Festival bosses promise BIGGEST party to-date at Tramlines 2025
The sold-out event at Hillsborough Park is set to wow the crowds of South Yorkshire
Last updated 25th Jul 2025
After months of waiting for many fans, it's yet another sold-out year for the biggest party in South Yorkshire, which kicks off today (25/7) - and bosses are promising Sheffield their BIGGEST party to-date.
It's made extra special for 2025 - with the Friday line-up curated by the city's very own Pulp, who themselves will be headlining on the opening night - weeks after taking to the iconic Glastonbury Festival stage down in Somerset.
To make it even sweeter, this year actually marks the Britpop legends' first appearance ever at Tramlines, which is now going into its 16th edition.
Other notable acts taking to the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Stage - named in memory of the festival's first director - include rock icons Kasabian, BRIT Breakthrough Artist winners The Last Dinner Party and The Reytons, who hail from just down the road in Rotherham.
But it's not just about the main stage - with rising star CMAT making an appearance with soul genius (and of course the woman loved by Miranda on her '10s sitcom) Heather Small and comedian Lucy Beaumont all making it to Hillsborough Park in what's set to be yet another memorable edition of what has now become a South Yorkshire institution.
And if you've never heard of them - they're certainly a Sheffield institution, with the Everly Pregnant Brothers of course making an appearance on the main stage on the Saturday afternoon.
Read more: South Yorkshire basks in the summer sun for Tramlines 2024
Growing local talent
Tramlines organisers say they're as passionate about homegrown talent as they are about the big-names.
They say Sheffield is 'awash with new and established local talent' - and many of these new acts are right now developing their craft at WaterBear Music College, with Kid Blu3, Sundress, The Tivolis, Alice Ede with the Leadmill Studio Orchestra all making an appearance, thanks to their work.
This is complemented by a huge range of more established local acts like bassline superstars Big Ang and K Dot or Noskøv who rose to fame following a successful appearance on The Voice.
Kid Blu3's single Natural Queen hit the top 3 on the UK Apple Music Hip Hop chart, powered by her scholarship at WaterBear.
Sundress, are a dream pop trio bringing glittering guitar lines and soft-focus vocals to the Sunday main stage, already riding a wave of over 70,000 streams on their debut single.
Over at Tramlines Fringe, The Tivolis bring their infectious energy to Devonshire Green, fresh from festival sets across the UK.
Jacob Brown of The Tivolis said: “WaterBear have opened the door for us to make a name for ourselves on the Sheffield scene.
"Being able to play possibly the biggest stage we ever have is an incredible opportunity. We simply can’t wait.”
Also returning to the Tramlines programme is Alice Ede, performing with the Leadmill Studio Orchestra, a powerful collaboration that brings together WaterBear, Tracks, The Leadmill and, for the first time, the Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra in its 80th anniversary year. Conducted by the acclaimed George Morton, the orchestra has worked closely with emerging artists from Sheffield Music School and the Tracks project to create new arrangements of original songs.
The result is said to be 'a genre-blending set that fuses classical scale with contemporary songwriting'.
Little Hillsborough
The 'Little Hillsborough' area is back for 2025, and is now in its third year running, bringing a mix of local traders and independent makers into the heart of the festival including newcomers for 2025, St Lukes Hospice.
Tramlines also works with a wide array of charities and initiatives from local projects to international charities including Sheffield Mind, Strut Safe, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation, the latter of which funds local music-based projects across Sheffield, especially those that work with young people and underserved communities.
It's said to bring a slice of Sheffield’s independent spirit into the heart of the festival, offering festivalgoers the chance to discover unique items, meet independent makers and engage with local organisations as part of the wider weekend experience.
In this same vein, Tramlines is also encouraging people to visit Hillsborough businesses in advance of the event through their, ‘Hillsborough Hotspots’, campaign, which you can read about here.
Tramlines Fringe
The full programme for The Fringe at Tramlines 2025 is now live, with over 400 performances confirmed across more than 40 venues in Sheffield city centre over the weekend - and it's all centred around the main stage, which is located on Devonshire Green.
Supported by Sheffield BID, Sheffield City Council, and Tramlines Festival, The Fringe is the biggest city-wide music celebration in South Yorkshire and one of the region’s most accessible cultural events.
This year’s programme includes a headline appearance from reggae legend Macka B and the Roots Ragga Band, plus high-energy sets from Sheffield ska heroes Jungle Lion, punk-folk outfit Shanghai Treason, and the lively soul of Soul Battalion.
Joining them are The Tivolis, emerging from WaterBear Music College, and young talents from Tracks, Sheffield’s youth music development programme run by Sheffield Music School.
Sheffield favourite Sam Scherdel takes over The Washington with his gravel-toned anthems, described by some as “the South Yorkshire Springsteen”, while Whitehorse — the latest project from The Blinders’ Tom Haywood — offers masterful lyricism and understated swagger.
Over at Sidney & Matilda, Sister Wives weave bilingual dreamscapes of post-punk and psychedelia, and synth-punk crew Hard As Nails bring high energy to Hatch.
This year’s programme goes well beyond just music, with live-band karaoke (Bandeoke), eclectic open mic nights, jazz-infused hip hop, loop-pedal experiments, and everything from RnB to street punk.
Diane Jarvis, Head of Business Operations at Sheffield BID, said: “As we mark a decade of Sheffield BID in the city centre, we’re rightly proud of our continued association with The Fringe.
"The event drives footfall, dwell time and much-needed additional spend into the city centre. It’s become one of our signature festivals, and we’re proud to continue backing it.”
Councillor Mohammed Mahroof, Chair of the Economic Development, Skills and Culture Committee, added: “The Fringe is free to attend and brings real benefits to our local economy. It adds vibrancy to the city and makes Sheffield a brilliant place to live and visit.”
In 2024, the Fringe attracted over 45,000 visitors and generated an estimated £1.86 million for the local economy.