Lytham Festival

Lytham Festival is a pop, rock and indie festival that began in 2010 in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, on Lytham Green by the Ribble estuary. Daniel Cuffe and Peter Taylor, of Cuffe and Taylor, revived a one-night Proms. Lesley Garrett sang to about 4,500 people. Peter Taylor, born in the town, had run the Clifton Park Hotel in St Annes and the Friends of Lowther Pavilion. The council wanted someone to organise the Proms, which had stopped around 2003 for lack of funds. In the 1980s and 1990s there were community concerts on the green: David Hoyle told Lancs Live that his father, a councillor, paid for the first run with a band and a choir from Weeton camp and about 500 neighbours with their own chairs. That local start measured the ear. Pop and rock measured the stage from that first night in 2010.

In 2011 the Proms grew to three days. Status Quo and Boyzone headlined pop-rock nights. Katherine Jenkins closed the Proms concert. Fylde Council allowed up to 9,999 people in 2010 and 2011, with no objections. In 2014 Tom Jones headlined and the licence rose to 14,999. In 2015 the cycle was renamed Lytham Festival, first four days and then five. In 2017 the authorised maximum reached 19,999, with conditions agreed with Lancashire police and Environmental Protection. Olly Murs, Rita Ora, Billy Ocean, Faithless, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Bryan Adams, Hacienda Classical, Nile Rodgers and CHIC and Madness passed through the green. There were also Proms nights with Lea Salonga, Ramin Karimloo, Michael Ball, Sheridan Smith, Alfie Boe, Collabro and Jodie Prenger. Cuffe and Taylor pinned the producer. Lytham Green pinned the grass.

In 2019 the tenth anniversary ran with Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue and Stereophonics. The pandemic left a gap in 2020 and 2021. In 2022 Discover Fylde counted ten nights of music on the green, a meadow used the rest of the year for dogs and picnics. In 2023 Lionel Richie, Sting, Blondie, Def Leppard, Motley Crue and George Ezra filled five nights. Up to 20,000 people fitted each day. In 2024, under the TK Maxx Presents mark, Madness, Shania Twain, Rag n Bone Man, The Courteeners, Hozier and James returned. Rick Astley, Johnny Marr and Lightning Seeds opened bills. The Ribble estuary and the Fylde pinned the map. The green is built and taken down each summer.

From 2 to 6 July 2025 the bill named Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Justin Timberlake and a double close of Simple Minds and Texas. Kings of Leon cancelled in May and the cycle was cut to four days, Time Out reported. On 3 July Stevie Wonder headlined with Corinne Bailey Rae. On 4 July high wind stopped Alanis Morissette, according to the BBC. On 5 July Justin Timberlake closed after CTRL, Dagny and Jess Glynne. On 6 July Pete Waterman, Cast, a tribute to The Alarm, Texas and Simple Minds took the stage. Manic Street Preachers and Jake Bugg had been set to open with Kings of Leon. Train, Liz Phair and Lottery Winners played Friday. Time Out put about 25,000 people on each remaining night.

From 1 to 5 July 2026 the fifteenth anniversary already ran. On 1 July Teddy Swims headlined with Lauren Spencer Smith and Jordan Rakei. On 2 July Alanis Morissette, held over from the previous summer, sang with Skunk Anansie, Pale Waves and The Big Moon. On 3 July Michael Buble headlined with Ronan Keating, Appleton and local DJ Graham Liver. On 4 July Pet Shop Boys, with Blackpool-born Chris Lowe, closed after Scissor Sisters and Dave Pearce. On 5 July Pitbull was the first rap headliner, with Lil Jon and DJ Laz. Peter Taylor told the BBC that more people come to the festival than live in Lytham. Discover Fylde and the Manchester Evening News spoke of about 100,000 people across the week. Doors opened around 17:00.

The format is one stage on the green, a picnic and one headliner a night. There is no big valley campsite: there is town grass by the estuary and the streets a walk away. Lytham St Annes pins the coast. Lancashire and the Fylde pin the county. Cuffe and Taylor, Daniel Cuffe and Peter Taylor pin the producer. Lesley Garrett pins 2010. Status Quo and Katherine Jenkins pin 2011. Rod Stewart and Kylie pin 2019. Stevie Wonder and Justin Timberlake pin 2025. Teddy Swims, Michael Buble, Pet Shop Boys and Pitbull pin 2026. 5 July 2026 pins the close of the fifteenth cycle already held. Pop, rock and indie pin the ear. The domain lythamfestival.com is kept.