A huge new music festival has been announced for Leeds’ Roundhay Park by the team behind BST Hyde Park.
Set to become a central fixture of the north of England’s cultural calendar, a press release for the new festival promised it will host some of the music world’s biggest names, with the first headliner set to be announced soon.
The legendary Roundhay Park has already got a storied history with live music, having played host to the likes of Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and, most recently, Ed Sheeran.
Launched in collaboration with Leeds City Council, Roundhay Festival will deliver a sizable economic boost to the local area, and will also run a midweek programme of free-to-access
activities for all ages, offering high-quality arts, culture and wellbeing activities as well as providing a platform for local talent at the park during the summer.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said the park was a “fabulous setting” for concerts, adding that the festival would “act as a wonderful showcase” for the city.
“The park is a fabulous setting for concerts, as legendary artists like Madonna, U2 and the Rolling Stones will know from their own fondly-remembered appearances there,” he continued. “It’s also a much-loved part of the fabric of life in Leeds, so it’s fitting that this event will be doing as much as possible to support local vendors, suppliers and staff.”
“Roundhay Festival will act as a wonderful showcase for our city, raising its profile with national and international audiences while delivering an important boost to the local economy. I’m sure music fans, not just in Leeds but across the region and beyond, will agree with me when I say ‘roll on next summer’.”
Organisers AEG Presents, who also run London’s BST Hyde Park, have said they plan to bring premium festival experiences and world-class performances to Leeds.
“Everyone at AEG is thrilled to announce the launch of the Roundhay Festival in Leeds,” Jim King, the CEO of AEG Presents UK and European Festivals, said of the news.
“This landmark event gives us the opportunity to bring world-class artists and world-leading production to even more fans, while building on the park’s incredible musical legacy. Roundhay Park already holds an extraordinary place in music history, having hosted concerts from some of the biggest artists of all time and we cannot wait to add to that story.”
Roundhay Festival’s headliners, full line-ups and programmes are set to be announced soon.
