Birkenhead Punk Festival returns in 2026 with a line-up that reads like a lovingly scuffed roll-call of punk’s past, present, and gloriously unpolished future. Taking over multiple venues in Birkenhead’s Rock Quarter across 4th and 5th July, this is a weekend built for people who like their music loud, direct, and completely uninterested in good manners.At the sharp end of the bill are genuine heavyweights.

Girlschool bring decades of riff-driven authority, GBH remain one of hardcore punk’s most enduring wrecking crews, and Ruts DC continue to prove that post-punk spirit doesn’t fade with age, it just sharpens. Around them sits a carefully stacked undercard that captures the full spectrum of UK punk and its many mutations, from street-level anthems to ska-flecked bounce, anarcho fury, and pub-room chaos.What really defines Birkenhead Punk Festival, though, is its atmosphere.

This isn’t a fenced-off field with luxury add-ons and corporate shine. It’s a town-centre takeover where bands, fans, and bars blur into one loud, friendly sprawl. You can catch a set, grab a pint, argue about which era of punk mattered most, then dive straight back into the pit without missing a beat.

The venues are close, the crowds are committed, and the sense of community is as important as the noise.Tickets are sensibly priced, the line-up runs deep, and the ethos is refreshingly no-nonsense. For full details, tickets, and updates, head to https://www.birkenheadpunk.co.uk/ and prepare for a weekend where volume, sweat, and solidarity still rule.Bands confirmed Girlschool, Ruts DC, GBH, Dribox Disco, Ed Tudor Pole, Brigandage, Hung Like Hanratty, Pete Bentham & The Dinner Ladies, Biteback, Omega Tribe, MDM, Screaming Dead, Random Hand, Headsticks, Instant Agony, The Gaks, Iconoclasts, The Dry Retch, Spam Javelin, Dead Raze, Strip Search Tramp, Year Zero, Stuntface, The Dregs, Sally Pepper, Fallen Mixies, Men