Festival Energy Returns to The Brewery Quarter with Summer Jam
Summer Jam returns to Cheltenham this June with three days of free live music, family entertainment, comedy and festival fun at The Brewery Quarter.
The countdown is on for one of Cheltenham's biggest free summer events as The Brewery Quarter prepares to welcome back Summer Jam: The Lakefest Warmup from 26-28 June 2026.
Returning for another packed weekend of entertainment, Summer Jam brings together live music, comedy, family activities and festival atmosphere in the heart of Cheltenham, offering visitors a taste of what is to come at this year's Lakefest Festival.
Festival-goers can enjoy performances from local and regional artists, family-friendly attractions, interactive entertainment and a host of free activities across the three-day event.
Friday evening gets the party started with live performances from Kytana, Flynn and the Mark Walby Band, delivering an energetic mix of soul, pop and rock to launch the weekend in style.
One of the biggest highlights arrives on Saturday with the Road to Lakefest Grand Finale, where six talented acts will battle it out for a coveted place on the iconic Lakefest main stage this August.
Visitors can also enjoy comedy and entertainment from Matt Barnard and Gareth Jones, better known as the viral sensation Cling Film Guy, before Cheltenham beatboxing stars Duke Duo take centre stage. The duo have performed alongside some of the biggest names in music and promise a memorable headline performance.
As darkness falls, the celebrations continue with a silent disco hosted by DJ Shippers and Friends, bringing festival-style fun to The Brewery Quarter late into the evening.
Sunday shifts the focus towards families, with performances from Cheltenham Rock Choir, Variations Academy, Phil from Cotswold Children's Parties, Adam Cross, Emzy Music and Tate Note before beatbox band Hive closes the weekend.
New for 2026 is a community dog show hosted by So Fetch, the independent dog grooming salon on Henrietta Street. Taking place between 12pm and 1pm on Sunday, categories include Waggiest Tail, Happiest Pooch and Grinchiest Paws, with all proceeds supporting Cheltenham Animal Shelter.
Throughout the weekend, younger visitors can also enjoy free arts and crafts activities from Spare Room Arts, ensuring there is plenty of entertainment for all ages.
Summer Jam also serves as the perfect warm-up for Lakefest 2026, which takes place at Eastnor Castle from 5-9 August. Visitors will be able to purchase festival tickets and merchandise throughout the weekend ahead of this year's event featuring headline performances from Madness, The Charlatans, Example and Bananarama.
"Summer Jam has become one of the highlights of our events calendar and we're incredibly excited to welcome visitors back for another fantastic weekend. With free live music, family entertainment, comedy, silent disco, our brand-new dog show and a real festival atmosphere, there's something for everyone to enjoy. It's the perfect way to kick-start summer in Cheltenham and get excited for Lakefest."
The event is free to attend and no tickets are required.
> Find out more about Summer Jam at The Brewery Quarter
Explore Gloucestershire
16 June 2026
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