DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2026: RISING & BREAKTHROUGH ACTS
Download Festival 2026 opens its gates today, Wednesday 10th June, as the annual pilgrimage to Donington Park gets underway.
Across the campsites, thousands of festival-goers begin the traditional Download ritual: arrive, crack open a drink, and attempt to pitch a tent with varying degrees of success.
Five hours, several drinks, one argument with a tent pole, and a battle against the elements later, a surprisingly sturdy shelter emerges from the chaos.
It might be wonky. It might not survive the weekend. But for now, it’s home. Welcome to Download.
Now, you might be wondering why Novacaine Festival is writing about Download Festival.
The answer is simple: every year, Download’s lineup is packed with hidden gems, rising underground artists and breakthrough bands who deserve a place on your festival schedule just as much as the headline acts.
While the biggest names naturally draw the most attention, some of the weekend’s most memorable performances often come from the artists lower down the bill, the future festival headliners currently making their mark on smaller stages.
So, whether you’re already at Donington or following from afar, here are just some of the rising acts you won’t want to miss.
TAKEOVER AT DOWNLOAD (Wednesday 10th June 2026)
C E L A V I - 16:40
PRYMA - 17:20
RXPTRS - 18:50
FRIDAY 12TH JUNE 2026
NATIVE JAMES - The Avalanche Stage (13:00)
HEADWRECK - The Dogtooth Stage (13:00)
SLAY SQUAD - The Dogtooth Stage (13:45)
SILLY GOOSE - The Avalanche Stage (13:50)
vianova - The Dogtooth Stage (15:20)
LAKE MALICE - The Dogtooth Stage (17:00)
Saturday 13th June 2026
FROZEMODE - The Avalanche Stage (11:50AM)
TAILGUNNER - The Dogtooth Stage (12:30PM)
MOUTH CULTURE - The Avalanche Stage (14:35)
Sunday 14th June 2026
unpeople - Apex Stage (11:00AM)
PRIVATE SCHOOL - The Dogtooth Stage (11:45AM)
ZERO 9:36 - The Avalanche Stage (11:50)
RORY - Apex Stage (13:10)
THE PRETTY WILD - The Avalanche Stage (13:50)
thrown - Opus Stage (14:35)
