Rock N Roll Circus is returning to Don Valley Bowl in Sheffield over the August Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th August, bringing together around 40 live music artists and 40 circus performers for a four-day celebration.
Now a firm fixture on the South Yorkshire events calendar, the festival features an expanded site, an upgraded VIP offering, and a brand-new GA+ area.
At the heart of the event is the festival’s Big Top. Rather than watching headline acts from across a large open field, all major performances take place beneath canvas, offering the scale of an arena show with an intimate atmosphere. The festival scheduling also ensures that main stage sets do not clash.
The Music Lineup
The music program opens on Thursday with The Kooks performing Inside In / Inside Out in full to mark its 20th anniversary, joined by Sheffield favourites Milburn performing Well, Well, Well in full, and Miles Kane.
Friday sees The Streets perform A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full, while Saturday features Wunderhorse in their only scheduled outdoor headline show of the summer, alongside Baxter Dury, English Teacher, and Fat Dog.
The weekend concludes on Sunday with Richard Ashcroft delivering a greatest hits set alongside The Fratellis, Cast, and Embrace.
Beyond the main stage, the festival’s Discovery Stage will champion emerging talent from Yorkshire and across the UK, featuring breakthrough acts alongside performances from artists including Cruz Beckham and The Breakers, Spanish Horses, and Villanelle.
Circus & Street Food
Alongside the live music, more than 40 circus performers will fill the site across the four days, including aerialists, acrobats, stilt walkers, fire performers, and a life-sized mechanical elephant roaming the grounds. International high-wire artist Ellis Grover will also return to perform above the crowd.
The food and drink selection highlights independent Yorkshire traders alongside award-winning UK street food, including Yorkshire Burrito, Unit Burger, Greek street food, and God Save The Toasties, alongside independent craft bars.
Festival Director Ali O’Reilly said: “Sheffield has played a huge part in the Rock N Roll Circus story and every year the city pushes us to think bigger.
“To welcome artists like Richard Ashcroft, The Streets, Wunderhorse, The Kooks and Milburn alongside around 40 live acts and 40 circus performers makes this our strongest Sheffield programme yet.”
Event Opening Times
- Thursday 27 August: Gates open from 4:00pm
- Friday 28 August: Gates open from 3:00pm
- Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 August: Full day programming across the site
