Lancaster Music Festival returns this October, fully refreshed after a year’s break with new features and more than 500 events to enjoy.

Festival organisers are also excited to offer new venues, including Lancaster Castle’s keep and chapel and the Westfield War Memorial Village, among more than 50 others hosting more than 300 acts playing a wide variety of music from October 8-11.

“It's fantastic to be back this year,” said festival director Stuart Marshall.

“We've got an exciting line-up of musicians and events for this year's festival, which is almost entirely free, and we can't wait for it to get underway.”

Lancaster’s very own symphony orchestra – the Haffner – will launch one of the UK’s biggest city centre music festivals by playing in the White Cross, one of the many pubs which are the heartbeat of the event.

Festival favourite, violinist, Laure Chan, will join the Haffner as a soloist at a further performance in St John’s Church, the first live music event there for some time.

Lancaster Castle, featuring the beloved Melodrome stage, is one of many returning festival venues which also include the Craic Inn in the Storey Gardens, Kanteena, the Gregson and there will be plenty of music to be heard in the city centre’s streets and squares too.

Another popular venue – Lancaster Priory – will host musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music performing as the Silver Chamber, playing a unique combination of progressive metal and a chamber orchestra.

Fans of alternative rock will have several chances to catch Norwegian band, Dobbeltgjenger, as they will play six shows over the weekend while Glaswegian psychedelic surf-punk band, Maz & the Phantasms proved so popular at previous festivals that they will be making a welcome return.

International music is always an important element of Lancaster Music Festival’s offer and 2026 is no different with its Songs From Home theme featuring music from Northern Europe, Canada, China and Africa plus the return of flamenco as well as drumming, singing and dance workshops from around the world.

In collaboration with the Weavers Uprising Bicentennial Committee, the festival will also commemorate an important event in Lancashire's history - the 200th anniversary of the weavers uprising - in a programme of talks and music entitled events Rise Up! featuring The Commoners Choir leading a trail to Lancaster Castle.

Talks, walks and musical stories will be another theme at the festival featuring a live Lovely Eggs book club, talks and panels led by Lancaster University lecturers, an interactive session pairing beer with music and musical history trails.

And among the many more participatory events is an invitation to join in with the kazoo orchestra and a ceilidh in Market Square while the healing power of music will be explored with a new programme of events entitled Healing Frequencies offering a range of sound journeys to help clear the mind.

Even before the award-winning festival begins, the LMF Academy will offer songwriting workshops culminating in performances on the youth stage at the Gregson during the festival.

And even younger children can get involved with the festival thanks to some early years interactive shows featuring the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra performing a live version of the CBeebies Music Storyland show and More Music’s new show, Dare.

All these festival events and more are supported by funding from Arts Council England, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster BID and by public donation via LMF’s crowdfunding appeal.

"It's great to see so many people looking forward to the festival returning, particularly after its hiatus,” said Stuart.

“It was an important break for us to look at how we can continue to make this festival work and be the best possible event. We're now more galvanised than ever to deliver what we think is a really special programme and we're hugely grateful to everyone who has helped make this happen.

Our focus is always about people coming out to enjoy the music and everything our city has to offer - that's what we're most looking forward to about pressing play on Lancaster Music Festival again.”

For information on ticketed events and workshops, visit www.lancastermusicfestival.com