We Out Here 2026 delivered a strong alternative for anyone missing Glastonbury this summer. The festival ran over the weekend on the grounds of St Giles House, the Earl of Shaftesbury’s estate in Wimborne St Giles, Dorset. In its seventh year, it drew a crowd of 25,000 to 400 live acts and DJs across 15 stages, with programming spanning soul, afro, hip-hop, house and related genres.
Curated stages and standout sets
The music stages carried the clear imprint of curator Gilles Peterson. The schedule moved from jazz in the early afternoon through electronic and dub, finishing with Drum and Bass and House late into the night. Highlights included jazz-rap trio Digable Planets on Thursday, Joy Crookes on the main stage on Friday, and Adam F leading the rave that night. The Beats Hotel stage was packed every night, with strong smoky cocktails made with Ilegal Mezcal and dancers spilling outside for breaks.
The Love Dancing tent drew many hours of attention, with sets from Daniella Dee, Poly Ritmo and Rohan Rakhit. Saturday afternoon saw the jazz, hip-hop and afrobeats collective Steam Down at the Lush Life stage, followed by Jamie Woon on the Main Stage and Peven Everett closing it with an energising performance. Sunday’s rumoured secret set was confirmed as producer and DJ Four Tet, who closed the Rhythm Corner with Gilles Peterson.
Wellness, talks and family areas
Recovery took place in the lakeside Wellness area, where on Sunday morning hundreds of people lay under trees, joined low-octane yoga classes, took part in sound baths, swam in the lake or used the sauna. The Talks Tent drew a packed crowd for poetry performances and discussions about community under the umbrella of ‘Togetherness’.
The Family Area included the Disco Shed and Noise stages, which played quality music all day. Parents danced while children took skateboard lessons with Scorcha School, drumming workshops with Mbilla, made pizzas at Ruth’s Kitchen and painted sculptures. The festival’s open and relaxed vibe drew a bigger mix of races than typically seen at a non-specialist festival, and the atmosphere was generally respectful, with fewer loud overnight afterparties than other campsites.
