# Reading Festival applies for licence to become four-day event with music on the Thursday night too

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/reading-festival-applies-for-licence-to-become-four-day-event-with-music-on-the-thursday-night-too/
- Published: 2026-07-17T19:03:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-21T10:15:09+00:00
- Original publisher: NME
- Original article: https://www.nme.com/news/music/reading-festival-applies-for-licence-to-become-four-day-event-with-music-on-the-thursday-night-too-3957644?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reading-festival-applies-for-licence-to-become-four-day-event-with-music-on-the-thursday-night-too
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Reading Festival seeks licence to add Thursday night music, becoming four days
- Change could start in 2027 if Reading Borough Council approves it
- Leeds Festival already has Thursday music rights, debuting this year with Kasabian

## Summary

Reading Festival's organisers, Festival Republic, have applied for a licence change that would let the event add music on Thursday nights, effectively turning it into a four-day festival. Currently the main event runs from Friday to Sunday, with Wednesday and Thursday reserved for campers to arrive and set up, so the move would extend live performances by an extra day if councillors approve it.

The application asks for amplified music on the main stage from 5pm to midnight on Thursdays, and if Reading Borough Council grants it, the change could take effect from 2027. This year's festival runs from 27–30 August, with headliners including Fontaines D.C., Florence + The Machine, DAVE, Charli XCX, RAYE and Chase & Status. Sister event Leeds Festival already has permission for Thursday music and will use it for the first time this year, with Kasabian topping the bill; both sites are also undergoing a major staging overhaul, including a revamped main stage called The Grid and new stages The Gallery, The Warehouse, The Ballroom, The Canopy and, at Reading, The Yard.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.