Cropredy 2026

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Check out the Haar. We've seen them several times and enjoy their music a lot.

I just have and they seem like perfect sunny afternoon music!  🎶

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Check out the Haar. We've seen them several times and enjoy their music a lot.

Fantastic band, they even manage to bring new life to such folk staples as “Wild Rover” and “Danny Boy”
Really looking forward to seeing them again.

[hendo (Dave)]

An article in Oxford Mail says up to 15,000 could attend this yr . This will obviously include ‘crew’ , stewards, stalls etc but would be up on last yr.  Mail may have git it wrong of course.
I am playing a fest on the Sat so I have known for some weeks that I couldnt attend this yr…..
I have seen a lot of these bands before , incl fests last yr but I have been having the stirrings of withdrawal symptoms.

[hendo (Dave)]

Won't feel quite the same without Richard Digance - anybody know why he's not playing?

According to his website he's at Corton Coastal Village nr. Lowestoft - August 15-Warners, Corton Coastal Village, Corton, Nr Lowestoft -

From his website: Richard is delighted to have signed an agreement with Warner Hotels for regular monthly appearances during 2026 at Warner Leisure Hotels & Breaks. Warners appearances are shown in purple. For Warners information visit www.warnerhotels.co.uk

Warner Holidays are welcome to him. Other opinions are, as always, available.

PS I'll just add a bit of flesh to the above comment - I enjoyed Digance when he first took over the Saturday lunchtime slot for my 2nd visit to Cropredy in 2002. He was funny in an old-school "this is how they used to do it" kind of way, and I used to look forward to him every year. Trouble is, his act became samey, stale and more "Daily Mail" over the years to the point of embarrassment. He became more thin-skinned ; he could dish it out but couldn't take it. The year he called out the Talkawhile forum from the Cropredy stage for daring to criticise him was the start of the decline. The final straw was probably the "England one day will be great, we just don't know the date..." song...

I'm not knocking those who still enjoy his brand of comedy, however, I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing they'd give another standup a try in that slot, mix it up a bit, keep it fresh and interesting.

Bob Fox would be great for that slot, imho.

[Andy]

An article in Oxford Mail says up to 15,000 could attend this yr . This will obviously include ‘crew’ , stewards, stalls etc but would be up on last yr.  Mail may have git it wrong of course.
I am playing a fest on the Sat so I have known for some weeks that I couldnt attend this yr…..
I have seen a lot of these bands before , incl fests last yr but I have been having the stirrings of withdrawal symptoms.

6,500 is a hard total for tickets. I can't see there being 8,500 staff. Perhaps 1,000 at a very long stretch.

[davidmjs]

An article in Oxford Mail says up to 15,000 could attend this yr . This will obviously include ‘crew’ , stewards, stalls etc but would be up on last yr.  Mail may have git it wrong of course.
I am playing a fest on the Sat so I have known for some weeks that I couldnt attend this yr…..
I have seen a lot of these bands before , incl fests last yr but I have been having the stirrings of withdrawal symptoms.

6,500 is a hard total for tickets. I can't see there being 8,500 staff. Perhaps 1,000 at a very long stretch.

It'll be staff plus complimentary ticket holders, of course, but personally I'd be amazed if those totalled 500 on top of the already announced limit.  Either the Mail is very wrong or we're being told porkies, and that seems unlikely.

[Andy]

Agreed. I think the Oxford Mail had a brain f**t. Look for em-dashes in the story, a giveaway it was AI generated.

[hendo (Dave)]

As I’ve said before I am wary of posting on here as my last Cropredy was 2018, although I went Brase fringe after that.
I am starting to question the word fringe at the Brase.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ZJrejknFXZ5kYhxJL2v8AiocN9koCRczaRyHhrf7Z7PS9x61YBan36qP12Ehv2jwl&id=100063697865098

Several acts here who sit very comfortably on the main stage .
I can’t get down on the Saturday, I’m playing another fest but I will try to get down on other days …it’s about getting down early and finding parking!

[Yorkshire Chris]

Email just received from Fairport states, "Talking of Cropredy, tickets are selling very quickly indeed for our ‘right sized’, reduced capacity festival that was such a hit last year. 85% of the 6500 tickets have now been sold so if you do wish to attend, please book asap to avoid disappointment".

Just a heads up for anyone wanting to go but not having yet bought tickets...

[davidmjs]

Email just received from Fairport states, "Talking of Cropredy, tickets are selling very quickly indeed for our ‘right sized’, reduced capacity festival that was such a hit last year. 85% of the 6500 tickets have now been sold so if you do wish to attend, please book asap to avoid disappointment".

Just a heads up for anyone wanting to go but not having yet bought tickets...

Which would be 975 tickets...

[Yorkshire Chris]

Email just received from Fairport states, "Talking of Cropredy, tickets are selling very quickly indeed for our ‘right sized’, reduced capacity festival that was such a hit last year. 85% of the 6500 tickets have now been sold so if you do wish to attend, please book asap to avoid disappointment".

Just a heads up for anyone wanting to go but not having yet bought tickets...

Which would be 975 tickets...

Well...972 as I bought 3 after posting...!  

[Adam]

285 remaining, per Peggy last week…

[davidmjs]

Those who aren't on FB may not be aware of things kicking off with the Brasenose.  Postings by Peggy.  Bands withdrawing from playing there etc.  

I've not been paying close attention so maybe somebody in the know can summarise the situation?

[Andy]

I haven't seen Peggy's post(s) but am aware that TRADarrr, Miranda Sykes and Chris While & Julie Matthews have all withdrawn from the Brasenose "Fringe" due to reports of suppliers and younger workers there last year remaining largely unpaid.

I can't say I'm surprised, the Brase seemed to be jumping the shark last year and getting well above themselves.

[Andy]

I found a post with Peggy's words. Pretty strong words at that.

[ColinB]

Are they going to change their name to the Brassneck?

Sadly there is a venue in Lancaster which has a bad reputation when it comes to paying performers. In these post-Covid days bands often struggle to make ends meet and the last thing they need is venues messing them about. A couple of gigs at another venue in town have been cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

Fingers crossed that an alternative venue can be found.

[Will S]

Apparently over the past few years it has been run by various companies (all owned by the same people) who have successively declared themselves bankrupt in order to avoid paying debtors, including local youngsters who'd been doing p/t work as well as suppliers.

[Adam]

The posts from local residents are pretty scathing; sounds like an absolute s@!t show.

[Wardi]

Through the 80's & 90's etc I enjoyed many a lazy pint in the sun on the Brasenose lawn, happy days.  It seems that when they functioned as a normal pub coping with a busy festival once a year they could keep afloat, ditto the Red Lion.  When the Brasenose started the fringe more recently and the pub began to morph into a mini version of the O2 I did wonder if they had done their sums correctly.  They have clearly become over ambitious and in the process have alienated villagers, performers, and the chaps at the main festival.  Trying to organise another fringe when they owe money from last year is breathtakingly cynical.  

[Andy]

Several other acts have withdrawn now, I wonder just how viable the Brasenose will be this summer?