Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival celebrating 35th anniversary in 2026 with return to Colne Muni
The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary in style, returning to the iconic Colne Muni Theatre for the first time since 2022.
It will mark a special reunion with a venue which hosted the festival in its debut year, in August 1990.
A highlight of the summer, the 2026 festival will take place from August 28th to 30th, promising a weekend packed with live music.
The Muni, which reopened in August following a major £1.5m. refurbishment, will again take its place as a main venue alongside the Pendle Hippodrome and The Little Theatre.
As part of the project, the ‘Lesser Muni’ has been renamed the Albert Room, available for private bookings.
The festival draws thousands of blues lovers to Lancashire every year. Artistic directors Colne Blues Society are already booking artists, with announcements expected soon.
Early bird tickets have already sold out, but full festival tickets, full day tickets, afternoon tickets and evening tickets are still available.
The popular festival campsite at Colne and Nelson Rugby Club will return for 2026, offering full festival camping for tents and caravans.
Nathan Cutler, from Colne Town Council, said: “It’s fantastic to have the Muni back as a main venue for this year’s festival. It will be great for the town and a real boost to the local community and economy.”
Festival co-Ordinator Simon Shackleton said: “The Muni has long been part of the festival’s history and it was there at the very first event in 1990. It’s wonderful to have it back for our 35th festival in 2026.”
Tickets for the 2026 festival can be booked now at: www.bluesfestival.co.uk/tickets