Borderland Festival 2026, East Aurora, United States

• September 18, 2026
  Event date:
• September 20, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

Borderland Festival 2026 will take place at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora, New York, for three days of music, arts, food, craft beverages and community programming. The festival brings together national headliners, emerging artists and Western New York performers in a historic 633-acre park located about 15 minutes southeast of Buffalo.

The 2026 programme includes 38 acts across three stages, combining indie rock, Americana, folk, soul, funk, bluegrass, reggae and local tribute performances. Beyond music, visitors can explore artisan vendors, live art, Kidsland, craft beverages and farm-to-table food.

Festival dates

Dates: September 18–20, 2026

Duration: 3 days

Friday: September 18

Saturday: September 19

Sunday: September 20

The festival runs Friday through Sunday at Knox Farm State Park. The published schedule lists gates opening at 1 PM Friday and 11 AM Saturday and Sunday.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & festival site

Venue: Knox Farm State Park

Address: 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora, NY 14052, United States

Knox Farm State Park is a historic 633-acre property featuring grasslands, hayfields, pastures, woodlands, ponds and wetlands. The festival occupies a secured section of the park while the wider park remains open to the public for activities such as hiking, walking and dog walking.

Full lineup

The 2026 Borderland lineup features 38 acts and tribute performances:

• Alabama Shakes
• Jack White
• Lord Huron
• Pixies
• The Head and the Heart
• Jesse Welles
• Flipturn
• St. Paul and the Broken Bones
• Andy Frasco & The U.N.
• Chance Peña
• Shovels & Rope
• moe.organ Fairchild
• Leftover Salmon
• Rebirth Brass Band
• Penelope Road
• Clay Street Unit
• Steph Strings
• Mon Rovîa
• Jonah Kagen
• Ryman
• Arcy Drive
• Olmsted Dub System
• The Rollin’ Rust
• The Sideways
• Uncle Ben’s Remedy
• Roy G Biv
• Witty Tarbox
• Folkfaces
• Buffalo Music Club
• The Mustard Tigers
• VOYAGR
• The Brass Machine
• Buffalo Is Dead: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead
• Songbirds: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
• The Arcade: A Live Music Tribute to the 80s
• The Indie Hour w/ Slow Animals
• Tribute to Classic Rock w/ Johnny Hart & The Mess
• Wildflowers: Tom Petty Tribute w/ Leroy Townes Band

Headliners

Friday: Alabama Shakes

Saturday: Jack White

Sunday: Lord Huron

The three headliners close the Main Stage programme on their respective days, with Alabama Shakes scheduled for Friday evening, Jack White for Saturday evening and Lord Huron for Sunday evening.

Stage-by-stage schedule

Borderland 2026 uses three stages:

Main Stage: The principal stage for headliners and major festival performances, including Alabama Shakes, Jack White, Lord Huron, Pixies, The Head and the Heart and St. Paul and the Broken Bones.

Homespun Stage: Hosts a mixture of Americana, folk, bluegrass, funk, reggae and emerging artists, including Andy Frasco & The U.N., Shovels & Rope, Leftover Salmon and Rebirth Brass Band.

Split-Rail Stage: Focuses on special tribute and themed performances, including Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, the Grateful Dead, classic rock and 1980s music.

Set times

The 2026 set times have been released. Selected major performances include:

• Alabama Shakes — Friday, 9:15 PM, Main Stage
• Jack White — Saturday, 9:00 PM, Main Stage
• Lord Huron — Sunday, 7:00 PM, Main Stage
• Pixies — Saturday, 7:00 PM, Main Stage
• The Head and the Heart — Sunday, 5:00 PM, Main Stage
• St. Paul and the Broken Bones — Sunday, 3:30 PM, Main Stage
• Jesse Welles — Friday, 7:15 PM, Main Stage
• Shovels & Rope — Friday, 6:20 PM, Homespun Stage
• Leftover Salmon — Sunday, 5:45 PM, Homespun Stage
• Rebirth Brass Band — Saturday, 4:30 PM, Homespun Stage

Accommodation areas

East Aurora: The closest accommodation base, offering local hotels, inns, restaurants and easy access to the festival.

Buffalo: The largest nearby city and a convenient option for visitors seeking a wider choice of hotels, restaurants and nightlife. Knox Farm is approximately 15 minutes southeast of Buffalo.

Orchard Park: Another nearby option south of Buffalo, useful for visitors who prefer staying outside East Aurora.

On-site RV camping: RV camping is available at Knox Farm’s soccer fields directly across from the Main Gate. The RV camping pass does not include festival admission, so every camper must also hold a festival wristband.

Kissing Bridge: Official off-site tent and RV camping options are also available through the festival’s camping programme.

Food & drink at the festival

Borderland emphasizes local food and beverages, with Western New York chefs and food trucks providing festival meals. The festival also features craft beer, distilled spirits and wine from the Borderland region.

The festival provides free water stations throughout the grounds. Guests are encouraged to bring a refillable vessel rather than disposable plastic water bottles. Patrons with dietary requirements may bring small snack portions for medical or dietary needs.

Accessibility

Borderland provides ADA parking, continuous ADA shuttle loops, an accessible viewing area and accessible restrooms throughout the festival grounds. The accessible viewing area is intended for guests who use wheelchairs or have mobility limitations affecting their line of sight.

Sensory kits containing items such as ear protection are available on a limited basis. Because the festival takes place within a state park, some natural terrain cannot be made completely accessible. Service animals are permitted, while pets and emotional-support animals are not.

Best days to attend

Friday: Best for Alabama Shakes, Jesse Welles, Shovels & Rope, Andy Frasco & The U.N. and the special Tom Petty and 1980s tribute sets.

Saturday: Best for Jack White, Pixies, Flipturn, Chance Peña, Rebirth Brass Band and the Fleetwood Mac and Grateful Dead tributes.

Sunday: Best for Lord Huron, The Head and the Heart, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Leftover Salmon and Jonah Kagen.

For the strongest headliner-focused experience, Friday through Sunday are all worthwhile because each day has a different closing act.

Previous year’s highlights

Borderland’s 2025 edition continued the festival’s focus on national, regional and local music alongside arts, food and community programming. The festival’s broader history includes performances by The Black Crowes, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Revivalists and Trey Anastasio.

The 2025 programme also featured regional artisans, craft vendors and live-art programming, continuing Borderland’s emphasis on Western New York culture rather than presenting the event solely as a music festival.

Ticket types

Weekend GA: 3-day festival pass with access to all three days of music and festival programming.

Weekend VIP: 3-day pass with VIP parking, shaded VIP tent, private Main Stage viewing, express entry, private restrooms and additional hospitality.

Anyday GA: Single-day pass that allows guests to choose one festival day. The 2026 Anyday GA allocation is currently sold out.

Single-Day GA: Individual Friday, Saturday or Sunday passes are currently offered.

Platinum VIP: Three-day premium pass with additional front-of-house viewing and backstage hospitality. The current allocation is sold out.

The official ticket page currently shows the 2026 pass categories but does not publish the ticket prices in its accessible text. Therefore, no unverified dollar amount is presented as an official 2026 price.

Ticket release phases

Advance sales: Borderland releases festival passes before the event and encourages guests to purchase parking and tickets in advance.

Current sales: Weekend GA, Weekend VIP and Single-Day GA passes are currently available, while Anyday GA and Platinum VIP are sold out.

Day-of-show: Remaining passes can be sold at the gate, but the festival states that day-of-show pricing will be higher than advance pricing.

VIP/Village options

Weekend VIP: Includes all three festival days, complimentary VIP parking, a shaded VIP tent, private Main Stage viewing, express entrance, private air-conditioned restrooms, a dedicated bar and food vendor, complimentary coffee and tea, chair massage, charging stations and upgraded water stations.

Platinum VIP: Adds center-stage front-of-house viewing, access to the Backstage Hideaway Lounge, complimentary food and snacks, happy-hour appetizers, a nightly pizza party, discounted beverages, Wi-Fi, coat and bag check, concierge service and premium parking options. The Platinum allocation is currently sold out.

Kidsland: Borderland is family-friendly and provides a Kids Zone with arts, crafts, music and activities. Children 10 and under are free with a parent or guardian holding a GA pass, while children under 5 are free in VIP with a paying adult.

Festival rules

Important Borderland rules include:

• The festival operates rain or shine.
• Security may conduct bag checks, pat-downs and pocket searches.
• Small backpacks, personal cameras, empty water bottles, small blankets and small folding chairs are permitted.
• Weapons, knives and fireworks are prohibited.
• Outside alcohol, illegal substances and drug paraphernalia are prohibited.
• Coolers, picnic baskets, flasks and glass are prohibited.
• Professional cameras, drones, laser pointers and large backpacks are prohibited.
• Tents and umbrellas are prohibited.
• Skateboards, scooters, bicycles and other personal transportation devices are prohibited inside the festival.
• Unauthorized vending, flyers and marketing materials are prohibited.
• Pets and emotional-support animals are not permitted; service animals are allowed.
• No smoking is permitted outside designated smoking areas.
• Tickets are final sale and non-refundable.

How to get there

From Buffalo and the north: Take NY-400 toward East Aurora and use the NY-78 South exit, following festival signage toward Knox Road.

From the south: The official venue information recommends using Route 219 toward the East Aurora area.

Rideshare: The designated rideshare drop-off and pickup location is at 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora, beside the Big Red Barns near the Knox Farm dog park. Guests can enter through the Homespun Box Office.

Parking: GA and VIP parking are available, with VIP parking located close to the main entrance. The festival recommends purchasing parking in advance because gate prices are higher.

Public transport after the festival

Borderland does not operate as a conventional urban public-transit festival, so rideshare and festival shuttle services are the most practical options after the event. The designated rideshare area is at the Big Red Barns on Buffalo Road, where guests can access pickup services.

Festival transportation also includes ADA shuttle service from the accessible parking area. Visitors staying in East Aurora or nearby areas may also use local taxis or pre-arranged rides after the final performances.

Official tickets

The official Borderland ticket page currently offers Weekend GA, Weekend VIP, Single-Day GA, parking and camping options. Anyday GA and Platinum VIP are currently marked sold out.

Official ticketing is handled through Tixr. The festival advises guests to avoid purchasing through social media because of the risk of scams and recommends using authorized ticket channels. https://www.borderlandfestival.com/tickets

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