Every year, Manchester puts on an incredible series of of music festivals, but none as unique as Green Island Festival, which is back for 2026 in its usual three-chapter format. Situated within the sanctuary that is Hulme Garden Centre and the cultural institution NIAMOS, the festival is integrated in an abundance of flora and sprawls across Warwick St and the community centre.
Using nature as its stage, weave between the trees and plants to discover five different stages, each presenting a unique sound and energy to the festival. Now in its sixth year, Green Island Festival spans across three dates – 6th June, 25th July and 5th September – and will continue its commitment to showcasing sounds of the globe, community-led programming, accessibility, inclusivity and the championing of grassroots music culture in the heart of Hulme.
Green Island Festival 2026 line-up:
The Street Stage
This year, special homage will be paid to Manchester’s electronic music heritage on the Street Stage, situated on Warwick Street. The block party will stage pioneers – DJ Paulette in June, 808 State in July and A Guy Called Gerald in September; each of them icons in their own right, celebrated for their instrumental contribution in shaping the sound of UK rave and founding Manchester’s electronic music legacy.
The NIAMOS Stage
Over the past few years The NIAMOS stage has hosted a blend of internationally recognised artists and boundary-pushing performers. This June will see Grammy Award–winning duo Blue Lab Beats take to the stage; and July will see South African band BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) return after previous success.
One of the most exciting talents to emerge from the UK right now, JayaHadADream is locked in for September, alongside Raz & Alfa, uniting the worlds of club culture and live performance and showcasing their contemporary electronic sounds and experimental approaches in the autumn chapter.
The Bandstand Stage
The Bandstand Stage spotlights local collectives and curators, who each draw a line-up from their expert knowledge of Manchester’s expansive scene. In June, Ruf Dug – the producer, DJ, label boss and NTS selector with deep roots in the city’s underground scene, is back again for his annual takeover – returns to present Ruf Kutz.
The city staple queer party ROJAK MCR and cultural magazine Dance Police link up in July to present a very special collaborative takeover bridging club culture and commentary. The third and final takeover in September will be presented by Manchester’s original dub soundsystem, Freedom Masses Soundsystem – expect heavyweight selections inspired by an incredible 41 years in the scene.
The Selector Stage
The Selector Stage will once again house some of the finest selectors, from vinyl-led selector Léna C in June, and beloved Mancunian partystarters Supernature Disco x Out Since Friday in July, to the dedicated house and disco collective fuse with O.S.F selectors Julie Wills, Rina Ladybeige, Laura Jackson and Jimmy Turnbull bringing the ultimate party to Green Island Festival.
SIT & BUN vs HIT & RUN, will see legendary Manchester-based promoter Hit & Run take the reins for September, championing forward-thinking bass heavy music, raw energy and a cutting-edge line-up.
The Marquee Stage
The Marquee Stage remains dedicated to the best live emerging vocalists, rappers and bands. June boasts Welsh singer-songwriter Moli, Zawedde, and singer-songwriter Anna Lynch. July welcomes The Thiara Collective, and Bossa Dos Patos, and for the final chapter in September, jazz-fusion, neo-soul collective Midnight Matters will present a high energy set of groove-led songwriting, jazz harmony and R&B vocals. Plus, Flat Moon, a wonderfully bizarre six-piece whose sound crash-lands between funk and punk. Keep your eyes peeled for the wave two line-up announcement in the coming months.
New family area at Green Island Festival
On a mission to make the festival more family friendly, there will be a brand new family area with a dedicated daytime programme curated by Z-arts – the arts centre for children and families. The Imaginarium invites families to make, move, and explore together through nature-inspired creative activities. A relaxed, joyful space for curious minds and shared moments of creative play, expect drop-in art workshops, nature inspired storytelling and magical nature adventures.
Community-first experience, anti-algorithm programming
With a decade plus experience of DJing and working as programmers across clubs and music venues, founders George McGirr and Stephan Agbogbe have fine-tuned their ears through this vast sonic exposure. Their experience has bestowed them with an extensive knowledge of artists, selectors and bands from the UK and beyond that are innovating and creating music that deserves to be platformed.
Rooted in community and an appreciation of a plethora of talent both locally and globally, Green Island Festival is dedicated to anti-algorithm programming, with each artist on the line-up handpicked with care and intention.
In a time when grassroots music venues and clubs have been closing at a rapid rate, people feel more anxiety about going out, and the cost of living crisis is hitting hard, the festival strives to continue to provide a sanctuary for artists and music lovers from all walks of life.
Each date, the festival will run from 12pm-9:30pm, with tickets now available from £26.25. Group tickets are also available to purchase, and free entry for children aged 13 or under.