Lytham Festival
Tuesday 28th June to Sunday 2 July 2023
Lytham Festival has grown from a one-night-only community Proms-style concert to a spectacular five-day live music event which now attracts well in excess of 70,000 people each summer.
Staged on the banks of Lancashire’s stunning Ribble Estuary, the festival was the brainchild of friends Daniel Cuffe and Peter Taylor.
What started out as two local lads having an idea for a one-night event for Leafy Lytham is now a huge event on the national music calendar, with fans travelling from all four corners of the UK as well as from overseas to witness and take part in this festival.
In 2010 just 4,500 local people came to what was then Lytham Proms to watch soprano Lesley Garrett perform.
A year later Lytham Proms grew into a three-day event with headliners Status Quo and Boyzone as well as a traditional proms concert headlined by Katherine Jenkins.
As the Proms gained increasing popularity, in 2015 it became a four-day event and was rebranded Lytham Festival.
And since 2015 Lytham Festival has been a five-day event.
Headliners have varied massively over the years ranging from the likes of Billy Ocean, Tom Jones, Faithless and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds to Bryan Adams, Hacienda Classical, Nile Rodgers and CHIC and Madness.
Alongside those headliners have been spectacular picnic Proms-style concerts attracting classical and musical theatre royalty including Lea Salonga, Ramin Karimloo, Michael Ball, Sheridan Smith, Alfie Boe, Collabro and Jodie Prenger.
2019 marked the 10th anniversary with headline shows from Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue and Stereophonics.
2022 saw ten nights of live music light up Lytham Green. This tranquil beauty spot is normally reserved for dog walkers, kite flyers and family picnics but each summer it is transformed into a buzzing live music hub as artists from across the globe perform to crowds of up to 20,000 people each night.
The 2023 line up will be announced in late 2022
Diana Ross
Motown legend Diana Ross will kick off the 2022 festival on Tuesday 28th June. The American singer and actress rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes, who became Motown’s most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time. A hugely successful solo career followed and has seen Ross win countless major awards including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe, a Tony and several American Music Awards.
Support from Jack Savoretti
Lewis Capaldi
Wednesday June 29 will see rapidly rising international star Lewis Capaldi headline the Main Proms Arena. It’s been a meteoric rise for the Scottish singer-songwriter. This year alone has seen his number one single Someone You Loved nominated at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and it then won the 2020 Brit Award of the same title. Earlier this year his single Hold Me While You Wait was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award and Capaldi also won the 2020 Brit Award for Best New Artist.
Support from Luke La Volpe
Snow Patrol
Indie rockers Snow Patrol are the Thursday 30th June night headliners. With a 25-year career they have racked up an impressive number of accolades including more than 17 million global album sales and an Ivor Novello award. Their 2006 monster hit single Chasing Cars went on to become UK radio’s most played song of the 21st Century.
Support from Kodaline and Jade Bird
Duran Duran
On Friday 1st July Lytham Festival will host British music icons Duran Duran. Since first storming onto the pop scene in 1981 Duran Duran have sold more than 100 million records, had 18 American hit singles, 21 UK Top 20 tunes and have continued to perform to huge concert audiences around the world.
Consistently fusing art, technology, fashion and a signature sense of style with their unique and infectious brand of music, singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor have proven themselves timeless.
Support from Goldfrapp and Walt Disco
Nile Rodgers and Chic
Saturday 2nd July will see Nile Rodgers and Chic take to the stage once again having performed a sell out Lytham Festival concert in 2018. They will be joined by Grammy Award winning special guests Soul II Soul, US girl group TLC and Craig Charles will kick off the night with his funk and soul DJ set.
Customers who had already purchased tickets for July 2nd to see Lionel Richie will be contacted by their ticket providers with full details. Their tickets will automatically be valid for Nile Rodgers & CHIC.
Simply Red
Simply Red will perform at Lytham Festival on Thursday 6th July, they will be suppoprted by Marisha Wallace and Lisa Stansfield. After 40 years of making records (with punk band The Frantic Elevators, solo and various line ups of Simply Red) Hucknall wanted to create something tailored to the core strength of his fantastic band. “I asked myself, what would these guys really like to play, night after night? I want them to enjoy playing, for crowds to get up and move around, and everybody to put their heart into it. It’s all about capturing the groove.”
Elbow
Elbow will perform at Lytham Festival on Friday 7th July, they will be supported by RICHARD HAWLEY. Elbow, a group now in their third decade together, should come to the November 19th 2021 release of new album, ‘Flying Dream 1’, at their most creative is testament to the strength of the partnership between their four members. It is a partnership long forged through mutual respect and admiration, close personal ties, and a shared history of believing in the purpose and meaning of their work.
The Strokes
One of the most influential bands of the 21st century, The Strokes Lytham Festival performance on Friday July 8 who will be supported by the Fontaines D.C, this will be an exclusive North of England show. From the moment they released their critically acclaimed debut album Is This It in 2001 The Strokes were destined for huge international success and have gone on to earn a string of awards including a Grammy earlier this year for their most recent album The New Abnormal.
Tears for Fears
The following night, Saturday July 9, will see timeless favourites Tears For Fears headline. The Brit Award winners have garnered international success and toured throughout the world delighting audiences with their iconic hits including Mad World, Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heels. Critically acclaimed hitmaking singer-songwriter Alison Moyet is special guest, while Australian pop star Natalie Imbruglia will open the show.
Paul Weller
British music icon Paul Weller will headline the final night of Lytham Festival 2022. As frontman of The Jam, the man behind The Style Council and a hugely successful solo artist, Weller is without doubt one of the UK’s most prolific and well-respected music artists. And he is now heading to Lytham Festival on Sunday 10th July where he will be joined by indie legends The Charlatans, indie pop band Lottery Winners and rising Welsh soul singer Nia Wyn.
Make a weekend of it!
There are plenty of good quality, welcoming guest houses, holiday apartments and hotels in the area and use the accommodation section on this website where there’s plenty to chose from (always book direct for the best rates).
Image shown – HY Hotel, St Annes
There are fabulous places to eat locally too.