Now in its fifth year, Float Along Festival is entering a bold new chapter under the stewardship of the team behind Sidney and Matilda.
Paul ‘Tufty’ Tuffs, James Watkins, James Lawson and Mark Riddington have stepped in as the festival’s new organisers and today announced that White Lies will headline The Octagon on Saturday 26th September, as part of the biggest lineup the festival has seen yet.
White Lies will be joined across the day by Sprints, Opus Kink, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Your Mate’s Ex, Oslo Twins, Spanish Horses, Maximilian Tanner and Faint Paint, with more names still to come. Stages will stretch across Sidney and Matilda, Corporation and The Octagon, bringing a full day of live music into the heart of the city.
Paul ‘Tufty’ Tuffs said: “We’re privileged to continue the legacy that Float Along has built up, and endeavour to grow a well-respected annual Sheffield event into the biggest and best value city centre festival of the year.
“We’ve grown the festival this year. We’re doing bigger venues and we’ve got bigger bookings for it. The team have excelled in booking some huge names for Float Along 2026.”
White Lies represent a landmark moment for the festival. Watkins, who led the charge on the booking, believes they strike the right balance for an Octagon headline slot. “When you have an Octagon headliner, you need a band that would get played on Radio 1 and Radio 6,” he said. “White Lies have a foot in the mainstream as well as staying true to the festival.”
Watkins added: “It’s great to have a festival headlined by a band with the calibre and longevity of White Lies, paired with some really exciting newer acts like Man/Woman/Chainsaw and Sprints. There’s a strong chance you may never see either of those bands in venues as intimate as Corporation or Sidney & Matilda again.”
Alongside established names, the bill retains the forward-thinking identity that has defined Float Along from the start. “It should be a relevant festival for new music,” Tufty said. “There should be something in it for everyone.
“I genuinely recommend buying your tickets early, as they’re currently at an accessible price point which we feel represents exceptional value considering the quality of the line-up.”
With Tier 1 tickets currently priced at £40, Float Along 2026 is one to get in early on. It’s gonna be a big one. Tickets are available now via Dice.fm.
