Gate To Southwell Festival

The Proclaimers, Richard Thompson OBE

PROCLAIMERS ON THEIR WAY TO HAPPINESS AT GTSF 2026

Well, it’s just over 250 miles from Edinburgh to Southwell which means they’ll be doing a round trip of 500 miles! Yes! The Proclaimers will be performing at the Gate To Southwell Festival in July 2026!

One of the most internationally successful British acts of the past 40 years, the Edinburgh born twins Charlie and Craig Reid will be bringing their much-loved back catalogue of indie folk, country and Celtic rock songs to Kirklington Lakes on Friday July 3rd.

Worldwide hits such as ‘Letter From America’, ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, ‘I’m On My Way’ and ‘Sunshine On Leith’ will sit comfortably alongside great songs from across their 12 album career - from 1987’s debut ‘This Is The Story’ through to 2022’s acclaimed political folk rock of ‘Dentures Out’. They’ll be visiting Southwell 40 years after the Scottish twins got their first big break supporting The Housemartins back in 1986.

“We’re delighted they’ve agreed to play GTSF 2026,” says festival director Mike Kirrage. “We’ve tried to bring them to Southwell before but the touring schedule never worked in our favour. Now with The Proclaimers and Richard Thompson already on board for July we’re certainly going to confirm our status as one of the best small music festivals in the UK.”

When The Proclaimers last toured back in 2023 they played to over 500,000 fans in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Of course their songs feature at weddings, funerals and everything in-between, they inspired the hit musical Sunshine On Leith and remain one of the most popular UK bands on Spotify. ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles’ alone has been streamed more than 930 million (!) times and the same track raised millions of pounds for Comic Relief when Craig and Charlie collaborated with Peter Kay and Matt Lucas back in 2007. Before that, their cover of Roger Miller’s ‘King Of The Road’ reached the Top Ten in the UK and Europe and ‘I’m On My Way’ became a massive hit in the USA after it was featured in the hit movie Shrek.

Altogether now…”And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more…”

In addition to The Proclaimers, legendary folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Richard Thompson OBE is among the first names announced for GTSF 2026, plus the sweet-voiced Anglo-Irish Americana artist Edwina Hayes and acclaimed acoustic folk band Counter’s Creek. More acts to be announced soon.

A limited first release of day tickets is on sale now. More will be available at a later date subject to GTSF capacity.

Gate To Southwell Festival 2026 will take place at Kirklington Lakes just outside Southwell (NG22 8NX) in beautiful rural Nottinghamshire from Thursday July 2nd to Sunday July 5th.
For all tickets and more information go to https://www.gtsf.uk

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