Splendour Festival in Nottingham is back
Splendour will take over Wollaton Park this weekend
Splendour festival is back and it begins today.
Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis and Nottingham's own Jake Bugg headline along with Clean Bandit, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield, Echo & The Bunnymen, Seasick Steve, The Levellers and The Fratellis.
Performances span six stages across Wollaton Park, including the daytime disco Day Fever for the very first time, in which Nottingham royalty Vicky McClure will put on, with Our Dementia Choir appearing for the third time. The choir's performance at Splendour is part of their ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the positive impact of music on people living with dementia. Vicky started the choir after her grandmother passed away from dementia in 2015.
Vicky said: “I’m so excited Splendour is back this year for two very exciting reasons, Our Dementia Choir’s third performance and Day Fever’s debut!! It’s going to be a weekend of pure fun, music, dance, great people, great vibes and all happening in my favourite spot on earth, Wollaton Park!
"Let’s dance Nottingham!”
There's also new for this year the chance to discover some of the latest acts coming through, at the Bodega New Music Stage.
DHP Family booker Joseph Patten said: “Bodega is the perfect collaboration for our new music stage, the venue has always been at the forefront of emerging talent and that’s something we’re keen to bring out at Splendour as well. We’re really excited by the line-up that’s been pulled together, mixing some of the hottest new UK artists right now with some amazing local talent that we’re very proud to support.”
Remaining true to tradition, Splendour in nurturing the city’s grassroots music scene with many local artists - handpicked by the Bodega team, which was recently crowned Music Week’s Grassroots Venue of the Year. Also, there’s plenty of the homegrown heavyweights appearing on the biggest stages including Clifton’s Jake Bugg, returning for his third Splendour appearance, and fast rising star LYVIA, The Publics and Set in Motion making it a fab four for the home city.
Trent Rockets are coming back to Splendour as they gear up for another thrilling summer of world-class cricket when The Hundred returns to Trent Bridge in August. With a dedicated activation zone on site, It’s a chance to meet the players, take on cricket challenges, pick up new skills and a chance to get their hands on exclusive merchandise too!
Splendour is always a firm favourite with families with free child admission for under 11s and Little Splendours, the dedicated kids' area bursting with fun for children aged 0–11. This year features sensory and messy play zones for the tiniest festivalgoers and magical interactive theatre shows and the chance to get hands-on with music-making, sculpture-building, and quirky installations.
The Comedy stage is once again the place to kick back and enjoy all the laughs from 2pm each day, with Saturday featuring comedy musician Frizz Frizzle, and Karen Bayley, the first ever female winner of the prestigious Comedy Store King Gong award.
Food wise, there’s everything under the sun from traditional fish and chips, woodfired pizza and free range burgers from festival faves like Holy Cow to authentic Malaysian street food from Syiok-Lah and Indian classics from Nottingham’s MemSaab and Leicester’s Mirch Masala.
After a year away, it’s time to give a warm welcome back to one of the biggest summer events of the East Midlands.
DHP Family’s George Akins said: “Everyone at DHP has been working hard to bring Splendour back after a year out and we couldn’t be happier to see in its return, providing an affordable, top-quality weekend of entertainment for families and people of all ages. I’m particularly looking forward to the new addition of Day Fever, with longtime Splendour supporter Vicky McClure, which is sure to add to the party atmosphere at Wollaton Park, plus the yet to be announced Future Sound of Nottingham winners – a real celebration of our hometown.”
To find out more head over to Splendour's website.
Key information Splendour have shared:
How Do I Get There?
Getting to Splendour by public transport is a breeze, thanks to the enhanced NET tram and Nottingham City Centre bus services, which will run frequently all weekend right to the festival doorstep. Use Pink 30 from the City Centre, with buses picking up at Milton Street alongside the Victoria Centre. Trentbarton’s i4 and Red Arrow services are a great option if you’re travelling from Derby or surrounding areas. For anyone arriving by train, try taking The Tram from the train station to the University of Nottingham stop, a 15 min walk away from Wollaton Park.
Allow Extra Time to Get to Splendour
Don’t forget the ongoing road improvements on the A52 Derby Road between Priory and QMC roundabouts. Plan your journey and allow plenty of time to get here.
The westbound carriageway remains closed with traffic diverting along University Boulevard and Woodside Road. Eastbound remains open but two bus stops have been suspended. The closest stop for eastbound travel will be at the QMC.
Looking After Little Ones
All children aged 0-10 will be issued with a wristband, where a parent or guardian at the festival can write their mobile number so everyone can be easily reunited. On the day, the Splendour Squad, Welfare Officer and Security staff will be on hand to help anyone who needs assistance.