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Since the majority of Devon’s dedicated music venues closed in the last 15 years, only the medium-sized Plymouth Arena remains alongside a few independent bars catering to the city’s entire music scene. In February one such venue, electronic and rave music hotspot The Depo, won BBC Radio 1 Dance’s Grassroots Venue of the Year, marking an important stage in the South West’s industry’s recovery.

Plymouth City Council have worked hard with booking agents and promoters to take advantage of the Devon coast’s mild climate and natural beauty to introduce several new entertainment ventures. Football ground Home Park has welcomed shows from the likes of Muse, Kaiser Chiefs and Elton John, while the scenic seaside patch at the Hoe has hosted multiple day-festivals over the years, with its 2025 Summer Sessions headlined by Snow Patrol, The Corrs and Pendulum.

The Summer Sessions have been cancelled for 2026 due to promoters Cuffe and Taylor scaling back their operations, but the vacuum created by its absence has opened up a new opportunity. Discovery Festival was founded with its first event last July in Dundee’s Slessor Gardens with appearances from The Human League and Tom Jones, but it has now expanded to Plymouth and Darlington. Holding three nights of live music in each city, they’ve gradually dripped out the lineup for each evening, and it’s a stroll down memory lane for many of us.

The full lineup for this year’s Discovery Festival Plymouth

The Friday is a trip of ‘90s boy-band royalty, with Five and Blue joined by The Wanted, sure to satisfy anyone with a fondness for cheesy pop music. Saturday night boasts an eclectic mix of acts with electronic pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvrers in the Dark playing after jazz-funk-pop tinkerers Level 42, ‘Kids In America’ singer Kim Wilde and more.

The bill for the Sunday was announced this Monday, capping the weekend off in style with a roster of rock and indie, old and new. Opening with recent breakthroughs Swim School, SOFY and Kid Kapichi, the afternoon moves back in time to 2000’s indie rock with Maxïmo Park. Co-headlining the day are Welsh rock legends Feeder, whose hit ‘Buck Rogers’ and its line “get a house in Devon” is fondly and loudly sung in bars across the county. The night is closed out by Pete Doherty and his group The Libertines, with a set of their indie rock anthems.

This blockbuster weekend of music comes to Plymouth’s Central Park from Friday 12th to Sunday the 14th of June. You can find tickets for the first-ever Discovery Plymouth dates, as well as the festival’s sister events in Dundee and Darlington here. Official tourist board website Visit Plymouth have also provided a map to the site in Central Park, as well as information on other entertainment around the city.

In addition, attendees are given the chance to take part in a competition where they can win exclusive VIP backstage passes, drumming up further excited. Alive at Argyle is set to bring renowned dance artists to Plymouth, and the initial lineup of headliners will be revealed shortly.

This festival is a significant addition to Home Park’s event calendar for next year, joining Take That as one of the first gigs to be announced. The stadium has a rich history of hosting renowned acts, including the likes of Mike Skinner, Pete Tong, Becky Hill, Chase & Status, Patrick Topping, Danny Howard, Sub Focus, and many more. With such an impressive track record, Home Park is undoubtedly the perfect venue for this highly anticipated electronic music event.

As the countdown begins, anticipation is building among music lovers in Plymouth and beyond. The promise of an incredible line-up, combined with the vibrant atmosphere that Home Park offers, ensures that Alive At Argyle will be an unmissable experience for all attendees. Whether you’re a devoted fan of electronic music or simply looking for a memorable day out, this event is sure to deliver an unforgettable celebration of music and community. Stay tuned for the announcement of the first headliners, as excitement continues to grow for this monumental event at Home Park.

Ben Gill-Carey, the Promotions Director, expressed his excitement about collaborating with Home Park Stadium and Plymouth Argyle to bring this event to the South West. Ben said,”We are delighted to be working with Home Park Stadium and Plymouth Argyle to bring this event to the South West. We wanted to ensure that the event was as accessible as possible to dance music fans in the South West and beyond, and hope the low ticket prices will encourage everyone to get tickets early as we expect them to be in high demand.”

In addition to the low ticket price, special offers have been agreed upon for Season Ticket holders and Evergreen members, with more details to come in the next few weeks. Christian Kent, the Head of Venue at Home Park Stadium, added “Hosting events at Home Park during the close season is a key part of our long-term strategy for growth and a key part of our new five-year mission, particularly in May or early June and this ticks all the boxes for us. Kent continued,”We are also really pleased to be working with one of the cities longest standing promoters and cannot wait until May 24’ – We’re really excited to share the line-up with everyone. As well as a low-ticket price, we have agreed special offers for our Season Ticket holders and Evergreen members, with more details of this to come in the next few weeks.”

The festival joins Take That as the first gigs announced in Home Park’s event calendar next year, with the iconic ’90s boy band performing on June 4, 2024. Earlier this year, the stadium hosted multi-platinum and Grammy award-winning rock band Muse, transforming Home Park into a venue for 26,000 rock fans for the band’s homecoming in Devon.