On the outskirts of a quaint historic village in Sedgefield, County Durham, set in the idyllic and picturesque grounds of a former manor house dating back to the early 18th century, now a luxury hotel, Hardwick Hall for the past ten years has been the home of Hardwick Festival.
Every summer the stage is set and crowds gather as many renowned musicians, acts and artists take to the stage to wow audiences in possibly the most scenic backdrop for a music festival ever.
Since launching 10 years ago as ‘Hardwick Live Garden Party’, with acts such as ‘90s chart toppers Texas, Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and ‘80s star Alison Moyet all headlining the stage, it has grown quite nicely and evolved into a much greater event indeed, attracting a wide range of artists, from legendary acts such as The Jacksons (Yes, the brothers of the late and great Michael Jackson), hit maker Nile Rogers, Soul II Soul, Simple Minds, Steve Harley & The Cockney Rebel, to pop icons James, Cast, Embrace, Ocean Colour Scene, Kaiser Chiefs and many, many more.
The line-up is now so vast and is growing year upon year that anyone and everyone from decades of great music has or will be at this event, even the band that started it all, The Beatles…well, The Bootleg Beatles, who wowed audiences back in 2017.
The festival now has something for everyone, like a scaled-down version of that iconic event on a farm in Somerset, with a max capacity of ten thousand and the main arena occupying nine thousand of that.
With a main stage and other smaller stages incorporating DJs and brass bands amongst a host of other attractions, including a children’s area, fairground and a huge choice of culinary delights, the event is a memorable one at that.
This year’s 10th-anniversary festival will feature a multitude of artists over three days. Top of the bill are Becky Hill, Jack Savoretti, Snow Patrol, The Charlatans, the kitchen disco queen herself, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as well as Richard Ashcroft, Blossoms, plus lots of supporting acts, including local artists such as Hayley McKay. The event will also feature comedians, DJs and acoustic sets.
For those who want the full experience, camping and glamping is also available.
The festival takes place on the 16th, 17th and 18th August.
For further information and tickets, head to hardwickfestival.co.uk.
