BBC Radio 2 Announces Lineup for In-the-Park Festival in Chelmsford
BBC Radio 2 has announced that its flagship live music festival, Radio 2 in the Park, will take place in Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex, from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September. The event, which is expected to draw thousands of music fans from across the UK, will feature a stellar lineup of live performances, with the artist lineup set to be revealed on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show on Tuesday 3 June.
According to the BBC, the festival will be broadcast live on Radio 2, BBC Sounds, and iPlayer, with most of Radio 2’s presenters decamping to Chelmsford for the weekend. The event will also feature a Friday night DJ party, which proved popular at last year’s festival in Preston.
Rylan, a Radio 2 presenter and Essex native, expressed his excitement about the festival taking place in his home county, saying: "I’m thrilled to welcome my Radio 2 family to Chelmsford and have this year’s Radio 2 in the Park right on my doorstep! If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that an Essex crowd know how to party. See you all in Hylands Park!"
The BBC reports that Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, is delighted to be bringing the festival to Chelmsford, saying: "Radio 2 in the Park is our biggest party of the year, and we’re thrilled to be bringing a three-day music extravaganza to Chelmsford! We’ve been busy booking some of the world’s most loved artists to perform to thousands of revellers in Hylands Park, as well as to millions of listeners and viewers at home or on the move."
Tickets for the festival will go on sale on Wednesday 4 June at 8:30am, with further details available at bbc.co.uk/radio2inthepark. The event is expected to boost the local economy and cement Chelmsford’s position as a top events destination.
Councillor Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council, welcomed the news, saying: "Hylands Park is no stranger to music festivals, and we’re thrilled to add another renowned music event to the list in 2025. BBC Radio 2 in the Park is a fantastic opportunity for Chelmsford – one that will lift our local economy and boost the city’s position as a top events destination."
The BBC notes that Radio 2 continues to serve audiences with a steady stream of world-class music performances, including its Piano Room month in February, which featured performances from Coldplay, Kiefer Sutherland, and Elkie Brooks. The station’s Country Show presenter, Bob Harris, also covered the Country 2 Country festival in London, Belfast, and Glasgow in March.
In recent months, Radio 2 has also broadcast a range of special shows, including Jo Whiley’s Sofa Sessions, which have featured Maggie Rogers, Cast, and Corinne Bailey Rae. The station’s presenters include a range of well-known names, including Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, and Vernon Kay, who is the most listened to radio show host in the UK with 7.2 million listeners.
As the UK’s most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 13.1 million, Radio 2 is set to deliver a huge event in Chelmsford this September. With its stellar lineup of live performances, and broadcast coverage on Radio 2, BBC Sounds, and iPlayer, Radio 2 in the Park is an event not to be missed.
The announcement of the festival was made on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show, with Scott speaking to Radio 2 presenter, Ellie Taylor, who is from Essex. She was live on air at Hylands House within Hylands Park to reveal the location to listeners.
Last year Radio 2 in the Park was held in Moor Park, Preston, and featured headliners Sting and the Pet Shop Boys. In 2023, Victoria Park in Leicester saw Tear for Fears and Kylie headline the main stage. The BBC’s coverage of the festival will be extensive, with live broadcasts and highlights shows throughout the weekend.
