From Download to Medieval battles : 14 major events set to draw Thousands to Leicestershire this summer

From the UK's biggest rock festival of 2026 to medieval battlefields, world-class motorsport and one of Britain's largest wartime re-enactments, Leicestershire is preparing for one of its busiest summers on record.

More than a dozen major events are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city and county over the coming months, cementing Leicester and Leicestershire's reputation as one of the UK's most diverse destinations for festivals, live entertainment, sport and heritage.  And the spectacular summer season kicks off this weekend….

Music Festivals

The summer starts with the HUGE Download Festival, running from 12-14 June. Held at the iconic Donington racetrack, thanks to Glastonbury having a year off, Download is the biggest rock festival being held in the UK this year, with 100,000 rock fans expected to descend on North West Leicestershire. Headlined by Guns n Roses, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, the festival brings together some of giants of heavy metal and hard rock, with an awesome family atmosphere to boot. You’re likely to discover your new favourite band on the other stages too, with sets from Halestorm, Feeder, Mastodon, The Wildhearts, former members of Sepultura and Keanu Reeves with his band Dogstar!

Country music comes to Harborough’s Stanford Hall with The Long Road festival. Billed as a celebration of Country, Americana and Roots music, it is packed with talent including Grammy winners Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and Maren Morris, plus Platinum-selling stars including Bailey Zimmerman, Anne Wilson and Josh Ross. With authentic BBQ experiences, line dancing, and a car and bike show, pull on your cowboy boots and Stetson and get ready for a weekend that will have you yelling YEEHAW!

Cattows Farm is hosting some great tribute music events this year too!  The Supersonic Weekender, running from 31 July to 2 August is a celebration of Britpop, with tributes to Blur, Oasis, Paul Weller, Kasabian and many more. From 14-16 Augustthe Ranch Jam Country Festival features tributes to legends of country and western including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton and more, plus a wild west stunt show! Then for bank holiday weekend 28-30 August, the Dubs of Rock Festival features the top UK tributes to acts including Metallica, Black Sabbath, Green Day, Kiss, Korn and loads more.

Summer racedays!

Leicester Racecourse will have flat races running all summer long, but their Smooth Radio Ladies Day on 4 July is always a highlight, with top level horse racing plus special guest stars putting on a great concert. This year welcomes M People’s Heather Small and 80s legends Go West. Plus of course the ever popular Best Dressed competition. There’s a family friendly feel to their Picnic at the Races event on 9 August, where guests are encouraged to come and have a picnic in car park before enjoying the racing. And for this event, under 18s are completely free!

There’s racing of a different kind at Mallory Park on 4 &  5 July. Their 1000 Bikes Revival is the centrepiece of their 70th anniversary year, reviving the spirit of the much-loved Festival of 1000 Bikes that delighted fans at the circuit for many years. It’s an all-action weekend of racing, parades, displays and live entertainment, celebrating the passion, power and people that make the track such an iconic part of British motorcycling.

We’ve already mentioned Donington Park Racetrack and there’s a summer full of motorsports there, with the Touring Car Championship, Club Car Championship, Classic Motorcycle Festival, Superbike World Championship, Classic car events and much more! Check out their full calendar here.

Historic events

You don’t want to miss these chances to enjoy the outdoors in fantastic historic settings. The Bosworth Medieval Festival will be returning in August after a year off in 2025. It sees living history demonstrations from a range of different organisations, full medieval battle recreations and chances to learn from historical experts in talks and demonstrations. Plus of course lots of family-friendly fun!

And finally, the Victory Show is the UK’s largest World War II recreation event. Over three days from 4-6 September at Foxlands Farm near Cosby you can immerse yourself in fields full of substantial army encampments, with more than 150 re-enactment groups, and hundreds of military vehicles, including heavy armour. The highlights of each day are a massive tank battle featuring re-enactors and an aerial display featuring some of the most iconic aircraft from the era, which have included the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster Bomber, TF-51D Mustang, B52 and Dakota DC3 to name but a few.

Belvoir Castle is one of the most stunning Regency Castles in the country, and as well as giving you the chance to tour the rooms that featured in Netflix’s The Crown they have some great summer events, including a Father’s Day car and airshow, their annual Flower and Garden Show, the This Ain’t Texas country and western festival, and the stunning Sky Glow hot air balloon festival!

Extend your stay in the city

Make a weekend of it in the city, with a huge range of fantastic places to stay in Leicester. From reasonably price hotel rooms to luxury spots, quirky self-catering places and home-from-home apart-hotels, there’s something to suit every taste and budget.  Check out our accommodation page here

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 Press release via FU Media - Visit Leicester Dated 8th June 2026