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Focus Wales 2026

Focus Wales 2026 takes place over a long weekend in May in the heart of Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales. This international music and arts festival transforms the city with live performances and creative events across multiple venues.

Music

Featuring over 250 acts on more than 20 stages, Focus Wales showcases a wide range of genres including indie rock, pop, folk, hip-hop, and electronic. The festival highlights emerging Welsh talent alongside international artists in pubs, clubs, theatres, and outdoor stages.

Creative Conference & Film

By day, Focus hosts a creative conference with talks, panels, and workshops focused on the music and arts industries. The festival also includes the Focus Wales Film Festival, screening music-focused documentaries and short films supported by Ffilm Cymru.

Atmosphere & Location

Wrexham’s city centre buzzes with festival activity, from pop-up acoustic sets in local pubs to headline shows under an outdoor tent in the town square. The friendly, community spirit makes Focus Wales a welcoming event for both newcomers and fans.

Getting to Wrexham is easy by train. The town has two main stations: Wrexham General and Wrexham Central. Wrexham General is on the Welsh Marches Line, with regular Transport for Wales trains running north to Chester and Liverpool, and south to Shrewsbury and Birmingham. Wrexham Central connects to the Borderlands Line, offering services to Bidston (with Merseyrail connections to Liverpool). If you're traveling from London or other parts of the country, you can change at Chester or Shrewsbury to reach Wrexham. A central bus station at Queens Square also offers regional coach services to nearby cities.

For air travel, the nearest major airports are Liverpool John Lennon (about a 45-minute drive) and Manchester Airport (about 1 to 1.5 hours by car or train). Both airports have car hire and good public transport links. After flying in, you can take a train from Manchester or Liverpool to Chester, then connect onward to Wrexham. Birmingham Airport is another option (approximately 2.5 hours away by road), but Cardiff and London airports are much farther and generally not recommended for this part of Wales. You should allow extra travel time if coming from airports outside North West England.

By car, Wrexham is well connected. Major routes include the A483 (running north-south to Chester and south towards Shrewsbury) and the A5 (from the Shropshire or Welshpool area). From England, you can use the M54/A5 from Telford or the M6/A55 via Chester. Travel times are typically under an hour from Chester and about 1.5 hours from Manchester. When driving to the city centre, use postcode LL13 8LW for navigation. Note that parking can be limited during festival weekends. Public car parks are available near the train stations and downtown, so allow extra time or consider park-and-ride options if offered.

Once in Wrexham, local buses, taxis and even bicycle rentals make it easy to get around. The main bus interchange is at Queens Square, close to both train stations. Local bus companies (Arriva, Stagecoach) run routes around the county, while Wrexham Taxis and other services operate in town. Most festival venues are within walking distance of each other, but buses can help if you need to travel farther. Be sure to check bus and train timetables on travel apps or service websites during your visit.

Accommodation in and around Wrexham ranges from hotels and guesthouses to B&Bs and self-catering apartments. Popular choices include the Wynstay Arms Hotel, Hotel Wrexham and various city-centre inns. Many visitors book rooms well ahead, as lodging fills up quickly during festival periods. If town center hotels sell out, consider nearby Chester (about 10 miles east) or Llangollen (around 20 miles west) – both have more options, although you'll then need to travel in. Camping isn’t available in Wrexham itself, but outdoor enthusiasts often stay at sites in the surrounding North Wales countryside.

Overall, traveling to Wrexham is quite straightforward. The mix of rail, road and air connections makes the city accessible from all over the UK. Once you arrive, most places are within a short stroll or a quick taxi ride. Just remember to check schedules and book rooms early, and you’ll be all set to enjoy the festival and everything Wrexham has to offer!

Wrexham, Wrexham County Borough., LL138LW