Creamfields Festival 2026 set times have officially gone live, giving American dance music fans a clear picture of who plays when across the festival’s four days in Daresbury, Cheshire. The event runs Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30, 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of Creamfields at its Daresbury Estate home.
For U.S. travelers planning a last-minute trip or following along from home, this guide breaks down the confirmed schedule, headline sets, and the accommodation options available near the festival grounds.
When Creamfields 2026 Set Times Were Released
Organizers confirmed that full set times became available exclusively through the official Creamfields App starting July 30, 2026. That timeline held steady with previous years, when the app served as the sole source for stage-by-stage schedules ahead of the festival weekend.
Fans without the app can still track performances through community-run clash finder tools, though the official app remains the most accurate source since it reflects any last-minute changes.
Festival Dates and Location
Creamfields 2026 takes place at the Daresbury Estate, near Runcorn in Cheshire, England. The site sits just off the A56, close to the M56 motorway, and welcomes tens of thousands of attendees across the four-day run.
Organizers expect the event to draw a crowd similar in size to recent years, with more than 300 artists performing across roughly 30 stages. That scale makes Creamfields one of the largest dance music festivals anywhere in the world, and it explains why set times matter so much to attendees trying to map out their weekend.
Headline Sets Confirmed Across the Weekend
The 2026 lineup leans heavily on marquee house, techno, and dance acts, spread across stages including the Arc Stage, the APEX Indoor Main Stage, and Steel Yard.
Confirmed highlights include:
- Friday: Disclosure headlines the Arc Stage, with Teletech playing Steel Yard
- Saturday: Calvin Harris tops the Arc Stage bill, Armin van Buuren plays APEX Indoor Main Stage, and Amelie Lens joins Underworld at Steel Yard
- Sunday: Sonny Fodera closes out the Arc Stage, Ewan McVicar plays APEX Indoor Main Stage, and Swedish House Mafia also appear on APEX Indoor Main Stage
Other major names across the bill include Carl Cox, FISHER, John Summit, Chase & Status, Tiësto, and Franky Wah. Exact stage times for each artist are viewable inside the Creamfields App, and the schedule can still shift slightly in the days leading up to the event.
How the Daily Schedule Breaks Down
Creamfields typically follows a consistent daily rhythm, with music starting earlier on Sunday and running latest on Saturday night. In prior years, Thursday sets ran from roughly 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday extended from around 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday stretched into the early morning hours, and Sunday wrapped by 11 p.m. Attendees should confirm exact daily start and finish times through the app, since these windows can vary by stage and by year.
Campsites generally open earlier than the music, giving arriving fans time to set up before the first sets begin.
Creamfields Festival 2026 Accommodation Options
Creamfields Festival 2026 accommodation splits into two broad categories: on-site camping and off-site hotels. Each option suits a different kind of festival trip, and the right choice often depends on budget, comfort priorities, and how much travel time a visitor wants to deal with each night.
On-site camping remains the most popular choice among Creamfields regulars. The festival runs several tiers, including Standard, Bronze, Silver, and Gold camping, each offering a different level of facilities. Silver and Gold tiers include a pamper hub along with proper toilets and showers inside the campsite itself, while Standard and Bronze keep things simpler.
For fans wanting more comfort without leaving the festival grounds, Creamfields also offers Dreamfields luxury camping. This tier includes upgraded options like bell tents, cabins, and even Airstream trailers, each with unique bedding layouts. Pre-Pitch camping sits between standard and Dreamfields, offering ready-set-up tents without the full luxury package.
Both Dreamfields and Pre-Pitch campsites include 24-hour reception desks and proper restroom facilities. Dreamfields opens at 12 noon on Thursday, August 27, and guests must leave by 12 noon on Monday, August 31, 2026. Pre-Pitch follows the same opening and closing window.
Off-Site Hotels Near Daresbury
Travelers who prefer a real bed and daily access to hot showers often look toward nearby towns instead of camping. Warrington stands out as the closest and most convenient base, sitting just a short drive from the festival site.
Daresbury Park Hotel ranks among the nearest properties, reportedly just a five-minute walk from the festival grounds. It offers a restaurant, leisure facilities, free parking, and reliable Wi-Fi, making it a strong pick for anyone wanting minimal travel time between their room and the stages.
Other Warrington-area options include the Britannia Daresbury Park Hotel & Spa and several budget chains that cater specifically to festival crowds each August. Many hotels in the area report the bank holiday weekend as their busiest stretch of the year, so rooms tend to fill quickly and prices climb the closer the date gets.
Fans who want a livelier home base sometimes choose Liverpool instead, trading a longer commute for extra nightlife and dining options after the festival gates close. Manchester offers a third alternative, with a wider range of hotel inventory and its own transit connections back toward Daresbury.
Getting Around During the Festival
Regardless of which accommodation option travelers pick, transportation planning matters just as much as booking a room. Roads surrounding the Daresbury Estate get busy throughout the festival weekend, and police typically advise early arrivals for anyone driving in.
Shuttle services and taxis connect Warrington hotels to the site, though wait times can stretch during peak departure hours after headline sets wrap each night. Booking transport in advance alongside accommodation tends to save both time and stress once the weekend actually arrives.
Tickets Remain Available Through Ticketmaster
All Creamfields 2026 tickets sell exclusively through Ticketmaster via the official Creamfields website. Tickets are fully digital this year, meaning attendees access their pass directly through the Creamfields App rather than a printed or PDF ticket.
Ticket types range from single-day general admission passes to full four-day camping packages, with payment plans available on most tiers. Only holders of four-day, three-day camping, three-day non-camping, two-day Friday-and-Saturday, or Friday single-day tickets can enter the festival on opening day, so fans should double check their ticket type before planning a Friday arrival.
What This Means for U.S. Fans Heading to the U.K.
For American attendees making the trip, checking Creamfields Festival 2026 set times before finalizing hotel bookings makes practical sense. Knowing which stage hosts a favorite artist, and at what time, helps determine whether staying close to the site outweighs the savings of a Warrington hotel a few miles away.
With headline sets from Calvin Harris, Disclosure, Swedish House Mafia, and Carl Cox already locked into the schedule, this year’s 20th anniversary edition at Daresbury looks set to draw one of the festival’s largest international crowds yet.
Got your Creamfields 2026 plans locked in yet? Drop your must-see set in the comments below.