Neighbourhood Weekender 2026 officially kicked off the year’s festival season – Aidan McCartney went along for a sun-soaked weekend of indie music and good vibes
There is a distinct moment when you walk into Victoria Park, look out across the sprawling fields of Warrington, and realise that summer has officially arrived.
For those outside the North West, Neighbourhood Weekender might sometimes fly under the radar compared to the massive national festivals, but for us locals, it is an unmissable staple of the festival season.
The atmosphere here is purely unmatched; there is no pretension, just a field full of people entirely united by a love of good guitar music and a collective desire to have a good time. Bucket hats are out in full force and as I watch generations of fans singing in unison across three stages, it feels like the perfect way to kick off the summer season.
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It’s a weekend that doesn’t leave you with a sinking feeling in your wallet, either. Refreshingly, the beer prices aren’t too bad, especially when you compare them to the extortion you face at local arenas these days. There is also a massive variety of food options available across the site.
My Saturday afternoon kicks off with an early dose of nostalgia courtesy of Cast. Their melodic Britpop anthems are the perfect soundtrack for the afternoon revellers, with Walkaway and Alright providing the clear highlights of a wonderfully sun-drenched set.
Next up is Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who proceeds to turn the main stage into a glorious riot of grins and pop perfection. Even a sudden power failure on stage can’t dampen the mood. Ever the professional, Sophie keeps us entertained by holding up hand-written notes to keep the crowd updated. When the sound finally cuts back in, the atmosphere lifts up a gear, culminating in a spectacular mass singalong to her 2000s classic Murder on the Dancefloor.
Seeking out the future of live music, I head over to the tented Big Top stage. Glasgow’s talented Brooke Combe sets a brilliant tone with her powerful, soul-infused tracks, before rising star Freddie Halkon completely steals the show. Armed with a raw, confident performance and his debut EP Shoulder of the World under his belt, it’s no surprise to see the tent packed. The Doncaster-born artist is clearly destined for big things.
Back at the main stage, the excitement reaches a fever pitch as Earlestown’s finest, The K’s, step out. Having watched them work their way up from the Big Top over the years, seeing the massive hometown party crowd they’ve drawn today is special. It’s their first show in nearly seven months, but any worries of ring-rust vanish instantly. They confidently blast through their two-album collection, with Heart on My Sleeve and Helen, Oh I sounding massive before fan-favourite Sarajevo turns the entire arena into a frenzy.
By 6pm, the sun is fully out and beaming, casting a perfect golden-hour glow over the park. Kaiser Chiefs step up to warm us up for the evening, and frontman Ricky Wilson is in fine form, climbing the stage scaffolding and putting on an incredibly entertaining spectacle alongside a relentless barrage of indie classics.
While dance icon Example packs out the Big Top, on the main stage it’s time for Wigan’s favourite son, Richard Ashcroft. Swaggering out with that trademark magnetic confidence, he looks like a man born to command festival fields. He is clearly still riding the high of last summer’s monumental Oasis stadium reunion tour.
“This isn’t an AI thing, it’s a human being on stage tonight,” he explains into the mic before ripping into Verve classic Music is Power. It sets a triumphant tone. Later, The Drugs Don’t Work brings a collective, spine-tingling moment to the park just as a spectacular sunset dips behind the stage. By the time the soaring strings of Bittersweet Symphony close out his set under a clear evening sky, it feels like we’ve just witnessed a masterclass.
If Saturday’s weather was a slow burner, Sunday is an absolute scorcher. The site completely transforms into a sun-baked indie paradise as temperatures soar to a beautiful 23 to 24 degrees all day.
Main stage opener Melanie C brings pure pop royalty to the scorching afternoon, setting a vibrant tone before a triumphant appearance from The Royston Club.
The Wrexham boys are riding incredibly high right now; fresh off a completely sold-out show at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse earlier this month, their soaring hooks and confident swagger show exactly why they are destined for a massive summer. The beautiful Cariad ends their set with every single word being sung back at them, and it could well be the song of the festival summer.
The main stage momentum doesn’t let up as York legends Shed Seven roll back the years with brass-heavy indie anthems. A triumphant performance of Chasing Rainbows provokes a massive, emotional sing-along which can be heard across the vast park.
DMA’S follow, and Manchester’s adopted sons deliver a blistering victory lap. Effortlessly blending massive new tracks with Timeless, Lay Down, and Delete, the Aussies send the crowd into an early, sweat-soaked frenzy under the afternoon sun as colourful flares and bodies fill the sky. The crowd reaction to new track Heaton Park suggests that their upcoming album is set to propel the band onto even bigger heights, before they close out with Olympia and Feels Like 37, proving once again why they remain one of the best festival bands around.
Over on the Viola Beach stage, I manage to catch a bit of The Covasettes. The Manchester indie band released their first album Honeymoon Beach earlier this month and lead single Such A Dream gets the crowd dancing as the sun sets behind the stage.
The stunning heat shows no signs of letting up as Stockport’s finest Blossoms arrive to close out the weekend. Stepping out to a hero’s welcome in the warm night air, they hurtle through Gary and At Most A Kiss with effortless, glittering charm.
From synth-pop anthems to guitar-driven floor-fillers, Tom Ogden commands the stage like a seasoned pro. Your Girlfriend and There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls) stand out as the highlights from a hit-packed set.
When the unmistakable opening notes of Charlemagne hit, Victoria Park erupts into unbridled chaos. Sweaty, emotional, and gloriously loud, it is the perfect finale to a weekend that proves exactly why the North West music scene remains entirely unrivalled, and reminds us why we should be proud to have Neighbourhood right on our doorstep.
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