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The 2026 edition of Reading and Leeds is upon us. And whether you’re heading to Little John’s Farm or Bramham Park, there’s plenty of information you need to know before you pack – namely, what is allowed in, and what isn’t?
Reading and Leeds is set for a massive edition in 2026. Not only will there be six headliners – Charli xcx, Chase & Status, Dave, Florence and the Machine, Fontaines DC and Raye – and a radical new site layout, but R&L will officially be the biggest festival in the UK this year (as Glastonbury is on a fallow year).
When it comes to Reading and Leeds’ bag policy, there are two distinctions to know about. There’s the stuff that’s not allowed into the festivals at all, and items that are allowed into the campsites but not the main arenas. Here’s your guide.
RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in the UK.
Reading & Leeds 2026 Bag Policy: size limits explained
There is no bag limit for entry to the campsite. However, in the arena each festivalgoer is permitted to only bring in one bag, and it must be smaller than A4 size.
Banned items at Reading and Leeds Festival 2026
Things that are newly explicitly banned at the 2026 festivals include balaclavas, ski masks, motorcycle helmets and face coverings, as well as candles and incense. Find a guide to banned items at R+L below.
Items banned from the festival site: prohibited across campsites and arenas
You won’t be allowed to bring the following items into either Reading or Leeds. Bags are subject to search upon entry.
- Aerosols over 250ml and spray paint cans
- Air horns, megaphones and balloons
- Animals (except registered guide or hearing dogs)
- Balaclavas, ski masks, face coverings and motorcycle helmets
- BBQs of any kind, blowtorches, campfires, fire pits, chimeneas and firewood
- Candles and incense
- Drones, UAVs and flying devices
- Excessive amounts of food or cigarettes (above personal consumption limits – more on this below)
- Generators (unless fitted inside campervans)
- Glass bottles, jars, and containers over 100ml (small mirrors and containers under 100ml are allowed)
- Fireworks, pyrotechnics, flares, distress flares and smoke bombs
- Illegal drugs, legal/herbal highs, new psychoactive substances and nitrous oxide (including balloons and chargers)
- Items or clothing promoting cultural appropriation
- Large sound systems (small battery speakers under 20cm x 20cm x 20cm are allowed in campsites)
- Multi-tools, Leatherman-style tools and penknives
- Petrol burners and non-cooking gas cylinders
- Portable laser pens and laser equipment
- Professional cameras or video gear (lenses over six inches, tripod stands)
- Single-use disposable vapes (though refillable vapes are permitted)
- Skateboards, rollerblades, hoverboards, scooters and bicycles
- Sky lanterns, paper lanterns, and kites
- Unauthorised trading goods, marketing flyers, or promotional stickers
- Unofficial tabards and reflective/high-vis jackets
- Walkie-talkies and radio equipment
- Weapons or anything considered usable as a weapon (including catapults and oversized lighters)
Banned items in the main arena but allowed in campsites
- Alcohol
- Audio-recording equipment
- Bags larger than A4 size (strictly one A4 bag per person)
- Blankets
- Camping chairs, stools, inflatable loungers, shooting sticks, camping gear, cutlery and tin openers
- Cans and cool boxes/bags
- Gazebos, parasols and golf umbrellas
- Flags, banners, and flag poles
- Open drinks or reusable drink bottles (only one sealed soft drink or water bottle under 500ml is permitted)
- Selfie sticks
Alcohol allowance
The festivals state that alcohol may only be brought into the campsite for personal consumption (and by over-18s). There’s no explicit limit on alcohol amount.
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