Cardiff’s huge celebration of music and culture is returning for a third year, bringing more than two weeks of live music, immersive experiences, one-off performances and the Welsh Music Prize to venues across the city.
Cardiff Music City Festival returns from 2 to 17 October 2026, once again bringing together some of the biggest events in the city’s music calendar, including Sŵn Festival, Llais and the Welsh Music Prize.
And this year’s programme is looking pretty impressive.
Three Mercury Prize nominees, an exclusive UK performance and everything from grassroots gigs to major international artists will form part of a packed programme spread across the Welsh capital.
Among those appearing will be 2026 Mercury Prize nominee Dove Ellis, alongside jazz pianist Joe Webb, who was nominated in 2025 and will perform as part of a special event curated by BBC broadcaster Bethan Elfyn.
They’ll be joined by 2022 Mercury Prize nominee Gwenno, while legendary New York avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson will come to Cardiff as part of this year’s Llais festival.
One of the more unusual performances comes from French hip-hop and trip-hop pioneer Wax Tailor, who will make his only UK appearance of 2026 beneath the immersive dome at CULTVR.
The idea behind Cardiff Music City Festival is that you don’t necessarily need to know exactly what you’re looking for before you arrive.
Across the 16 days, venues around Cardiff will host performances, exhibitions, talks, pop-ups, conferences and immersive experiences, giving audiences the chance to stumble across something completely new.
The city’s multi-venue Sŵn Festival returns with more than 150 artists expected to perform across three days, while Llais will once again bring an international programme to Wales Millennium Centre.
There are plenty of smaller and more unusual events happening too.
Richard James will bring his immersive installation Evolution of Beauty to the Temple of Peace, while Cardiff-based experimental art collective tactileBOSCH will celebrate its 25th anniversary with special performances.
The programme will also explore the influence of the American Punkhouse movement in Wales, while Radio Sudd will return for another Cardiff Night Market takeover.
Canopi Lounge will become a festival hub, with industry talks, conferences and creative gatherings taking place alongside the live music.
The opening night on 2 October will also feature something particularly special, as Welsh collective Acid Casuals celebrate 20 years of their acclaimed album Omni with a unique performance created for the festival.
Elsewhere, audiences will be able to discover emerging Welsh artists including Morn and Cerys Hafana, alongside 6Music favourites Adult DVD and Honeyglaze.
Festival curator Ruth Cayford said: “The programme is designed to encourage discovery. After a successful summer music series of outdoor events in the city, we are shifting the focus to our much loved indoor venues.
“It doesn’t matter if people come for Sŵn, Llais, the Welsh Music Prize or one of our many special events, they’ll find themselves part of a city-wide celebration that connects artists, audiences and communities through music.”
The festival is also about supporting Cardiff’s music scene beyond the headline performances.
Through the wider Cardiff Music City strategy, programmes including Little Gigs are helping young musicians take their first steps into live performance, while the city’s Grassroots Venues Fund provides financial support to independent venues.
Cardiff Council has also partnered with Music Venue Trust, using income generated by large outdoor concerts in the city to support grassroots venues and provide them with new backline equipment.
Cllr Jennifer Burke, Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Events, said: “Cardiff’s music scene is special, and we’ll keep doing as much as we can to help it continue to thrive.
“The festival brings the city’s whole music ecosystem together. It’s a fantastic celebration of the talent and creativity we’ve got here and a great chance to discover new music and support local venues.”
Cardiff Music City Festival runs across the city from Friday 2 to Saturday 17 October 2026, with Sŵn Festival, Llais, the Welsh Music Prize and dozens of additional events forming part of this year’s programme.
