The last Splendour in Nottingham: “A fine farewell” — review and pictures
The music festival waved goodbye after 18 years
Splendour was the biggest festival in Nottinghamshire – and it had its last showing after 18 years on July 18-19 2026.
We were invited to go down to Wollaton Park on both days, seeing artists across its stages, trying its food and drink, and scoping out its entertainment.
It was one of the best July events in the county, and we are sad to see it go. For more reviews and events, subscribe to The Notts Edit to receive our articles in your inbox for free.
The last Splendour in Nottingham — review and pictures
Words by Eve Smallman
Turning the corner and going over the hill, Splendour was truly a sight to behold. On two sunny days, with crowds of people on both, it felt absolutely gorgeous to soak in the vibes – and a little bit bittersweet knowing that it would be the last time.
I found it a bit of a surprise to find out it had been cancelled, with the cost of staging events, household budgets, and the crowded festival scene as contributing factors. Everyone that I spoke to about it mentioned that the line-up was weaker this year considering the cost. The headliners were The Wombats and Snow Patrol – both with a number of big hits – and a range of local and national favourites joined them.
I arrived at Splendour on Saturday afternoon. While I would have loved to see Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir earlier, there wasn’t anything that really made me want to dance or sway in between them or Estelle. The latter brought dance moves and powerful vocals, especially for the last song, American Boy.
I feel like high energy was where the festival really was won for me. East Midlands’ own Hard Life stormed the parkside stage with crowd surfing, while Craig David won over the lake stage with non-stop sing-along hits on Sunday. These drew the bigger crowds, as did Neville Staple from The Specials and The Flaming Lips, also on Sunday. The patina between energy and variety felt better on the second day – and I’m clearly not the only person who thought so, as it was even busier than Saturday.
One of Splendour’s greatest attributes was its championing of local and upcoming acts, and it was fabulous to see three of Nottingham’s biggest recent music exports on the main stage – Divorce, Alt Blk Era, and Jayahadadream. The Bodega New Music Stage also had the likes of Saffron Gray, Marvin’s Revenge, and Villanelle. I have to admit – last year I didn’t venture this far up, so I thoroughly enjoyed hearing new music across a range of genres. Festivals like Dot to Dot (dottodotfestival.co.uk) and Hockley Hustle (hockleyhustle.co.uk) are also excellent for this, if you want to discover more in future.
There was a huge variety of food and drink, from local vendors such as Indian Memsaab (the samosas and mango lassi get me every time) all the way to the viral jacket potatoes from Spud Man. Some of the prices could be questioned (£6 for chips?), but you could bring in your own picnic food and sealed drinks… providing it wasn’t alcohol, as that would cost you £7.50 for a pint, after your £85 ticket (although two-for-one after the closure announcement).
I did miss some of the older kids and adult activities on offer last year, such as The Hundred cricket area, just to break things up between sets. The kids’ area looked well-equipped and busy though – musical instruments, blocks, and tents all looked like great fun – and the comedy stage was also a good idea. Oh, and I did appreciate the little CeraVe pop-up – adorable tiny suncreams, hello.
One thing I have to note was how small the World Cup final screen was on Sunday. I know it was Argentina vs Spain, but it was a 32-inch TV screen. It was super that it had it on, which it didn’t have to being a music festival, but it felt a little bit of an afterthought. Perhaps they were banking on England making it through to the final, where it would have been on the main stage.
The Wombats rocked the main slot with confidence on Saturday but, for me, Snow Patrol on Sunday were on another level. They spaced out their hits like Run, Chasing Cars, and Just Say Yes, and I was left with absolute goosebumps as the crowd took it away a cappella to the middle song. I might have swapped that to be the last song – especially with the Bitter Sweet Symphony montage of Splendour following right after the set finished.
The montage left a lump in my throat as I left. Like the line-up or the ticket prices or not, it didn’t feel quite right that it was the last Splendour. However, it certainly was a fine farewell. Here’s hoping that they bring it back in some format in a couple of years… perhaps as Splendid?
Splendour Festival took place at Wollaton Park on July 18-19. splendourfestival.com
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