A brand-new summer music destination is coming to Taunton, with Somerset Sounds set to bring major international artists to the South West from 2027.
Somerset is set to become a major new stop on the UK’s live music circuit with the launch of Somerset Sounds, a brand-new music festival taking over the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton from summer 2027.
The new festival is being created through a partnership between Somerset County Cricket Club and award-winning live entertainment company Full Fat 360, with ambitions to establish Taunton as a regular destination for major international touring acts.
The inaugural Somerset Sounds event is currently scheduled for August 2027, with artist announcements expected soon. Fans can already register for priority ticket access through the official Somerset Sounds website.
Somerset Sounds Is Bringing Major Live Music to Taunton
The launch represents a major new chapter for the Cooper Associates County Ground, which has a long history of hosting live entertainment alongside its sporting heritage.
The Taunton venue has previously welcomed some of music’s biggest names, including Sir Elton John, Sir Rod Stewart and Lionel Richie, and Somerset Sounds is designed to build on that legacy by establishing a recurring summer music destination.
According to the festival’s official website, the venue has hosted major concerts and sold-out shows from some of the world’s most recognisable artists, making it a natural setting for a new large-scale outdoor music event.
The festival will transform the cricket ground into an open-air concert venue, with the outfield becoming the main audience area while the stadium’s existing facilities will provide premium hospitality options.
A New Summer Destination for Music Fans
Somerset Sounds is being positioned as more than simply a concert series.
The event will feature major outdoor headline performances alongside hospitality experiences and a dedicated St James Street Fan Village, which will bring together food, drink and cultural pop-ups.
The aim is to create an experience that encourages visitors to spend more time in Taunton while helping establish the town as a destination for music fans travelling from across the South West and further afield.
The festival’s location is also expected to make it accessible to audiences travelling from outside Somerset. The Cooper Associates County Ground is less than a mile from Taunton Railway Station, while the venue is also easily accessible from the M5.
That could make Somerset Sounds an appealing alternative for music fans looking for major live shows outside the UK’s biggest metropolitan areas.
From Cricket Ground to Major Music Venue
The Cooper Associates County Ground has been the home of Somerset County Cricket Club for generations, but the venue’s role has increasingly extended beyond cricket.
Somerset County Cricket Club was officially founded in 1875 and is based in Taunton, with the ground also offering conference, hospitality and event facilities throughout the year.
Somerset Sounds represents the latest step in expanding that role, with the club looking to attract new audiences to the county while creating additional cultural and economic opportunities for the region.
The club says its wider activities already make a significant contribution to the local economy. An economic impact analysis commissioned in 2025 estimated that, alongside attracting around 150,000 visitors annually to the ground, the club contributes more than £20 million per year and directly supports more than 200 jobs.
Full Fat 360 Joins the Project
The festival is being co-promoted and delivered by Full Fat 360, an award-winning UK live entertainment company with experience developing major stadium and arena events.
Its portfolio includes the SMK Live festival series at Milton Keynes’ 30,000-capacity Stadium MK, alongside headline performances including Kings of Leon and the multi-act BS3 Festival at Bristol’s Ashton Gate.
The partnership is intended to combine Somerset County Cricket Club’s established venue and regional presence with Full Fat 360’s experience delivering large-scale live music events.
Oli Bartlam, Founder of Full Fat 360, said the partnership could help put the region firmly on the national touring map.
“The Cooper Associates County Ground already has an incredible legacy of hosting world-class live entertainment, and Somerset Sounds is the next ambitious step in that evolution.”
Bartlam added that the partnership would allow the team to bring international acts to the venue while building an event series that could become a major fixture for the South West.
Somerset Sounds Could Put Taunton on the Touring Map
For Somerset County Cricket Club, the ambition extends beyond simply filling the venue for a few summer concerts.
Jamie Cox, Chief Executive Officer of Somerset County Cricket Club, said the festival forms part of a wider vision for the Cooper Associates County Ground and its role within Somerset.
“Cricket will always be at the heart of who we are, but we have a much wider ambition for the venue and for the role it can play within Somerset.”
The club hopes Somerset Sounds will attract audiences from across the South West and beyond, creating additional economic and cultural benefits for Taunton and the surrounding area.
With major touring artists increasingly performing at venues outside London’s biggest arenas and stadiums, Somerset Sounds could provide a new stop between major metropolitan dates and regional audiences.
When Is Somerset Sounds 2027?
The first Somerset Sounds festival is coming to the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton in August 2027.
The festival’s official website currently describes the launch as a brand-new two-day music event, with artist announcements set to follow.
At the time of writing, the headline acts and full line-up have not yet been revealed.
Fans who want to be among the first to hear about the artists and ticket releases can register for priority ticket access through the official Somerset Sounds website.
With the first major announcements expected soon, Somerset Sounds could become one of the South West’s biggest new music events — and give Taunton a fresh identity on the UK’s summer festival calendar.
How to Get to Somerset Sounds
The Cooper Associates County Ground is located in central Taunton and is within walking distance of Taunton Railway Station. The station is approximately a ten-minute walk from the venue, with rail connections serving destinations across the UK.
For visitors travelling by road, the venue is also close to Junction 25 of the M5.
For more information, priority ticket registration and future line-up announcements, visit the official Somerset Sounds website.
You can also find venue and visitor information through Somerset County Cricket Club.
