Colne hits all the right notes as thousands celebrate an unforgettable 35th Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival

Tens of thousands of music fans filled Colne across the August Bank Holiday weekend as the 35^th Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival delivered a spectacular celebration of live music, bringing world-class performances, unforgettable moments and an incredible atmosphere to the heart of the town.

For five days, Colne became a town taken over by the blues, with packed venues, bustling streets, music around every corner and festivalgoers singing and dancing their way through a Bank Holiday weekend to remember.

From Thursday through to Monday, the festival’s main stages and 17 Official Fringe venues played host to an incredible programme of live music, with visitors travelling from near and far to join the celebrations.

At the heart of the festival was an exceptional line-up of headline talent.

The Pendle Hippodrome welcomed Australian blues powerhouse Ray Beadle, acclaimed singer-songwriter and guitarist Dom Martin and legendary American blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout, who delivered performances worthy of such a landmark year for the festival.

Over at The Muni Theatre, audiences were treated to three more outstanding headline shows from The Cinelli Brothers, Mike Sanchez and Lightnin’ Willie & The Poorboys, while The Fort Vale Little Theatre provided the perfect setting for headline performances from Kevin Brown, The Delta Aces and Sean Taylor Trio.

International artists were once again a huge part of the weekend, underlining the festival’s reputation far beyond Lancashire. Alongside Ray Beadle and Walter Trout, Colne welcomed Spain’s Susan Santos and American artists including Paul Benjaman Band, The David Julia Band and Lightnin’ Willie & The Poorboys, among many others.

There were equally memorable performances from artists closer to home, with local talent making its mark throughout the weekend. NHK Live, Ross Munro, Tadhg Bean-Bradley and J-Bear & The Giants all produced stand-out performances, with the weekend marking an incredible 20^th Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival appearance for J-Bear.

One of the biggest crowd-pleasing moments came on Saturday night courtesy of King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys. Their return carried extra significance during the festival’s 35^th  anniversary year, having also performed at the very first Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival.

Among the many highlights were two very special tributes that captured the spirit and heart of the blues community.

On Saturday night, The Fort Vale Little Theatre hosted a moving tribute to Rod Mayall, bringing together a collective of musicians from the Stockport and Manchester blues scene to celebrate his life and music.

Then, on Sunday night, the Pendle Hippodrome provided the setting for an emotional finale to the main festival programme with a heartfelt tribute to the legendary John Mayall.

Walter Trout, Sonny Flint’s Beano Bluesbreakers and Kyla Brox took to the stage for a remarkable celebration of one of the most influential figures in British blues. The night became even more special as Kyla welcomed Saturday night’s Pendle Hippodrome headliner Ray Beadle, to the stage.

It was a powerful and fitting way to bring the 35^th anniversary festival to a close.

Festival Organiser Simon Shackleton said: “What an incredible festival. There are so many fantastic memories from this weekend and performances that I know people will be talking about for a long time. The standard of music was sensational, the tributes were incredibly special and the atmosphere across Colne was just amazing. To celebrate our 35^th anniversary like this, surrounded by so many people who share our love of the blues, has been something we’ll never forget.”

Beyond the main stages, the festival atmosphere spread throughout Colne.

Official Fringe venues were packed with live music fans, while buskers and street entertainers brought music and colour to the town. Singing and dancing spilled out into the streets as visitors moved between performances, shops, pubs, cafés and venues, creating a genuine festival feel from morning until night.

For local businesses, the influx of thousands of visitors brought a welcome Bank Holiday boost, with pubs, hospitality venues and businesses across Colne benefiting from the crowds.

Nathan Cutler, Events & Facilities Officer at Colne Town Council, said: “Seeing thousands of people visiting Colne across the weekend was fantastic. The town was absolutely buzzing, our pubs and venues were thriving and there was a brilliant atmosphere everywhere you went. Events of this size make such a difference to the town and its businesses, and it was wonderful to see visitors enjoying not only the festival but everything Colne has to offer.”

The 35^th anniversary followed another landmark moment for the Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, which was inducted into the UK Blues Hall of Fame earlier this year.

The 2026 festival was proudly sponsored by Barnfield Construction, continuing their support of Colne’s thriving cultural and creative scene. Learn more here: www.barnfieldconstruction.co.uk

For more coverage from the festival, visit: www.bluesfestival.co.uk