Chaka Khan and Simple Minds will headline Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling from 11 to 13 September, giving Scotland a major music festival for the first time in three years. The three-day event will unfold at City Park, with the biggest names reserved for Saturday and Sunday.
That is why radio 2 in the park 2026 tickets are already drawing attention, even though no ticket details have been released in the announcement. Fans looking at the line-up now will see not just the headliners but a weekend built around live music, a Friday DJ party night and performances that will be carried across Radio 2, Sounds and iPlayer.
For Stirling, the booking also carries a bigger weight than a standard summer festival line-up. The event is the first major music gathering in Scotland since Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee in 2023, and the broadcaster has chosen a setting with one of the country’s most recognisable backdrops. Several landmarks in the city, including the Wallace Monument, were lit up in February ahead of the announcement.
Saturday’s bill sets up Chaka Khan’s appearance with support from The Script, ABC, Emeli Sandé, Jack Savoretti, Lulu and Texas. Khan has described Stirling as a “magical place” and said she cannot wait to share the songs, the love and make some beautiful memories together. It is the kind of line-up that tells listeners this is not a small regional stop; it is a full-scale showcase with broad appeal across generations.
Sunday carries a sharper edge because of Simple Minds. Deacon Blue, Level 42, James Blunt, Cast, Blue and Appleton will appear before Jim Kerr’s band, and Kerr said the Stirling show will be “first and only” UK gig of the year. He called Scotland always special for Simple Minds, said it will kick off a whole lot of momentum for the band and added that he is pretty confident the place will be jumping up and down.
The Friday opening adds another layer to the weekend, with Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage and Rylan set for the DJ party night before the main-stage performances begin. Jeff Smith said it is a real privilege to bring some of the world’s biggest artists, including many of Scotland’s greatest, to Stirling, and that the range of genres reflects the breadth of music played on Radio 2.
What remains unanswered is the practical detail many fans will be chasing next: when tickets go on sale, and at what price. For now, the headline is the booking itself. Radio 2 in the Park is coming to Stirling, and for Simple Minds it will be a rare homecoming with no second chance in the UK this year.
