Manchester Psych Fest

Manchester Psych Fest certainly packs it in. It’s a one-day deep dive into the alternative music scene that marks the end of the summer festival season in the city.

From lo-fi to shoegaze swagger, acid folk to goth industrialism, this is the festival that brings it all together with a psychedelic flourish.

Manchester Psych Fest 2026

The 2026 edition takes place on Saturday 5 September at various venues, mainly in the Oxford Road area, including The Apollo, Manchester Academy, The Ritz, Projekts Skate Park, Gorilla, YES, Deaf Institute, Circle Square, Sandbar, Lass O’Gowrie and The Bread Shed.

This year’s headliners include the hypnotic anthems of Scottish folk-psych group The Beta Band, indie art-rock stars Stereolab, garage punk experimentalist Ty Segall, and polka-dotted, viral Canadian duo Angine de Poitrine. Considering it’s a one-day event, the line-up is stacked with over 60 acts and more still to be announced.

Expect DJs, art, film screenings, yoga, workshops, talks and visuals as well as music, not to mention plenty of food options. Although, this being a city-based psychedelic carnival, there are plenty of places nearby to refuel as you dash from one gig to the next.

See the full list of headliners here.