Side Quest Festival 2026 — Open Air Day Festival at Gateshead Quayside, Newcastle

A Collaborative Effort Built From The Ground Up

Big Fat Rave presents

Open Air Day Festival

[ ENTER THE UNKNOWN ]

Sat 26 Sept 26

Gateshead Quayside

13:00 23:00

NE8 2FD · NCL

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Tickets

To buy tickets for this event please visit our events page: Side Quest Festival tickets from Skiddle .

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Welcome

Welcome to Side Quest Festival; a brand-new collaborative festival built from the ground up by Big Fat Rave & hundreds of local creatives, collectives and crews.

This immersive, multi-genre experience is a celebration of music, sound system culture, creativity, community and connection.

Venue

Taking over an old shipping container park beneath the iconic Tyne Bridge in Newcastle, United Kingdom along the banks of the river Tyne.

Explore 7 stages and 24 hidden areas, each packed with immersive side quests, unexpected discoveries and unforgettable moments.

Expect

  • DJs
  • Sound Systems
  • Live Acts
  • Talks & Spoken Word
  • Special Performances
  • Actors & Dancers
  • Food Trucks
  • Clothes Swaps
  • Independent Merch & Stalls
  • Interactive Experiences
  • Plenty of Surprises…

Forget rushing from stage to stage. This is a festival built for wandering, exploring and saying yes to the unexpected. Every corner hides something new, and every detour has the potential to become the memory you talk about for years to come.

Because the best adventures are always the side quests.

Line-up

Main Menu

Hardcore / Jungle / Jungle Techno / DnB · Sound system: Coalescence

  • ORIGIN8A & PROPA
  • Hardcore Energy
  • Nectax b2b Melba
  • Club Cetera
  • Neenzy
  • Da Demolition Squad
  • Amelia Leigh
  • Sweetly (Live)
  • Louis The Don Ft. Parly B (90-94 Jungle Set)
  • Collateral Damage

Level Up

UKG / Trance · Sound system: TBA

  • Annie FM
  • Becky Woodcock b2b Macca
  • Music Sphere
  • EMILY JACKO
  • Matty Jones
  • Sedg
  • Profound Sound
  • LEN (Trance & Electro Set)
  • Granville
  • brnsn
  • TENETEN
  • PRKN
  • UK Bassment
  • Greenhouse
  • Jack Watson

Cooking On Gas

Hard Techno / Makina / Donk / Neuro · Sound system: CarnEvil

  • PB b2b DJ Bootyshake
  • NATO Northeast
  • Just B
  • DJ Dizzle (Makina Set)
  • Lively Up
  • JTD
  • Ramo b2b Norven
  • Bass Symptom
  • Kaytee Bee (Makina Set)
  • Blitz
  • CarnEvil
  • Raw Vibe
  • Bitta This Bitta That

Live & Direct

Bands / Electronic Live Acts · Sound system: TBA

  • Rookie Numbers
  • Jozette
  • Amen Sage
  • Simon Wood Ft. Mollie Nature
  • Azula Bandit
  • Thomas Dixon
  • Kancho Klub
  • Joshwah
  • Pearly Gate
  • Avant Sector

Hosted by Open Arms

Record Box

House / Disco / Soul · Sound system: Green Man Hifi

  • Meg Ward
  • Nova Cheq (Chill Set)
  • Westy
  • Dr Krippa b2b Cortney Dixon
  • Musican't
  • L.A.D.S

Open Decks

Organised by Frequent Sounds

Slot booking information coming soon.

Zentopia

Wellness / Workshops / Talks

  • Talks
  • Poetry
  • Workshops
  • Wellness
  • Activities
  • Silly Shows

Sound systems

  • Coalescence
  • CarnEvil
  • Green Man Hifi
  • & More TBA

Under the Tyne Bridge

An old shipping container park on the banks of the Tyne. Seven stages and twenty-four hidden areas built for one day only.

Inside the container park at dusk — stacked shipping containers under a covered walkway, food traders and string lighting.
  • The empty container park in daylight — a covered yard between stacked shipping containers, one painted yellow with a kebab and roti sign, bunting strung overhead.
  • The Side Quest crew on the quayside beneath the Tyne Bridge, holding hand-painted Side Quest banners, with the river and Newcastle quayside behind them.
  • Two of the crew holding a hand-painted Side Quest banner in front of a brightly painted container.
  • Crew members hand-painting festival banners at the site.

The site map

Site map of Side Quest Festival showing seven areas along the quayside: Zentopia, Main Menu, Record Box, Open Decks, Cooking On Gas, Level Up and Live & Direct. Tap to view full size

FAQ

What ID do I need?
This is an 18+ event. Bring valid physical photo ID — passport, driving licence (full or provisional), or a PASS-accredited card. No physical ID, no entry, no exceptions, no refund.
Is there re-entry?
No re-entry. Once you leave the site, your wristband is done for the day — so grab everything you need before you head in.
What’s the bag policy?
Small bags only (roughly A4 size or smaller) and everyone gets searched on entry. No large backpacks, no outside drinks, no aerosols, no glass. Travel light and you’ll fly through the line.
Can I pay by card?
Yes — the bars and merch are cashless. Tap, card, and phone payments all work. There is no cash point on site, so don’t count on cash.

Side Quest Stories

“Went to a rave in Bristol, woke up in Wales by myself with no idea how I ended up there.”
— Jake Lannon

Log your side quest

What’s the weirdest side quest a night out ever sent you on? Best ones get posted and might earn you a guestlist spot.

Stay in the loop

Lineup drops, set times and event news, straight to your inbox.