Stowaway Festival is preparing to welcome festivalgoers back to Blackpit Farm near Stowe for three days of music, arts and outdoor experiences from July 31 to August 2.

The independently organised event has announced a line-up spanning everything from jazz and soul to drum and bass and electronic music. Brooklyn group Say She She will open the weekend on Friday, joined by Eris Drew and Gallegos, Move D, Alex Kassian, Dr Banana, London Elektricity, Lens, DJ Zinc and Makoto. Gabriels and Ishmael Ensemble will also perform DJ sets.

Tickets for Stowaway Festival 2026 are available now. Get yours here.

Friday will also feature a milestone celebration for Hospital Records, with the influential drum and bass label hosting a special 30th anniversary showcase on the Shake Off Stage.

Saturday’s programme features Skream, Calibre and Emma-Jean Thackray among the headline acts, alongside Scientist, 1-800 Girls, Nicky Blackmarket, Joshua Idehen and Francois K.

The closing day includes a DJ set from Nightmares On Wax and a live performance by jazz ensemble Kokoroko. They will be joined by Hot 8 Brass Band, WheelUP, Rohan Rakhit and Loco Cricket.

Away from the stages, Stowaway offers a wide range of activities for all ages, including paddleboarding, canoeing, wild swimming, wellness sessions and a woodland spa overlooking the lake. Families can also enjoy children’s entertainment, with many attractions included in the ticket price.

Visitors will also find an extensive selection of independent food and drink vendors serving artisan dishes, street food, craft beers and cocktails throughout the weekend.

Founded by Duncan Wheeler in 2022, the festival remains independently owned and operates without corporate sponsorship. Organisers say the site has grown by around 20 per cent this year despite ongoing pressures across the UK festival industry.

Weekend passes start from £249, while adult day tickets are available from £90.

Liberal Democrat analysis of the latest NHS England data shows that 2025 is projected to see the worst level of 12-hour trolley waits in A&E ever recorded. Locally, a shocking 6,450 patients waited 12 hours in the Royal Berkshire Hospital A&E in 2025.

The Lib Dem plan would end 12-hour waits and hospital ‘corridor care’ within a year.

Making 6,000 extra hospital beds available to end corridor care within a year.
Investing in 1,000 more staffed hospital beds.
Extra investment in social care to reserve 1,600 “safety net” social care places each day, for hospitals to discharge into if they need to.
Extra step-down care – freeing up 1,200 beds a day.
Making more beds available in care homes and hospitals.
The proposal would be funded by cancelling the planned medicine price hike agreed with the Trump administration before Christmas, which is set to cost the NHS over £3bn a year despite minimal benefits for patients.

Commenting, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Reading Borough Council, Councillor Anne Thompson, said:

“For too long, people in Reading have suffered with degrading waits and treatment in hospital corridors. Our NHS staff are working so hard, but have been let down by those in power. It is a national emergency, and it is devastating our NHS – we need a real plan to fix it.

“Liberal Democrats are offering the bold solutions we need to free up our hospitals and end the A&E crisis once and for all. No government should tolerate this disaster, and ministers should be held legally accountable if they continue to fail in their duty to protect patients.”

Reading has spoken — and Prospect Park has been crowned the town’s favourite green space!

To mark Love Parks Week, we asked local residents to tell us which park holds a special place in their hearts. Back in June, over 500 people cast their votes in our very first “Reading’s Favourite Park” poll, celebrating the many beautiful open spaces we’re lucky to have.

Throughout last week, we revealed the results on our social media channels, sharing short videos of residents explaining why each park means so much to them. The countdown went like this:

• 5th place – Forbury Gardens (featuring Fiona)
• 4th place – Palmer Park (featuring Margaret)
• 3rd place – Arthur Newbery Park (featuring Rosie)
• 2nd place – Caversham Court (featuring Jost and Michael)

Finally, in the top spot — Prospect Park! 🌳 Resident Eileen tells us why this much-loved space is such a community favourite in the video linked above (and in the button below).

From its sweeping lawns to its stunning views, it’s no surprise that Prospect Park has taken home the title in our first ever poll. Congratulations to all our parks — and here’s to many more picnics, walks, and sunny afternoons spent enjoying them.