Celebrating a decade of country music at Whitebottom Farm, Buckle & Boots marks its 10th anniversary with its biggest line-up yet, blending Nashville stars, UK talent and a true festival family spirit. 

A decade of nashville

A decade ago, Buckle & Boots Festival began as a simple idea shared around a kitchen table: create a country music festival in the UK that had the warmth, heart and authenticity of Nashville, without losing the grit and charm of the North West.  

Ten years on, that spark has grown into the UK’s leading independent country festival – and a five-time winner of the UK’s Best Country Festival – drawing artists and fans from across the world to a pocket of Greater Manchester that now feels like its own little country music home. It has evolved from a grassroots passion project into a landmark event, proving that British country audiences are not only loyal but growing in number, appetite and influence each year. 

Join the fun

Set on the beautifully rural Whitebottom Farm, Buckle & Boots Festival returns on 21–24 May 2026 for its biggest celebration yet. Anyone who’s been will tell you the same thing: Buckle & Boots feels less like a festival and more like a secret you’re glad to be in on.  

There’s headline firepower on the Main Stage, discoveries waiting on the Paddock Stage, and that rare festival feeling where artists mingle with fans, friendships spark over a beer, and the music always comes first. Even first-time visitors often describe an immediate sense of belonging, as if they’ve stepped into a ready-made community rather than a sprawling festival site. 

Headliners

Over the last ten years, the festival has welcomed a remarkable roster of talent. From US favourites like William Michael Morgan, Ashley Campbell, Phil Vassar, Eric Paslay, and Maggie Baugh, to homegrown heavyweights such as The Shires, Jade Helliwell, Kezia Gill, and Jake O’Neill, Buckle & Boots has become a trusted stage for both established artists and the stars of tomorrow. Many have returned year after year, forming part of the extended family that’s grown around the event.  

The 10-year celebrations begin early, with the Buckle & Boots New Year’s Big Bash at Manchester’s iconic Band on the Wall on 2–3 January 2026. It’s a two-day warm-up packed with live music, familiar festival faces and that unmistakable Buckle & Boots buzz – the perfect way to kick off a milestone year.  

Buckle & Boots Switzerland

This year’s schedule reaches beyond the UK too, with a brief post-festival stop in Switzerland for Buckle & Boots Switzerland, taking place on 28–29 May 2026 in Aarau – a small extension of the anniversary spirit, bringing a slice of the festival’s sound to Europe.  

Back on the farm, the anniversary weekend promises a line-up filled with Nashville favourites, rising UK talent and returning artists who’ve become part of the festival’s story.  

Songwriting sits at the heart of the Buckle & Boots experience, and the intimate Writers Rounds continue to be a standout – raw, unfiltered sessions that bring audiences up close to the craft.  

Add in the much-loved Country Orchestra, lively line dancing workshops, and a host of country-themed vendors offering everything from BBQ food to Western wear, and you begin to understand why the festival has become such a fixture in the country calendar.  

A decade of country, community, and unforgettable nights. 

Buckle & Boots 2026 – the anniversary you won’t want to miss.