Burnley Live: Organisers promise town centre festival will be 'bigger and better' in 2026

That’s the promise from organisers of the annual music festival that drew over 10,000 visitors across the Bank Holiday weekend. A second stage will be added and the search is already on for an event sponsor, said Remedy bar owner Madge Nawaz, who organised and hosted the event with Adam and Brooklyn Wolski-Brown, who own Bar Mojitos.

Madge said: “A sponsor would give us scope to provide more entertainment and attractions. We had fantastic support from the public, as always. “It brought thousands of people into the town, which is a great boost for the local economy. Next year we want to widen the festival’s appeal with more family orientated attractions, making it an event for everyone across the board to get involved in and enjoy.”

Madge and Adam footed the £10,000 bill for the event which featured several different bands on the main stage in Ormerod Street, which was closed off to traffic, over three days. A great showcase for local bands and singers, the festival also gave pubs, eateries and shops in the town, the opportunity to attract new customers and visitors.

St James Street hosted the artisan market on the Saturday, serving everything from popular street food to local produce and arts and crafts. Other venues who took part this year included The Big Window, The Royal Dyche, The Palazzo, The Inn on the Wharf, The Swan, Penny Black, Hatters Craft Bar, The Loom, The Little White Horse, the Real Food Hall and Hidden. Each hosted bands, singers and DJs.

Adam appealed for people to mark the event in their diaries for 2026, promising that Burnley Live would be an event to be proud of.

He said: “Our little team works, we have proved this, and we now have a town centre festival that we can almost guarantee will be around for many years to come.

“Isn’t that something to be proud of as a little mill town like Burnley? We worked hard over the weekend and will work even harder next year to make sure the people of Burnley have an event that will be something to look forward to.”

Burnley Live was originally launched in 2019 by Madge and Burnley Express editor John Deehan, who said this year’s success was ‘just the beginning’ adding: “Burnley Live has been a huge success – the atmosphere was incredible and the talent on show was second to none. What made it truly special was seeing all the venues come together to create something that felt truly united.

“ We want Burnley Live to keep growing, keep evolving, and – most importantly – keep giving something back to the town and the people who make it what it is. The goal is to build an event that’s here for years to come – something Burnley can be proud of.”

Laura Diffey, who is project manager for Burnley BID project (Business Improvement District) said Burnley Live brought an ‘incredible buzz’ to the town, adding: “ The venues were packed, the atmosphere was electric, and it was fantastic to see people and families travelling in from out of town to be part of it.

“Across four days, over 70 acts, performances, and entertainment took place in more than 20 venues. We're already looking ahead to next year and can’t wait to build on this year’s success to make it even bigger and better.”