Swinterfest will take place from Thursday 29 January to Sunday 1 February 2026, building on its first outing last year. Swindon based UK Research and Innovation, for the second year running sponsored the whole festival enabling all the music events are free entry to all.
The festival was created by the team behind the long-running Swindon Shuffle, with the idea of offering live culture at a time when many people tend to stay at home.
Organiser Ed Dyer said the concept was deliberately simple.
“This was about seeing whether people actually wanted to do something in winter, when they are normally hibernating,” he said. “We wanted it to be a kickstart for the year, to get people out of that post Christmas slumber and remind them there is still stuff going on.”
The inaugural event in January 2025 was kept small, with four days of live music spread across individual venues rather than a packed multi-venue format.
“It absolutely smashed it out of the park,” Ed said. “We had no idea how it was going to be received. We could have been standing in cold venues on dark January nights on our own. Instead it was as busy as the Shuffle, which was a very pleasant surprise.”
That response has led organisers to broaden the festival in 2026, while keeping live music at its core.
More than 30 grassroots artists are due to perform across venues including The Hop Inn, The Victoria, The Castle and The Beehive. Genres range from folk and Americana to indie, rock and post grunge.
Acts from Swindon will be joined by artists from across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
“To keep variety and interest, you have to throw the net a little wider,” Ed said. “They are all under the radar, unsigned, original acts. This is about giving those artists a proper platform.”
New elements have also been added this year. Poetry and spoken word will open the festival on Thursday night at The Pulpit on Devizes Road, while comedy arrives on Friday through a partnership with The Old Town Comedy Club at Christ Church Community Centre.
Participatory events, including Sip & Paint at Rudi’s Bar, will also feature, with additional DJ-led events still to be announced.
Most of the programme will remain free to attend, with only the comedy and Sip & Paint events requiring tickets.
“The economy is tough, venues are struggling and people are watching their spending,” Ed said. “Making the music free keeps it accessible. If people can come out, discover something new and not worry about the cost, that matters.”
The festival will again raise money for Prospect Hospice, with funds collected through donations, merchandise and venue collections across the weekend.
“It started for us through losing a friend [Dave Young] and seeing the support Prospect gave,” Ed said. “They do incredible work locally. Supporting them is a really important part of what we do.”
Ed also highlighted ongoing challenges facing Swindon’s live music scene, including the loss of venues and difficulties reaching local audiences.
“There is always talent coming through,” he said. “The problem is places to play and audiences knowing those places exist. If I could wave a magic wand, it would be less apathy locally, and better ways of advertising what is actually going on in the town.”
For the organisers, the festival is about challenging the idea that January should be a quiet month.
“January can feel like everyone is just waiting for spring,” Ed said. “Swinterfest is about saying, actually, there is plenty happening right now. Swindon does not need to hibernate.”
Full schedules and venue details are available via the Swinterfest facebook page.
