With Thursday’s Return of the Poetry Arena, featuring the likes of Salena Godden, Hollie McNish, Luke Wright and more; the third year of our Children’s Poetry Competition, plus headline performances from Dr John Cooper Clarke and Inua Ellams – Latitude 2026 belonged to the poets.
The memories we made at Klarna presents Latitude 2026 will stay with us forever. It’s incredibly hard for us to narrow down four days of brilliant music, arts, culture and connection, but here are 20 moments that helped to define our 20th edition, in no particular order…
Dr John Cooper Clarke on The Listening Post
The Waterfront was the perfect backdrop to this glisteningly beautiful performance from Jacob Alon.
Jacob Alon on The Waterfront
Adam Buxton and Ivo Graham took on the form of the ultimate hype men for David Byrne…
Adam Buxton on The Listening Post
…Before David Byrne himself took to the Obelisk to deliver a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime show.
David Byrne on the Obelisk Arena
The Cosmic Shambles team were back with a (big) bang for their second year curating the Forest of Science and Culture. With them was Britain’s first astronaut Helen Sharman, who took to the aptly named Apollo Stage with Robin Ince to discuss her experience in space, and the future of space exploration. And more than a few of you turned out to listen…
Helen Sharman and Robin Ince on The Apollo Stage
We’d walk 1000 miles to experience this all over again. Teddy Swims brought out Vanessa Carlton during his headline set to create this magical moment.
Teddy Swims and Vanessa Carlton on the Obelisk Arena
Usually if someone told you to look up at the sky to see a giant pink sheep, you’d think they were crazy…
Vodafone lit up the Suffolk skies with Latitude’s first ever drone show!
A pink sheep in the sky during Vodafone’s drone show
It’s no easy feat to sum up 20 years of Latitude in an hour long performance, but Gareth Malone’s Latitude Choir did a fantastic job. 20 years of brilliant music, delivered by you, our Latitude family. It doesn’t get better than that.
Gareth Malone’s Latitude Choir on the Obelisk Arena
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake drew thousands of you to the Waterfront to watch this truly breath-taking show…
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake on the Waterfront
…Followed by a proposal on stage! Huge congratulations to Simon and Joanna!
A proposal on the Waterfront
Our Bookshop welcomed the inaugural year of our Debut Fiction series, celebrating some of our favourite debuting authors with our friend Sarah Gwonyoma.
Tobi Coventry, Sarah Gwonyoma and Phil Melanson outside The Bookshop
Breath-taking acrobatics, theatrical spectacle, and irresistible heart; Wake the Beast and Circus Zambia launched us into a story of dreamers, daredevils, and impossible possibilities with their brilliant performance of Afronauts on our Theatre Arena.
Afronauts on the Theatre Arena
2026 saw the debut of our brand new woodland stage, The Virgin Radio Mothership, in partnership with our friends at Virgin Radio UK!
The Virgin Radio Mothership
What an experience it was to see the Tashi Lhunpo Monks at Mind, Body & Zen this weekend. We got to engage with authentic Tibetan Buddhist culture, from the creation of an intricate Peace Mandala, to ritual Cham dance, workshops and music. Incredibly moving and spectacular.
Tashi Lhunpo Monks on the Zen Stage
You wake up and suddenly… the legend Billy Ocean is performing on the Obelisk Arena!
Billy Ocean on the Obelisk Arena
The one and only Professor Green surprised the crowds at the Faber Alt. X BBC Introducing Stage!
Professor Green on the Faber Alt. x BBC Introducing Stage
From a daytime slot in the Alcove to headlining the Second Stage, it’s been a pleasure watching the meteoric rise of Wet Leg.
Wet Leg headlining the Second Stage
The Comedy Arena presented by TK Maxx always packs a punch, but the line up this year felt extra special: Ross Noble, Sara Pascoe, Jen Brister, Jack Dee, Sue Perkins, Kyla Cobbler, Rosie Jones, Marcus Brigstocke, David O’Doherty, Flo & Joan, Josie Long, very special guest Sir Lenny Henry… we could go on and on. What a stand-out year for stand-up at the Comedy Arena.
Sara Pascoe on the Comedy Arena presents by TK Maxx
We were introduced to the brilliantly nonsensical, deliciously weird world of The Flaming Lips on our Second Stage.
The Flaming Lips headlining the Second Stage
A fitting finale to our weekend, Lewis Capaldi made his triumphant return to the headline slot and closed out his set with a beautiful fireworks display following a rendition of Someone You Loved.
Fireworks following Lewis Capaldi’s headline show
And how lucky we are that these moments are merely scratching the surface of the countless memories we made across the hundreds of artists and activities at Latitude last weekend. Same time next year?