started the festival 20 years ago, I had no idea it would get to the milestone of 20 years, let alone be the size that it has grown to. I am overwhelmed by the continued support for the event, both from the dedicated fan base who come every single year, to all the bands that keep coming back to play! A massive thank you to all!”