Next month, Westonbirt Arboretum will once again become one of the UK’s most atmospheric live music settings as Forest Live returns for its 25th anniversary season, bringing a week of open-air concerts deep into one of Britain’s most celebrated woodland landscapes.
Presented by Forestry England, the June 2026 series blends headline performances with the living backdrop of Westonbirt’s world-renowned tree collection, where ancient avenues, rare specimens and carefully curated landscapes create a setting unlike a conventional festival site. With dance, rock, pop and reggae legends set to perform, the arboretum is transformed each evening into a natural amphitheatre where sound, light and woodland meet.
Arriving early is part of the Westonbirt experience. Before the music begins, visitors are encouraged to explore the arboretum’s extraordinary plant collections, home to around 15,000 specimens and 2,500 tree species from across the globe. Westonbirt holds international significance not only as a visitor destination but as a centre for conservation and scientific research, including collections of threatened species that Forestry England actively works to protect for future generations. It is a landscape where ecology and public enjoyment sit comfortably together, and during Forest Live that balance becomes part of the day itself.
There is also time to take in the arboretum’s elevated canopy walkway in Silk Wood, which offers a rare treetop perspective across the woodland, or to follow family trails that include interactive activities and the much-loved Gruffalo sculptures. These quieter daytime moments sit in contrast to what follows in the evening, when the arboretum shifts pace and purpose as stages are brought to life among the trees.
As dusk falls, Westonbirt becomes something different again. The stage sits within open woodland glades, framed by towering trees that absorb and soften the sound, while natural contours form gentle viewing slopes for the audience. It is a setting that feels expansive yet intimate, where long summer evenings stretch into dusk-lit performances and the boundary between venue and landscape becomes increasingly indistinct.
This year’s Westonbirt line-up reflects the breadth of Forest Live’s programming, opening on 24 June with Fatboy Slim alongside Sally C and DJ Paulette, followed by Deacon Blue with Lightning Seeds and Shay O’Dowd on 25 June. UB40 ft Ali Campbell take to the stage on 26 June with support from Bitty McLean and Reggae Roast ft MC Horseman, before Rick Astley headlines on 27 June with The Lottery Winners and Deco. The series concludes on 28 June with Richard Ashcroft, joined by Tom Meighan, Apollo Junction and DJ Wayne, rounding off a week that moves fluidly from electronic and dance through to indie and reggae influences.
Now marking its 25th year, Forest Live continues to operate as more than a concert series. Delivered by Forestry England, it contributes directly to the management of the nation’s forests, with proceeds supporting conservation work, habitat restoration and large-scale tree planting across its estate. In recent years, Forestry England has welcomed hundreds of millions of visits across its woodlands and planted millions of trees, reinforcing the scale of its environmental role and the significance of events like Forest Live within that wider mission.
Forests remain open during the day throughout the event period, although visitors should note that opening hours may vary on concert days and that parking arrangements operate separately from standard visits. As Westonbirt prepares to welcome thousands of concertgoers, careful planning ensures the arboretum remains both a functioning visitor attraction and a live performance space, with minimal disruption to its wider landscape.
What ultimately defines Forest Live at Westonbirt is not just the calibre of the artists or the scale of the production, but the setting itself. It is a rare convergence of world-class live music and one of the UK’s most significant botanical landscapes, where concerts are experienced not in spite of nature, but because of it.
Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum – Forest Live 2026 dates
- Wednesday 24 June: Fatboy Slim (with Sally C + DJ Paulette)
- Thursday 25 June: Deacon Blue (with Lightning Seeds + Shay O’Dowd)
- Friday 26 June: UB40 ft Ali Campbell (with Bitty McLean + Reggae Roast ft MC Horseman)
- Saturday 27 June: Rick Astley (with The Lottery Winners + Deco)
- Sunday June 28 June: Richard Ashcroft (with Tom Meighan + Apollo Junction + DJ Wayne)
