Live at the Bandstand

Live at the Bandstand is back for 2026, with four free afternoons of live music spread across the city this summer. It's a Portsmouth City Council series, and this year's run is tied to Portsmouth100, marking a century since the city got its city status. The council funds and delivers the whole thing, with The Wedgewood Rooms and a few local promoters helping to book the line-up.

The programme moves across three different spots. It kicks off on 12 July at King George V Playing Fields, where Casemates presents an afternoon of alternative and grunge. A week later, on 19 July, it's back at the same fields, this time with The Wedgewood Rooms presenting Homegrown Sounds. On 26 July, the music shifts to Victoria Park for Jazz in the Park, presented by The People's Lounge. The final date is 2 August at the Southsea Bandstand, where Nick Courtney presents James Walsh, formerly of Starsailor.

Between the grunge, the local sounds, the jazz, and a proper singer-songwriter set, there's a fair bit of ground covered over the four dates. Each one is free, and they're all scheduled for the same window: 1pm to 4pm, though they're subject to reasonable weather, so it's worth keeping an eye on the forecast before you head out.

If you're planning your summer, here's the full run: 12 July at King George V Playing Fields (Alternative/Grunge); 19 July at King George V Playing Fields (Homegrown Sounds); 26 July at Victoria Park (Jazz in the Park); and 2 August at the Southsea Bandstand (James Walsh). All four are free, and all run from 1pm to 4pm.