Music & Concerts
Hidden Beach 2026 — From a Weekend to a Summer of Culture
After the success of 2025, Hidden Beach returns to Hastings — and in 2026 it becomes more than a festival.
From 31 July to 31 August 2026, Hidden Beach unfolds as a month-long Summer of Culture across Hastings and St Leonards — with music, food, film, art, workshops, wellbeing and community experiences woven through the town.
At the heart of it all sits the main festival day:
Hidden Beach Festival at The Oval — Saturday 8 August
This is the big shared moment. The place everyone gathers. The day when the whole town comes together.
So yes — it’s still the festival you loved last year.
And now it’s also a whole summer of culture around it.
A full day of music, culture, food and connection by the sea
Hidden Beach Festival returns to The Oval for a full day of live music, DJs, creative activity, food and shared summer energy.
Set in Hastings’ iconic coastal green space, this one-day gathering brings together global rhythms, local creativity and community spirit into a rich, welcoming festival environment open to all.
From midday into the evening, The Oval becomes a place to dance, listen, explore, eat, meet and celebrate — offering a carefully curated mix of sounds, activities and atmospheres that reflect the diversity and creativity of contemporary culture.
This event is the centrepiece of the wider Hidden Beach Summer of Culture (31 July – 31 August) — a month-long programme of music, food, film, workshops, learning and community activity across Hastings and St Leonards.
Your festival ticket gets you into the heart of that story.
🎤 Live Music
Live bands and vocalists across salsa, Latin, Cuban, Afrobeat, reggae, soul, jazz and more — bringing rich musical traditions to the main stage.
🎧 DJs
A full programme of DJs carrying the energy from afternoon into evening, blending underground sounds with festival favourites.
🍽 Food & Bar
Independent food traders serving high-quality street food inspired by global cuisines, plus a festival bar with cold drinks and cocktails throughout the day.
🎨 Creative Workshops & Activities
Hands-on sessions for children, families and adults — including dance, drumming, arts and crafts, movement and storytelling — offering ways to participate alongside the music.
🌴 Festival Space & Atmosphere
Chill-out zones, shaded areas, culture corners and relaxed social spaces designed for gathering, resting, dancing and connecting.
Hidden Beach is built on a simple idea: culture is something we make and share together.
By bringing music, food, art and creative activity into a free-flowing public space, the festival supports:
• access to culture for broad and diverse audiences
• participation and creative confidence across ages and backgrounds
• social connection, wellbeing and belonging
• visibility for local, national and international artists and practitioners
It creates space for people to come together, experience high-quality cultural work, and take part in something joyful, open and collective.
Your festival ticket gives you:
• 10 hours of programming (12pm–10pm)
• Live bands and DJs across multiple genres
• Creative workshops and activities throughout the day
• A vibrant festival environment by the sea
• A welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for all
Whether you stay all day or drop in for a few hours, Hidden Beach Festival at The Oval offers a full, varied and immersive summer festival experience — and opens the door into the wider Summer of Culture around it.
Date: Saturday 8 August 2026
Time: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: The Oval, Hastings
Tickets: £15 (Under 12s free)
Part of the Hidden Beach Summer of Culture — 31 July to 31 August 2026
