Organisers of the Victorious Festival have announced that Richard Ashcroft, The Black Keys and Kasabian will headline the three-day event in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The UK’s biggest metropolitan festival is set to take place on Southsea Common from 28–30 August 2026, over the late August bank holiday weekend.
According to ITV News, Richard Ashcroft will perform on Friday night, followed by American rock duo The Black Keys on Saturday and Kasabian on Sunday. Other well-known acts confirmed for the weekend include Bastille, Faithless and Scissor Sisters. This marks a return for Ashcroft, who pulled out of a planned 2021 appearance over COVID-related restrictions.
The festival is a major boost for the local economy, having driven approximately £159.59 million into Portsmouth since it moved to Southsea Common in 2014. A report from Brighton & Hove News shows that last year’s event was a record-breaker for charity fundraising and helped deliver a record year for the festival; organisers are preparing for up to 80,000 attendees per day.
Reports from NME state that the Saturday performance by The Black Keys will be their first confirmed UK festival show of 2026. The event has grown significantly since it began at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2012. Local leaders have told the Portsmouth News that the festival remains a key part of the city’s identity as a major waterfront destination.
