Fifteen original acts will descend onBanbury over the August Bank Holiday weekend as Strummerfest '26 brings threedays of grassroots live music to The Apothecary Tap while raising funds forlocal animal rescue charity BARKS.

Taking place from Friday 28 to Sunday 30August 2026, the festival is presented by Strummer Room Records Presents andfeatures an eclectic line-up of independent artists across three days.

The event follows the success of ApTap Fest'26, which raised nearly £3,000 for BARKS - Banbury Animal Rescue &Kindness Service - earlier this year.

ChrisOakes, owner of Strummer Room Records and spokesman for Strummer Room RecordsPresents, said:

"Strummerfest brings together everything we'vebeen trying to do for the past 13 years - supporting original artists, helpingpeople discover new music and creating a friendly grassroots environment wheremusicians and audiences can connect."

"After the fantastic support for ApTap Festearlier this year, when we raised nearly £3,000 for BARKS, we're hoping Banburywill get behind us again and help us raise another significant amount over theBank Holiday weekend."

Three days, 15 original acts

Strummerfest '26 opens at 7.30pm on Friday28 August with Dilemma, BarrelHaus and Spank Hair.

The festival continues from 1.30pm onSaturday 29 August, featuring Screamin' Irene, Dead Anyway, HööF, Selver,Family of Noise, Erinferno and Matt Phillip Hale.

The final day begins at 1.30pm on Sunday 30August, with Neon Nights, Mary's Garden, Sinews, Lunar Kites and Lone Voicecompleting the weekend.

"We've never wanted Strummer Room RecordsPresents to be restricted by genre. What matters is that artists are creatingoriginal music and doing something they genuinely believe in."

"You might come because you know one band, buthopefully you'll leave talking about two or three artists you'd never heardbefore. Finding a band you've never heard of and wondering where they've beenhiding is still one of the great things about live music."

Thirteen years of supporting original music

Strummer Room Records Presents traces itslive music roots back to BodFest in 2013 and has since presented hundreds ofbands and musicians.

Its regular Banbury shows have found a homeat The Apothecary Tap in Butchers Row, where the intimate setting putsaudiences just feet away from the performers.

"The Apothecary Tap is a big part of what makesthese events work. Bands meet other bands, musicians meet the people watchingthem and genuine friendships and collaborations come out of it. There's acommunity around these gigs, and Strummerfest is a celebration of that."

Music making a difference for BARKS

Fundraising for BARKS has become animportant part of Strummer Room Records Presents' activities. Following thenearly £3,000 raised at ApTap Fest '26 earlier this year, Strummerfest giveslocal music fans another opportunity to support the charity while enjoyingoriginal live music.

"Nearly £3,000 from ApTap Fest was a fantasticresult. It showed what can happen when musicians, a venue and the localcommunity come together. If we can put on three days of brilliant originalmusic and hand BARKS another worthwhile donation at the end of it, everybodywins."

'One Dalmatian Under a Groove' charity compilation

As with previous Strummer Room RecordsPresents fundraisers, every band and artist appearing at Strummerfest '26 hasdonated a track for a special compilation supporting the event and BARKS.

Entitled One Dalmatian Under a Groove, thecompilation brings together music from across the festival line-up. It will beavailable to buy on CD at Strummerfest '26 and as a digital download throughStrummer Room Records Presents on Bandcamp.

"The compilation CDs have become an importantpart of our fundraisers. Every artist has generously donated a track, so OneDalmatian Under a Groove is almost a snapshot of the whole Strummerfestweekend."

"It means the fundraising doesn't have to stopwhen the last band finishes on Sunday night. People can pick up the CD at thefestival or download it through Bandcamp and continue supporting BARKS. We'reincredibly grateful to all the artists for donating their music."

Strummerfest '26 - at a glance

Friday  28 August - 7.30pm: Dilemma | BarrelHaus |  Spank Hair

Saturday  29 August - 1.30pm: Screamin' Irene | Dead  Anyway | HööF | Selver | Family of Noise | Erinferno | Matt Phillip Hale‍

Sunday  30 August - 1.30pm: Neon Nights | Mary's Garden  | Sinews | Lunar Kites | Lone Voice

Venue: The Apothecary Tap, 10-11  Butchers Row, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5JH

In  aid of: BARKS - Banbury Animal  Rescue & Kindness Service

Prices: Weekend £30 | Friday £7 |  Saturday £15 | Sunday £10, plus booking fees

‍Tickets: Weekend and individual day tickets available via WeGotTickets

Ticket  link: https://wegottickets.com/f/22167

Compilation: One Dalmatian Under a  Groove - CD at the event and digital download via Bandcamp

Ticket revenue, excluding booking fees,will be donated to BARKS.

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