StarFest is where celebrity culture, creativity, and community collide — and this year, CarFest’s star-studded playground is even bigger, bursting with new names, exciting workshops, and incredible boutique brands.

New to the StarFest lineup, The Author’s Stage is the place to get up close with some of Britain’s most beloved authors, from bestselling children’s writer and TV personality David Walliams (Friday) to Olympic champion and inspirational memoirist Sir Chris Hoy (Sunday). Joining them throughout the weekend are a host of names across fiction, non-fiction, and family favourites including Ben Miller, Adam Frost and Gillian McAllister. Don’t miss the chance to hear their stories live, then head to the onsite Waterstones pop-up to buy their books and get them signed – a perfect keepsake from your CarFest weekend.

Also making waves is The Talent Lab, supported by ACM, the 8Ray Group, and Samsung. Young creatives can dive into a world of music, arts, and performance packed with workshops, performances and interactive spaces where young people can play, create and be inspired. The Production Studio is the beating heart of it all, a hands-on hub for music lovers, with DJ masterclasses, beatboxing, songwriting and live production sessions led by the pros from ACM. This year’s lineup also includes “Rap Sessions” for budding MCs and lyricists to level up their flow, and a special appearance from AJ and Curtis as they discuss FINT, their innovative new app that makes managing your money easier and smarter.

In The Creative Studio, it’s all about unlocking imagination, with prop design, costume creation, photography workshops and live illustration sessions for those who dream of life behind the scenes. Meanwhile, The Chill Zone is the perfect space to kick back and take it all in. This offers a relaxed environment where young festival-goers can meet new friends, play on the Samsung F1 Rigs, and catch intimate acoustic sets from some of the UK’s rising stars. This year’s performers include Amber Saqladi, Amelie Holden, Charlie Ward, Cold July, Darling, ElectroLive, Harry Eley, Huw Lloyd, Jack Browett, Skweegie, SPL/T, Stonny the Donny, Stormchasers, and Tajah & Liv.

Over at the Prestige Flowers Designer Village, expect even more to explore. This vibrant shopping and discovery space is packed with stylish, sustainable and creative brands from the bold upcycled fashion of Patcha London to the bright homeware collections of Charlotte Posner and exclusive rock photography from Rock Legends Live. Headline sponsor Prestige Flowers is celebrating British blooms in style with a showstopping ID Buzz wrapped in thousands of flowers, plus floral arranging workshops running across the weekend. Pop by to dedicate a bouquet to someone extraordinary and maybe even win one of your own, then explore Charlotte Posner’s art pop-ups, grab an eco-statement from Patcha, or chat sustainability and style with returning favourites Philips Electronics, Bray Cured, and Bombay Sapphire.

Speaking of gin, you can find out more about how the world-famous Bombay Sapphire is made just down the road from CarFest at their Hampshire-based distillery. Set in a beautifully restored 18th-century mill and packed with sustainable innovations, it’s the home of every drop of Bombay Sapphire made today. Visit the chalet to discover more about the ten botanicals behind the flavour, and chat with the team for exclusive tips and tastings.

And for hands-on fun, don’t miss artist Luke Crump, who returns with his colourful paint pens and positive vibes to lead a series of creative customisation workshops at the StarFest Stage, crafted by Mazda. Luke’s popular merch will be back with new designs, and in an exciting twist, Mazda is wrapping a car for StarFest with one of Luke’s special designs. Visitors will be invited to grab a pen and help colour it in across the weekend. Parked just outside The Talent Lab, get involved in the most creative collab of the summer!

From book signings to creative play, acoustic gigs to artist-led experiences, StarFest is all about big ideas, personal passions and unforgettable moments. And this latest announcement proves that the story is only just getting started.