Earlier this morning Preston was revealed as the next location for BBC Radio 2 in the Park. The two-day event, which will see a wide range of global acts perform, will take place at Moor Park in September.
The news was revealed by Gaby Roslin on today's Radio 2 Breakfast Show as she filled in for Zoe Ball following the death of Ball’s mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. As Lancs Live reports, the radio channel's flagship live music festival took place in Leicester last year with Kylie Minogue headlining - her first live UK concert performance for four years.
Previous acts have also included Texas, Busted, Tears For Fears and Bananrama. The full artist line-up for the Preston event will be revealed in early June.
READ MORE: BBC Radio 2 in the Park to take place in Preston
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said: "I’m delighted that this year’s Radio 2 In The Park will take place in Preston. Following last year’s epic extravaganza in Leicester, we can’t wait to head north with our fantastic family of Radio 2 presenters, as well as some of the most loved music artists on the planet, to party with the good people of Lancashire!"
Adrian Phillips, chief executive at Preston City Council, said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome the BBC to Preston with Radio 2’s flagship live music event, Radio 2 In the Park. As this year’s host city, we’re really excited to be staging two jam-packed days, full of incredible live performances from some of the music world’s biggest stars."
While tickets won't be released until June, below, we've taken a look at when and where the event will be held and how to apply for tickets in June.
Where is the venue and what are the dates?
Sitting on the outskirts of Preston city centre, the two-day event will be held at the Grade II-listed Moor Park on Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8. It has a Green Flag Award in recognition of its heritage and maintenance and is one of the city's oldest and largest parklands with vast open green spaces and notable beauty spots.
As well as its own dedicated skatepark, children's play areas and grotto and decorative garden, it also features an observatory and park cafe. Alongside a network of footpaths and cycle paths, Moor Park is described as a 'haven' for sports and activities and boasts four bowling greens, an outdoor gym zone, basketball courts, 5-a-side football courts and tennis courts.
How can I get tickets?
The BBC has said tickets won't go on sale until 'shortly after' the full artist line-up is released in June. However, 40 Radio 2 listeners were given free tickets at Deepdale this morning (April 24) as part of a competition run in conjunction with the announcement of the location.
During the Breakfast Show, a series of clues were revealed on air and on Radio 2's social media channels which required listeners to figure out the location of traffic and travel reporter Richie Anderson, who was broadcasting live from a secret location.
Details on how to get tickets in early June will be available here.
