Sunshine greets early arrivals at Shindig 2026

A music festival described as "a mixture of Burning Man and Glastonbury" has kicked off just as temperatures rise across the West.

Gates opened at Shindig Festival at the Charlton Park Estate, near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, at midday on Thursday.

With temperatures forecast to be in the high 20s over the weekend, free water stations have been placed around the site, organisers have said.

The festival faced a last-minute licence review in relation to the inclusion of Bob Vylan on the line-up. The outcome of the hearing was that 'no further steps are necessary' and the event could go ahead.

Simon Clarke told BBC Wiltshire the first night of the event had been "quite a party."

Medical teams are "on alert" given the warm weather and free water will be available at all bars with taps dotted across the site, Clarke added.

He continued: "Having so many trees is amazing, it's like having umbrellas everywhere and people can sit under the trees in the shade."

Day tickets remain for the festival with visitors able to camp at the end of each day to reduce cars moving around the area late at night.

Along with Bob Vylan, the line up includes Fat Dog, Snapped Ankles, WAR and Jurassic 5's Chali 2NA.

A DJ set from Ishmael Ensemble, Mungo's HiFi, My Baby, Coleen Cosmo Murphy, Joshua Idehen and Aroop Roy also feature.

Melissa Kidd, communications officer for Shindig, told BBC Wiltshire the first day had been "incredible."

She added: "We're using a different part of the site - the arboretum. The trees are looking amazing and there's loads of shade, it's a gorgeous temperature."

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