Teddy Rocks Festival 2026

Published May 1, 2026 · Updated May 26, 2026

Charisworth Farm, Blandford, Dorset

Before a guitar had been strummed or a drum hit, an army of volunteers had already been hard at work on the Charisworth Farm site in Blandford, creating what is effectively a small village-sized festival site.

Teddy Rocks Festival has grown enormously over the years, evolving with the times, and against all odds it continues to sell thousands of tickets. Since its inception in 2011, all profits from the festival have gone to a variety of children’s cancer charities. Tom Newton and his army of loyal supporters and local sponsors have helped keep the name of the festival’s namesake, Ted Newton, alive in so many ways.

The three-day festival features a host of familiar stages, including the Merry Woodland, Teddy Raves Tent, Jan Boyd Stage, Vocalzone Stage, Royal Ted Public House (the festival’s very own onsite pub), and the huge Ted Newton Main Stage, which has had an overhaul this year and seems even bigger. The festival still has one of the friendliest vibes around and is suitable for young and old alike. The line-up offers something for everyone and has become more eclectic with each passing year.

Boys Life

Friday evening’s Pop Party, featuring Boyzlife, S Club Duo, and the epic majesty of the euphoric Symphonic Ibiza orchestra, started the weekend in fantastic style. The new stage showed off the epic production values that Teddy Rocks has become synonymous with.

If the Pop Party wasn’t your thing, you could travel around the site and find other gems, including the ever-popular 1970s chart-topping band The Wurzels, who entertained all ages. With their Scrumpy and Western hits, including Combine Harvester and I Am a Cider Drinker, had the packed tent singing along with abandon.

Other stages showcased a variety of acts, including the spectacular tech-metal band Seething Akira, who alongside some fine originals treated the crowd to a reworked version of Faithless’s Insomnia.

Local heroes SOS (formerly Saints of Sin) delivered a top-notch performance on the Jan Boyd Stage, heightening the hype around their well-deserved Britain’s Got Talent appearances, where they are championing grassroots music bands and venues.

Festival mainstays Mischa & His Merry Men and Mikey Ball and The Company proved excellent alternative entertainment on the Merry Woodland

Mikey Ball and The Company

Saturday brought the threat of rain, and with one stall stocked with rain ponchos at the ready, it looked like festival-goers might get a soaking. For kids and parents alike, the Lords of Toddler Metal, Slay Duggee, lit up the Main Stage with their hilarious metal mayhem. Five bipedal dogs rocked out to well-known children’s classics in their own unique metal style. Chop Suey brought the majesty of System of a Down classics, while the theatrical masked personas of Knotslip unleashed the chaos and energy of metal titans Slipknot.

Slay Duggee

The Royal Ted featured a host of acoustic artists across the weekend and offered a more chilled vibe away from the main stages. The pub also provided some shelter from the heavy rain showers that made an appearance throughout the day. Schoolteacher and singer-songwriter Jack Spooner, aka Nory-J, pulled in a huge crowd, including many of his former pupils, who during one wonderful moment sang Jack’s lyrics back to him in a beautiful union. Dorchester’s Nick Capaldi serenaded festival-goers with some fantastic original tunes, while rocker-at-heart Tim Somerfield raised the energy and showed off his impressive guitar work.

The Vocalzone Stage kicked off with Chichester’s Black Mountain College, whose Depeche Mode soundcheck cover gave away one of their influences. Their set included a collection of great originals with plenty of impressive creativity.

The Mistakes

Poole’s own award-winning punk band The Mistakes stepped up next, showcasing tracks from their upcoming album Die Laughing, including the philosophical Life’s Too Short and the rallying From Square One. Dorset’s finest pop-punk quartet got the mosh pits and circle pits started as Callum and Tom jumped into the crowd to whip things up. Despite the band all being part of the Teddy Rocks crew and having put in enormous shifts over the weekend, they still brought boundless energy and delivered one of the performances of the festival. Their set was especially enjoyed by vocalist Callum’s mum and dad, proudly watching their son perform live for the first time.

Who remembers A, the band formed in the 1990s by brothers Jason and Adam Perry (one of the hardest bands to find online)? If you don’t remember them, you’ll almost certainly remember their songs Nothing and Starbucks. The Lowestoft band headlined the Vocalzone Stage on Saturday night and pulled in a great crowd. They delivered tracks from their new album Prang, including the catchy Hello Sunshine, Shit Summer, and the impressive Kings of Lowestoft. They didn’t disappoint, also including some of their 90s bangers, and despite vocalist Jason nearly losing his voice, the whole crowd left more than happy.

The entertaining Elvana — a Nirvana tribute band fronted by Elvis, or “Kellvis” (aka Paul Kell) — headlined the Ted Newton Main Stage. The band hail from “Disgraceland,” as they call it (or Newcastle upon Tyne, as we know it).

Elvana

They brought big personalities, theatrics, costumes and a whole lot of fun. Even if you don’t like Elvis or Nirvana, Elvana are a riveting band to watch.

At one point Kellvis climbed down from the stage and jumped into the audience, walking around the entire crowd while singing. Mixing A Little Less Conversation with Smells Like Teen Spirit, along with Can’t Help Falling in Love and Heart-Shaped Box, were both genius strokes. The crowd loved everything Elvana had to offer, proving they were worthy headliners.

Teddy Rocks has become a fantastic institution — multifaceted and overflowing with positivity for everyone involved. Long may the festival continue.

Sadly a prior commitment and a painful hit of tenonitis to my knee prevented me from returning on Sunday, but rest assured I am well informed that the party carried on in the same fashion…

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