Monmouth eyes major new festival after carnival success

Monmouth could soon be home to a brand-new music festival, following a pitch at the latest Full Council meeting on Monday 14th July 2025.

Ceri Jones, one of the organisers behind Monmouth Carnival, addressed councillors during the public participation session to share the exciting idea. Building on the success of the Carnival’s Battle of the Bands, Jones and fellow organisers hope to launch a three-day festival at the end of June 2026, running alongside Carnival weekend on Chippenham Mead.

A new festival vision

• The proposed festival would be shorter than the old Monmouth Music Festival (3 days instead of 9).
  
• Rough site layouts and a mock poster were shown at the meeting.
  
• Early discussions with current Monmouth Music Festival members suggest there is support for the new venture.

Ms Jones explained that the festival could cost around £100,000 to stage, with organisers planning to apply for grants, sponsorships, and match-funding. If ticketed, entry could cost about £25, potentially attracting 10,000 people and raising enough for a profit of around £60,000. That profit could help fund future festivals or even be donated to schools and community groups for music education. The dream, however, is to make the first year free.

Music line-up hopes

The organisers are already exploring acts, with bands such as The Pigeon Detectives, Bastille, and Sam Ryder within the projected budget.
The plan is to:

• Share the main stage with Carnival to cut costs.
  
• Keep Carnival stalls on site to add to the atmosphere.
  
• Run a schedule with main acts on Friday and Saturday nights, and smaller performances closing out Sunday afternoon.

Questions from councillors

• Funding: Some funds had previously been set aside for the old Monmouth Music Festival, but the Town Clerk confirmed no budget currently exists for the new event. Support might be reconsidered later or added into the 2026/27 budget.
  
• Permissions: Concerns were raised over the need for official permission to use Chippenham Mead, which will require discussions with Monmouthshire County Council.

Despite these hurdles, councillors agreed they were enthusiastic about the idea and asked Jones to return with confirmed permissions, detailed costings, and further talks with the Monmouth Music Festival committee.

Carnival’s musical momentum

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the Carnival’s Battle of the Bands, held on Sunday 29th June 2025.

From 60 hopeful bands, six made it through to the final showdown — including Leeds-based Fake Fame, Cardiff’s Four Act Riot, and Aberystwyth favourites Misha and the Kings. Local young talent also shone with school band HZRD and sibling trio Hillsy impressing the crowd.

The competition climaxed with a headline set from Kira Mac, whose powerhouse frontwoman Rhiannon even offered two lucky bands the chance to support them on tour. The atmosphere was electric, leaving many convinced that Monmouth is ready for something bigger.

With community backing, the Carnival organisers believe a new festival could put Monmouth firmly back on the live music map. All eyes now turn to the council’s autumn budget discussions and the ongoing talks with Monmouthshire County Council.