Victorious Festival stands as one of the UK’s most vibrant metropolitan music gatherings, taking over Southsea Common in Portsmouth every late summer and drawing up to 80,000 ticketholders per day to its 10+ stages, big production and seaside atmosphere.Across three days (28/29/30 August 2026), the festival balances household headliners with celebrated legacy acts and energetic undercards.

Organisers have confirmed a stellar top end of the bill featuring Richard Ashcroft, The Black Keys and Kasabian as the core headliners, with equally buzz-worthy second-slot acts Nile Rodgers & CHIC, The Streets and Basement Jaxx rounding out the big-stage highlights.Confirmed Victorious Festival 2026 Bands:Richard Ashcroft, Scissor Sisters, Faithless, The Black Keys, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Bastille, Kasabian, The Streets, Basement JaxxOver the years, Victorious has drawn praise and affectionate comparisons to classic UK summer music weekends.

Reviewers from SouthseaFolk noted that ?Victorious festival-goers were in full force throughout the whole day, singing along, dancing and spreading positivity, capturing the communal joy of live performance.Similarly, in 2024, critics remarked WOW! Another year of huge success … nearly 80,000 people visit the site per day and offered wonderful memories for attendees and families.Festival-goers on TripAdvisor also attest to the ‘music [being] brilliant’ and enjoying the ‘enormous’ site with ‘loads to see and do,’ though some mention site logistics like signage and transport as areas for improvement.Tripadvisor Part of the appeal is Victorious? breadth: while the Common Stage hosts the biggest names, multiple other platforms’including the Castle Stage, the intimate ?Under the Trees? stage, and the seaside-facing set-ups’give space to rising artists, DJs and genre variants from indie rock to funk and electronica.visitportsmouth.co.uk The festival also retains a strong family focus, with dedicated areas for kids alongside the main music bill, making it genuinely multi-generational in appeal.visitportsmouth.co.uk Victorious’ impact on Portsmouth extends beyond music.

In 2024 alone, the event contributed ?24.3m to the local economy and has boosted good causes with over £135,000 donated to community projects.It’s not without its controversies – the 2025 edition saw political tensions over a set being cut short due to onstage signage, sparking artist and audience debate’but organisers addressed the issue and reaffirmed their commitment to safety and expression.Whether you return year after year or are planning your first, Victorious Festival on the South Coast remains one of the UK’s must-see summer music events, combining big-name performances with a friendly, seaside festival vibe that feels both laid-back and unforgettable.Tickets & details: victoriousfestival.co.uk/line-up/