Labyrinth On The Thames Delivers Biggest Ever 2026 Series at Old Royal Naval College

Labyrinth on the Thames has closed its biggest ever summer series, welcoming 76,000 attendees across eight sold-out dates on 31 July, 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16 August, up from 57,000 attendees across six dates in its inaugural year. The landmark series transformed one of London’s most historic riverside landmarks into a world-class destination for live music, further cementing its position as the biggest outdoor contemporary music series ever staged at Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, celebrating world-class performances and creating a lasting, positive impact across the London borough.

With a UNESCO World Heritage Site as its backdrop, the series brought together some of the most celebrated names in contemporary music. Highlights included The Kooks, marking 20 years of their seminal debut album Inside In / Inside Out; GRAMMY®-nominated DJ and producer Dom Dolla, performing his only London summer headline show; Peggy Gou, who was joined on stage by Maya Jama and surprise guest Gala; and Overmono, celebrating their critically acclaimed new album Pure Devotion. Adriatique brought their globally renowned X series to Greenwich, while Anjunadeep Open Air delivered another landmark day of electronic music on the banks of the Thames.

The series culminated with two major closing shows: six-time GRAMMY-nominated electronic pioneer Moby, joined by special guest Jacob Lusk, followed by an extended homecoming set from East London’s Michael Bibi and a surprise appearance from U-God and Young Dirty Bastard of Wu Tang Clan. Labyrinth welcomed VIP attendees including Central Cee, Jodie Comer and Maya Jama over the series. Production was delivered by High Scream, the visionary events team behind globally recognised spectacles including Hï Ibiza and Coachella, creating a stage and production experience designed specifically for the historic surroundings of the Old Royal Naval College.

Across eight spectacular dates, the riverside grounds of the Old Royal Naval College were transformed into a world-class live music setting while maintaining a strong commitment to community, heritage and cultural engagement. The 2026 series featured 47 artists delivering more than 70 hours of live performances, spanning globally recognised headliners, breakthrough artists and homegrown talent.

That commitment extended far beyond the stage. Labyrinth continued its official charity partnership with Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, building on more than £16,000 raised in 2025 and raising over £40,000 in 2026. Fundraising initiatives included a curated charity shop pop-up featuring pre-loved clothing and accessories, contributions from every queue-jump ticket add-on and guest-list place, contactless donation points across the site, and a boat party staged with JUBEL with all ticket proceeds donated to the Hospice. Funds raised support the charity’s essential work caring for people with terminal illnesses and their families across the local community.

Ahead of the festival opening its doors, Labyrinth on the Thames also launched a large-scale food bank drive in collaboration with EARNT, supporting vulnerable people across the borough through its “Earn Your Day at Labyrinth” initiative. Music fans, local residents and businesses were invited to bring essential food donations to a dedicated collection point at the Old Royal Naval College in exchange for up to 300 free tickets to one of the eight sold-out festival dates, generating over 3,500 vital donations for food banks across the Royal Borough of Greenwich: Greenwich Foodbank, Clockhouse Community Centre and Greenwich Family Action Food Club.

Labyrinth’s partnership with Earnt also extended to a community litter-picking initiative on Woolwich Common, inviting fans to take part in a two-hour local clean-up, who were then rewarded with tickets to one of the sold-out shows, creating a tangible way for audiences to contribute to the borough’s wider sustainability efforts while encouraging festivalgoers to play an active role in the community hosting them.

The 2026 series further deepened its investment in local education, skills and career pathways through its continued partnership with the University of Greenwich, providing students with paid, hands-on experience in large-scale event management and welcoming returning students for a second consecutive year.

Supporting the wider local economy remained another important focus. Labyrinth actively worked with businesses and organisations across Greenwich, creating opportunities for independent enterprises to participate in the festival through local partnerships and curated on-site activations. This included The Academy of Success; a platform and training programme for young entrepreneurs, many of who debuted their business’ and products in the historic courtyard setting. Labyrinth’s goal was to champion local hospitality, tourism and creative talent, ensuring the benefits of the series extended beyond the festival gates and further embedding Labyrinth within the cultural fabric of Greenwich.

Nick Castleman and Michael Dicks, co-founders of Labyrinth Events, said: “It’s pretty mad to think that in only our second year we’ve had 76,000 people through the gates across eight sold-out shows. We’re independent promoters and we’ve always just wanted to put on the kind of shows we’d want to go to ourselves, incredible artists, proper production and locations that make the whole thing feel special. The Old Royal Naval College is one of those places where you walk in and immediately know you’re somewhere different, and we’re really grateful to the team there for trusting us to bring this to life. Every artist came with their own ideas and made each day feel completely different, which is exactly what we wanted from the series. And ultimately none of it happens without the people who buy a ticket, turn up and create the atmosphere, and the hundreds of people who work day in, day out to bring the show to life. We are hugely grateful to all of you. Seeing the venue full to the brim with energy over the past few weekends, has been incredibly special. Massive thank you to everyone who’s been part of it, we’re already excited about what comes next.”

Kate Miners, Director of Public Engagement & Commercial at the Old Royal Naval College, added: “To watch the sun go down on the River Thames and Wren’s iconic twin domes light up, with the crowd gathered in squares and colonnades that hold six hundred years of history, is to experience live music in a setting few places in the world can offer. Across eight nights we welcomed nearly 80,000 people, many visiting the site for the first time, to a world-class production of sound and lighting rising against centuries of Baroque architecture. That meeting of music, social connections and place is what people take home, and it’s what keeps them talking long after they have left. We hope it brings them back too, to discover the Painted Hall, the Chapel and the grounds, and to experience this heritage space in new ways.”

From record ticket sales and internationally acclaimed performances to its growing investment in Greenwich’s community, businesses and cultural institutions, the second edition of Labyrinth on the Thames marked another significant step forward for the series. Labyrinth Events extends its thanks to the Old Royal Naval College, the artists, partners, local organisations, Greenwich community and the 76,000 people who joined the series in 2026, making its second edition the biggest yet.