29 May 2026
The future of Sound Bites – the spiritual successor to St Albans Pub in the Park – has been thrown into confusion after it was confirmed the event would not be held in Verulamium Park.
Tom Kerridge’s popular Pub in the Park hosted its final event last September. Launched in 2019, the festival saw music from the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Mel C, Will Young, All Saints, Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Dizzee Rascal and Squeeze.
It also showcased an array of celebrity chefs including Matt Tebbutt, James Martin, Cyrus Todiwala, Atul Kochhar, Candice Brown and Ainsley Harriott.
But the organisers revealed they were pulling the plug on all Pub in the Park events apart from the one in Tom Kerridge’s hometown of Marlow, and promised that a new festival would be taking their place – Sound Bites, billed as “where flavour, music and friends come together”.
With events scheduled for St Albans, Reigate and Tunbridge Wells, it was said to offer “bold eats, flowing drinks and DJs and bands chosen to lift the energy and keep people connected”, and was expected to take place in St Albans from September 4-6 2026.
Chris Hughes, one of the festival’s founders, shared a message for the local community last year: “St Albans is a great festival town. Sound Bites is being designed with St Albans in mind after lots of helpful feedback and research. We’re saying goodbye to a name, not the feeling. Sound Bites will carry that same magic into the future.”
Early bird tickets were sold immediately after Pub in the Park, but it is now rumoured that it will not be taking place, with Google searches suggesting it is on hiatus, although no official statement has been released to date.
St Albans district council, who own Verulamium Park, have confirmed they have not been approached about using the site.
Chris Traill, SADC strategic director for community and place delivery, said: “Sound Bites do not have a contract with us to stage an event at Verulamium Park this year.
“We are aware their website is advertising an event in St Albans, but we do not know the proposed location and we have no involvement.
“Event days for Verulamium Park in 2026 are fully booked with a maximum of 28 allowed.
“The new events for this year are Circus Vegas, held earlier this month, and Tuff Nutterz, a bouncy obstacle course which is coming in August.”
Sound Bites’ organisers insisted the St Albans event was still taking place, but did not explain where it would be happening.
“Please be assured that Sound Bites St Albans is still going ahead.
“We are busy finalising our launch line-up, which we are excited to announce in the next couple of weeks.
“We will notify our existing ticket holders and newsletter subscribers first, so keep watching your inbox for updates very soon.”
