Radio 2 in the Park Round-Up and What's Next for Preston

Radio 2 in the Park delivered a fantastic weekend of entertainment and live music for Preston and its visitors. Preston wanted a party and a party is what we got, not even the wet weather could dampen people's spirits!  

Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council said:

"It was an utter delight seeing Sting, The Pet Shop Boys, The Manics and many other great artists perform on Moor Park over the weekend. The whole city's spirits have lifted and I want to thank everyone at Radio 2 and Preston City Council who worked tirelessly to deliver such a wonderful event.

"As well as the fantastic performances, it shows how wonderful Preston is as a city with local people, venues, community organisations and businesses featuring alongside the BBC2, with our local economy benefiting by this collaboration.

"Cynics said Preston City Council could never attract an event such as Radio 2 In The Park. We have proven them wrong and hopefully this will be the start of Preston attracting more major events in the future."

Councillor Anna Hindle, Cabinet Member for Arts and Culture, Preston City Council:

"I have had the time of my life over the three days of BBC Radio 2 In the Park, a full festival experience in Preston, enjoyed by so many Prestonians, as well as visitors from afar. It was well organised, all of the bands were amazing and sounded great! Whether rain, shine or mud, everyone was happy.  I would love to bring a similar event to Preston again in the future!"

Tim Joel, Head of Culture, Preston City Council:

"Radio 2 in the Park was a fantastic weekend for Preston, putting our city on the map. It was a great opportunity for our residents and visitors to enjoy a quality festival in our flagship Moor Park and also the millions watching at home on the BBC. Radio 2 in the Park has had a significant impact for local businesses, boosting interest in return visits and building civic pride, with a real positive Preston vibe throughout the city, across the weekend.

"Various Council teams were involved throughout the weekend, supporting the BBC to ensure a safe and well-run event and is a great example of the important role played by Local Government in delivering fantastic opportunities for our residents as well as creating a vibrant, dynamic and creative city."  

Clean Up of Moor Park

Restoration of the park and derigging all the stalls and stages has already begun. Preston City Council's Parks Team, comprising of talented gardeners and park rangers will work together with the event organisers over the coming days and weeks to assess the park.

The breakdown of the all the stalls, rides and stages will be managed by the event organisers, as it would be for any event of this size. Some elements may be slightly delayed to the wet ground, but this is not out of the ordinary for an event of this scale but the breakdown is expected to take approximately two weeks.

The park will be cordoned off temporarily into sections throughout the reinstatement process and it is the aim of both the City Council and the BBC to limit any damage to the park, and the duration of any disruption to regular park users is limited as much as possible. This is a contractual arrangement between the Council and the BBC.

What's next for Preston's entertainment scene?

Encounter Festival 2024

Preston's Encounter Festival is back in the city on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September celebrating the county's diverse cultural offer, with a high-quality packed schedule of free performances for all the family in various locations throughout the city centre including the bus station, Flag Market and Winckley Square. Join us on Saturday night for our fabulous Torchlight Procession and Firework finale, from Deepdale Road, Church Street and finishing at the Flag Market.

For the full line up, along with the route for the Torchlight Procession visit Encounter Festival 2024 - Line Up. 

Guild Lounge Events Programme, Guild Hall Preston

The Guild Lounge, formerly known as the Guild Hall Foyer, will play host to a diverse winter programme of events running from October 2024 through to March 2025.

Tickets are now on sale for a wide variety of events including live music performances, classical concerts, fringe theatre productions, comedy and family-friendly entertainment.

To see a full list of events booked so far, with plenty more to come, and to buy tickets please visit Guild Hall Preston - Guild Lounge.

Further information

Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.