It’s getting VERY close now…

We know you’re starting to plan your Infest weekend. You’ll be arranging meet-ups with old friends, figuring out where you’re having lunch, plotting a bit of Manchester tourism, working out when to check into the hotel and, quite possibly, trying to decide exactly how much sleep you really need.

So, before you fill every spare hour of your weekend, take a minute to check out the official INFEST 2026 schedule!

We’ve got the full weekend timings online, including doors, stage times, DJs, food, traders and all the other bits and pieces happening around the festival.

And remember: we carefully schedule the live programme so you can watch every single live artist at Infest.

Our artists perform across the different Academy spaces, but the live sets are staggered throughout the day. So if you want to see absolutely everything, you can. No agonising decisions about which band to sacrifice, just make sure you know where you need to be next!

Friday starts earlier than you might think!

Doors open at 2pm on Friday, and we’re kicking things off with something a little different.

At 2:45pm we’ll be screening B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West Berlin, followed at 4:30pm by a live Q&A with Mark Reeder.

Then the live music gets underway at 5:30pm, building all the way through to Friday headliner Louisahhh, followed by DJs keeping things moving until 3am.

In other words: don’t assume Infest starts on Friday evening!

There’s plenty happening from the moment the doors open, so have a look at the timings before deciding that Friday afternoon is the perfect opportunity for a three-hour lunch…

Saturday – bands, traders and a very late night

Saturday doors open at 2pm, along with the Infest market, bars and food options.

The first live act hits the stage at 3pm, and from there we’re running right through the afternoon and evening, with the live programme culminating in Utah Saints at 9:45pm.

And obviously we’re not sending you home after that.

Once the live bands finish, our DJs take over the Club and Bar floors and keep you dancing until the 3am curfew.

So perhaps don’t make too ambitious a plan for Sunday morning…

Sunday starts at 1:30pm, and there’s tea & cake!

Sunday is another one where you’ll want to arrive early.

Doors open at 1:30pm, alongside our Charity Tea Party & Book Launch, giving you a chance to ease yourself gently into Day Three with friends, tea and cake before the musical onslaught resumes.

The first Sunday artist is on at 2:30pm, followed by a full afternoon and evening of live music, including our special Nexus Fitz tribute, before IAMX closes the live programme from 9:15pm.

Then, because none of us have learned anything from Friday and Saturday, there are DJs across two floors until our final 2am curfew.

Have a look before you arrive

There’s a lot happening across the weekend, so have a look at the schedule now and start plotting your weekend.

The good news is that you don’t need to choose between live artists. If you want the full Infest experience and fancy watching every act from the first artist of the afternoon right through to the headliner, we’ve scheduled the weekend so you can do exactly that.

What is worth planning is everything else around them.

When are you meeting your mates? When are you eating? When are you hitting the market? When are you disappearing into Manchester for coffee? And, perhaps most importantly by Sunday, when are you sleeping?

The schedule also shows when the market, merchandise, bars and food facilities are operating, so you can get a proper picture of what’s happening throughout each day.

KEEP THE SCHEDULE HANDY

As well as the schedule on our website, we publish the weekend timings on our official Clashfinder.

Despite the name, you don’t need it to resolve clashes between our live artists! It’s simply a really useful way to keep the whole weekend timetable handy on your phone – or print yourself a copy before you set off.

CHECK THE FULL INFEST 2026 SCHEDULE & STAGE TIMES:

https://infestuk.com/schedule/

Have a browse. Find out when your must-sees are playing. Work out when you need to arrive. Send it to your mates and start getting the weekend organised.

And remember that all times are subject to change, so during the festival keep an eye on our official channels, Clashfinder and the screens around the venue for any updates.

Not long now.

Get planning, get packing, and get ready.

See you in Manchester!

INFEST 2026
21–23 August 2026
Manchester Academy