I have never been to WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance). I have heard about it for years, always in that misty-eyed way people talk about festivals that mean something important to them.

So, after years of hearing about this magical global music festival where discovery is apparently half the magic, 2026 is finally going to be my year. I will be heading to WOMAD for the first time with a friend and my kids, and honestly, the more I read about it, the more excited I become.

Taking place from 23 to 26 July 2026 at Neston Park in Wiltshire, WOMAD is returning after a year away, and doing so in a brand-new home. That already gives the whole thing an extra special feeling. A beloved festival beginning a new chapter, a new site, a returning community, and then me, wandering in for the first time ready to discover what everyone has been going on about.

The full day-by-day line-up has now been revealed, with day tickets on sale, and I am not going to pretend I already know most of the artists, because I absolutely do not. But actually, that feels like the point. WOMAD does not strike me as the kind of place where you just turn up to hear the songs you already know. It feels like a festival where you go to be surprised, follow a sound across a field, stay for a set you never planned to see, and come home with a playlist full of new favourites.

There are, of course, names that immediately jump out. Friday is led by South London neo-soul artist Greentea Peng, reggae legend Barrington Levy, and Mádé Kuti. As a fellow South Londoner, I am always pleased to see local talent taking centre stage, and Greentea Peng feels like the perfect vibe for a summer festival setting.

Barrington Levy is one of the few names I recognised straight away, and songs like ‘Here I Come’ and ‘Under Mí Sensi’ are exactly the kind of classics that make you imagine a crowd of people of all ages moving together in the sunshine.

Saturday brings Alfa Mist, Daniela Mercury, Emma-Jean Thackray, and Jupiter & Okwess. Sunday closes with Oumou Sangaré and José González, alongside corto.alto, Yasmine Hamdan, and Freshlyground.

Some of those names are familiar, many are new to me, and that is what makes the whole thing feel exciting rather than intimidating. Across the weekend, the programme stretches through Afrobeat, reggae, jazz, hip hop, electronic music, folk, and sounds from all over the world. I cannot honestly tell you that I know exactly what all of that will sound like, but I can’t wait to immerse myself in it.

For me, one of the biggest draws is that I am going with my kids. WOMAD is famously family-friendly, but this does not sound like one of those festivals where children are merely tolerated as long as they do not get in the way. The World of Children is a huge part of the festival’s identity, with more child-friendly activities than any other festival, all building towards the legendary Sunday afternoon parade.

That is the bit I keep coming back to. I love the idea of the kids not just tagging along to something the adults want to do, but having their own proper festival experience. Workshops, music, creativity, food, colour, and movement, with a chance to encounter cultures and sounds from all over the world in a way that feels alive.

WOMAD sounds like a festival that puts music, culture, food, and discovery front and centre. The family elements are clearly there, but it still feels firmly focused on creating a rich and immersive cultural experience. Going with a friend and my kids, that balance feels just about right.

Beyond the music, WOMAD also offers the World of Words, the Hip Yak Poetry Shack, the World of Wellness, with yoga and wood-fired hot tubs, and Taste the World, where performers swap stages for stoves and share food from their homelands. I absolutely love that idea. Music is already such a direct way into another culture, but food takes that even further.

I plan to go with a completely open mind. I look forward to eating something new. Hearing something unfamiliar. Watching the children discover artists, instruments, and sounds they would never normally encounter. Sitting in a field with a friend, watching the kids having a blast dancing to awesome live music, and no doubt realising that the people who have been banging on about WOMAD for years probably had a point!

WOMAD 2026 feels like a festival for the curious. For people who want more than just a greatest hits weekend. For families who want something with imagination. For groups of adults who want music, food, culture, and a bit of joyful escapism. And for first-timers like me, who have heard the hype, seen the line-up, and are finally ready to find out what all the fuss is about.

Check back here after the festival, to find out what we thought.

WOMAD Festival takes place at Neston Park, Wiltshire, from 23 to 26 July 2026.

Day and weekend tickets are on sale now from womad.co.uk.

Words by Nick Barr

Photography by Womad