With summer 2026 already another big year for festivals, one of the longest running in Greater Manchester is Rochdale Feel Good Festival and it returns on Saturday 8 August with two-time BRIT Award winner and pop/soul icon Gabrielle, rock band Ash, and Starsailor playing the main stage. They’ll be alongside some rapidly rising new talent including Manchester’s Alex Spencer and many more.
Gabrielle’s 1999 number one album ‘Rise’ was one of the most successful of the era, certified 4 x platinum, a status matched by her greatest hits compilation ‘Dreams Can Come True.’ Six of her albums have reached the top ten, including 2018’s ‘Under My Skin’ and 2021’s ‘Do It Again.’ With 16 top 40 singles including two number ones, she’ll be bringing sing along anthems to Rochdale including ‘Rise’, ‘Out Of Reach’, ‘Sunshine’, ‘Give Me a Little More Time’, ‘When A Woman’, ‘Don’t Need The Sun To Shine’ and of course, ‘Dreams.’ After earning a new generation of fans during performances on ‘The Masked Singer’ she’s performed with some of the world’s biggest artists including joining Adele at two sold-out BST Hyde Park shows.
Indie rock chart-toppers Ash is the Northern Irish group behind a stack of hits including ‘Girl from Mars’, ‘Shining Light’, ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Oh Yeah’ and ‘Kung Fu.’ Over the last three decades they have cemented their status as one of the UK’s most enduring and vibrant live rock acts.
Starsailor renowned for their melodic indie rock recently completed a sell-out European tour celebrating their 25th anniversary. Still with the original line-up, they’re famous for hit albums including ‘Love is Here’ and ‘Silence is Easy’ plus ten top 40 singles including ‘Four To The Floor’, ‘Good Souls’, ‘Silence Is Easy’, ‘Alcoholic’ and ‘Fever.’ Their 2024 album ‘Where The Wild Things Grow’ reached number two on the Official Independent Albums Chart.
Alongside the big names this year you can enjoy sets from soul and funk pioneers The Allergies and Manchester indie artist Alex Spencer. Known for sharp songwriting, raw honesty and electric live energy, he first gained attention busking on the streets before earning support from BBC Radio 1, Radio X and then a global audience when his single ‘Nightmares’ featured on the EA SPORTS FC25 game soundtrack and he’s supported One Direction star Louis Tomlinson across European arenas this year.
You could be seeing another stadium filler of the future – Lottery Winners first played this festival 12 years ago as relative unknowns. Two new Rochdale bands will play the biggest gig of their careers – house-pop, funk and indie disco four-piece K-ESTATE and new five-piece rock band Metro are also on the bill.
Aside from the main stage there’s lots more to enjoy, including live music across seven indoor venues and a food and drink village.
While early bird, phase 2 and phase 3 tickets are sold out, you can still get discounted tickets (£35 + 7.5% booking fee) online at rochdale.gov.uk/FeelGoodFestival or phone QuayTickets on 0161 876 2015. VIP upgrade packages are also available.
The bi-annual festival is organised by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council.
Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation said: “Gabrielle is one of the UK’s most influential singer-songwriters, so to have her performing in Rochdale will be very special, together with two hugely popular indie rock bands and a host of other amazing acts. With the main stage in the restored Rochdale Town Hall Square and gardens, set against the backdrop of the town hall it’s a stunning location too.”
The festival is supported by the council together with sponsorship from local businesses, including Premier Kia, The Royal Toby Hotel, Hopwood Hall College and Transport for Greater Manchester.
To cut single use plastic, tickets include a re-usable drink cup to be collected upon arrival at the festival site.
It will be a big weekend for music in Rochdale. The night before the festival (Friday 7 August) synth-pop icons Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) perform a headline show at Rochdale Town Hall Square alongside post-punk legends Peter Hook & The Light, and Manchester’s post-punk/funk band – A Certain Ratio.
