The Ultimate One-Day Monster Rock Show

One day. One stage. No compromise. While other UK rock festivals grow increasingly corporate, bloated, and spread thin across multiple fields, Stonedead Festival stays fiercely true to its roots. Returning to its established home at the Newark Agricultural Showground in Nottinghamshire on Saturday, 29 August 2026, the event remains the ultimate single-day pilgrimage for pure, unadulterated classic rock and metal.

Now in its eighth year, Stonedead has built a solid tradition of placing the rock fan experience at its absolute core. Originally founded by a group of veteran music fans, the festival was specifically designed to recapture the legendary, old-school vibe of the classic Monsters of Rock festivals at Donington Park from the 1980s and 90s.

By keeping everything focused on a single, massive outdoor stage, there are no agonising schedule clashes or exhausting treks across miles of mud—just a relentless, top-tier lineup of established genre legends and incredible rising talent. Located on the flat, accessible grounds of the former RAF Winthorpe Airfield just outside Newark-on-Trent, the site offers everything from free parking and affordable camping to a massive community atmosphere that feels more like a giant family reunion than a standard music festival.

From the opening chord of the morning to the final, sweat-drenched encore under the main stage lights, RockNews will be on the ground to capture it all.

Read all about the spirit of the Stonedead Festival here……

How to Get to Stonedead Festival

Planning your trip to the hallowed turf? Newark Showground is exceptionally well-connected and easy to reach whether you are driving down for the day or setting up camp for the weekend.

Sat-Nav and Address Details

For your satellite navigation system, use the following official address details:

• Venue Name: Newark Showground
• Address: Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Postcode: NG24 2NY

Route Tip: As you approach the venue, look out for the yellow AA event road signs directing traffic specifically to the Stonedead Festival entrances and car parks, as these will guide you directly to the correct gates.

Travelling by Car

The venue is situated just off the A1, making it straightforward to access from all directions:

• From the North: Follow the A1 southbound towards Newark-on-Trent. Take the exit for the A46/A17/Lincoln/Sleaford and follow the signs for the Showground.
• From the South: Follow the A1 northbound, taking the exit for the A46 (Leicester/Newark). At the roundabout, take the exit onto the A17, and follow the local signs to the venue entrance.
• From Nottingham / West: Take the A46 eastbound straight to the Newark roundabout, then follow signs onto the A17 and Lincoln Road.

Travelling by Train

If you are ditching the car, the nearest railway stations are in Newark-on-Trent itself, which sits on major main lines:

• Newark North Gate: Located on the East Coast Main Line, providing fast, direct links to London King’s Cross, Doncaster, Leeds, and Newcastle.
• Newark Castle: Provides local and regional services linking Nottingham, Derby, and Lincoln.

Both stations are approximately a 5 to 10-minute taxi ride from the festival site. Local taxis operate frequently on festival days, but booking in advance is highly recommended for peak arrival and departure times.

The Stonedead Express Shuttle Bus

If you are staying locally or looking to skip the parking hassle, the festival runs its own dedicated shuttle service called the Stonedead Express.

The shuttle operates return journeys on both the Friday night (for the camping pre-party) and all day Saturday. It is an excellent option if you are base-camping at a local hotel, as it picks up and drops off directly at key locations around the area.

Some of the main pickup routes include:

• Newark Hotels Route: Stopping at major local stays including the Premier Inn Newark (Lincoln Road), Best Western Deincourt Hotel, Beaumond Cross Inn, Millgate House Hotel, The Lions B&B, and Bridge House B&B.
• Regional Routes: The service also historically connects key hubs and hotel clusters in nearby Lincoln and Nottingham straight to the Showground gates.

Important Shuttle Info:

• Booking: Tickets must be booked in advance via the official Stonedead ticket channels (managed via Ticket Tailor), usually costing around £7.50 for a return.
• The Return Journey: Shuttles are timed to coincide with the end of the event, departing the Newark Showground safely after the music finishes at 23:20.
• Public Buses: Alternatively, local service bus number 67 runs from Newark Town Centre, Newark North Gate, and Newark Castle stations directly out to the Showground.

STONEDEAD NEWS

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