SUPPORT USFestivals were once wild, chaotic, and full of raw energy, a rebellion against the everyday. But over time, they’ve been polished, packaged, and stripped of their soul. The same headliners, overpriced food, branding disguised as culture.We’re taking a gamble. One that puts people over profit, instinct over algorithms. A festival shaped by its community, where what you give is what you get. This isn’t a passive experience, it’s a movement. A place to create, connect, and take part.
What if the biggest decisions were left in the hands of the community? What could possibly go wrong?
Show of Hands is a new independent music and arts festival on the second May Bank Holiday weekend in 2026. It is all about jazz, performance, families, hot air ballooning, and the power of individual choice. Everyone who attends, including the audience, artists, and crew, gets a vote on how the festival’s future takes shape. The more you put in, the more your voice carries weight.
