Joe GallopLeicester’s Victoria Park is to host this year’s BBC Radio 2 in the Park, set to be the radio station’s biggest live music event outside London with a capacity of 35,000 people per day.
Taking place from 16-17 September across two stages, the lineup includes Kylie Minogue, Bananarama, Rick Astley, Sam Ryder, James Blunt and Tears for Fears.
The annual Radio 2 in the Park will be the network’s first flagship event since Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park in 2019, which featured performances from Pet Shop Boys, Westlife and Clean Bandit. Last year’s Leeds edition was cancelled following the death of the Queen, after it was announced the event would run over two days for the first time.
Live Nation-owned Festival Republic, which produces the event, submitted an application in April to hold the event in September. A letter from Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn, addressed to local residents, said the event would host around eight artists a day on the main stage. He said the promoter will begin setting up the site on 31 August and make sure it is cleared by 22 September.
Leicester’s City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said, “Victoria Park has a proud tradition of hosting these big events and they are always a tremendous boost to the area.”
Head of Radio 2 Helen Thomas said, “We hope it will bring together music lovers from across the nation – whether joining us in Leicester or tuning in wherever they are – with our brilliant family of Radio 2 presenters sharing all the infectious energy of the event on and off stage.”