​The Long Road 2026 Preview

We close out festival season for 2026 this weekend with a trip to Leicestershire for The Long Road Festival, as once again Country, Americana, and Roots descend on Stanford Hall.

If you’ve ever spent a weekend there, you already know the vibe—smoky BBQ joints, classic cars, line dancing, and hot dog eating competitions (no Poutine outlets though!). Every year, The Long Road serves as the ultimate end-of-summer blowout, bringing a slice of Nashville to the Midlands.
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The Main Headliners & Big Names
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you'll know Bailey Zimmerman is no longer performing this year. However, the festival pulled out all the stops to find a Saturday night headliner, bringing in legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. He’ll be taking the stage alongside Imelda May for a set that will take us back through time with classic songs from The Rolling Stones, Faces, and beyond.

Kicking off headline duties on Friday night are The Shires, who have built a loyal following over the years with their high-energy singalong anthems. Wrapping up the weekend on Sunday is country-pop powerhouse Maren Morris, bringing her hit-packed live show over for a huge UK-exclusive set.
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We’re also getting Canadian star Josh Ross, who has been blowing up across North America with his rock-edged country sound. And then, of course, there’s the crown jewel of the weekend: Emmylou Harris. Fresh off her stunning appearance at the Royal Albert Hall for Highways Festival, she comes to Leicestershire as part of her European farewell tour.

​Beyond the heavyweights, the bill is completely stacked with talent from the UK, North America, and Australia. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been coming every year, there are always incredible new acts to discover. Here are five brilliant artists you definitely need to mark on your schedule:

• The 502s: If you need a burst of pure, unadulterated joy, these guys are an absolute must-see. Hailing from Florida, this indie-folk outfit brings a live performance that feels like one massive party.
• SmithField: Childhood friends Jennifer Fielder and Trey Smith blend tight, seamless harmonies with contemporary country-pop. Hits like Hey Whiskey and We'll Figure It Out have earned them millions of streams across all platforms, and their magnetic live chemistry is bound to win over plenty of new fans.

• Dawson Anderson: Best known from his time with the hit country trio Temecula Road, Dawson is now blazing his own trail as a solo artist. Having caught his set in Berlin earlier this year, we know the Long Road crowd is going to fall in love with his soulful vocals, polished songwriting, and easygoing charm.
  
• Anne Wilson: Bringing a fresh mix of country-rock and roots, Anne Wilson’s gritty, soulful voice packs a serious emotional punch. Her breakout hit My Jesus showed the world what she can do, and her live set will undoubtedly be a weekend highlight.
  
• Sheyna Gee: A staple of the Southern California and Nashville music scenes, Sheyna brings an authentic, edgy, outlaw-country attitude. If you like your country with plenty of guitar grit, sharp storytelling, and a bit of rock-and-roll swagger, she’s the one to catch.
  

One of the best features of The Long Road is its commitment to championing grassroots artists, and you’ll definitely want to head over to watch the Homegrown Talent Contest. Hosted by Janet Devlin, this stage is where the future of UK country music gets its spotlight as our homegrown scene continues to make its mark worldwide.

Adding to the excitement, last year's winner Liam Price will be making his return to perform, showing everyone just how far taking home that trophy can propel an artist!

This year, hundreds of applicants were whittled down to five brilliant finalists competing for the crown:

• Becky Tate: Hailing from Manchester, Becky mixes modern country influences like Carly Pearce and Ella Langley with classic storytelling.
• Hattie Chandler: An emerging UK singer-songwriter who blends 70s rock vibes (think Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt) with a fresh, modern country-soul edge.
• Josh Beer: Hailing from Devon, Josh brings authentic countryside roots and pure musicianship to the Long Road stage.
• Town Called Us: A real-life partner country-pop duo (Lauren and James) whose dynamic sound and tight harmonies earned them a featured spot on BBC Introducing Track of the Week.
• Will Edgar: An 18-year-old acoustic folk and Americana singer from Bolton who previously impressed on The Voice Kids and brings raw, Zach Bryan-style storytelling to the stage.

​Pack your cowboy boots—though looking at the forecast, you might be better off with Hunter Cowboy Wellies—and we'll see you in the fields!

​The Long Road Festival takes place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire between Thursday 27th and Sunday 30th August, with tickets on sale now. You can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of this year’s event by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.

​FULL LINEUP:

Ronnie Wood and his band featuring Imelda May ★ Emmylou Harris (European Farewell Tour) ★ Maren Morris (UK Exclusive) ★ Steve Earle (Solo & Acoustic) The 502s ★ The Shires ★ Josh Ross ★ Shakey Graves ★ The Felice Brothers ★ Anne Wilson ★ Kezia Gill ★ Rose Betts ★ Lily Fitts ★ Uncle Lucius ★ Oliver Hazard ★ Jason Scott & The High Heat ★ Noah James ★ Ken Pomeroy ★ Zandi Holup ★ Striking Matches ★ Dylan Earl ★ Jim Lauderdale ★ Rosalie Cunningham ★ Liam Price ★ Mia Kelly ★ Slow Motion Cowboys ★ HORSEBATH ★ The Hanging Stars ★ Sarah Jane Scouten ★ Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou ★ Stella Prince ★ Harleymoon Kemp ★ Harper O'Neil ★ Chanel Yates ★ Shaylen ★ Simon Howard ★ Hayley Jensen ★ Chandler Walters ★ First Time Flyers ★ Emily Scott Robinson ★ Twinnie ★ Dawson Anderson ★ Errol Linton ★ Knucklehead ★ Outpost Drive ★ Luca Fogale ★ Dan Byrne ★ Jonny Morgan & The Moral Support ★ Lizzie No ★ Susto Stringband ★ Riley Downing ★ Ryan & Rory ★ Muireann Bradley ★ Ferris & Sylvester ★ Sheyna Gee ★ Jordan O'Keefe ★ Bec O'Malley ★ Gina Larner ★ William Matheny ★ Smithfield ★ Brennen Leigh ★ Bobby Dove ★ Sweet Thieves ★ Locks