STANHOPE WEEKENDER ON TRACK FOR FIFTH FAMILY FESTIVAL OF FUN
WEARDALE’S most looked forward to event of the Summer is back on track for 2025 with
preparations well underway.
The Stanhope Weekender is a family-friendly live tribute music festival held every Summer.
Launched in 2021 by local residents, Lewis Maddison and Sean Stembridge, it’s grown from a modest
gathering of a few hundred into a vibrant event that now welcomes several thousand attendees
each year and 2025 marks their fifth year!
The festival takes place at the Stanhope Showground and features a lively outdoor stage, a fully
licensed bar, and an amazing selection of independent street food vendors – including favourites like
Piggy Blinders, Fired & Sliced, Ronnie’s Fish & Chips, Chicken Ting, Acropolis, Sumo Bento, Dipping
Donuts, Crepe Expectations, North Shore Coffee, and Ice & Freezy.
Lewis said, “We also offer on-site camping, giving people the chance to really soak up the stunning
surroundings of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
This year’s festival will be held on Friday 4 th and Saturday 5 th July 2025, with a packed line-up of
top tribute acts and talented local artists. Festival-goers can enjoy world-class tributes to Queen,
Coldplay, Take That, Robbie Williams, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, Kasabian, Shania Twain, The Killers,
Kings of Leon, ABBA, Mumford & Sons, McBusted, and Sam Fender – plus brilliant performances
from local favourites like Ska Struck, Uptown Band, and the ever-popular DJ Keith Martin.
From day one, Lewis and Sean have been focused on growing the event organically without
losing the community spirit and rural charm that makes it special.
“We’ve always had a cap on numbers, and rather than trying to go bigger, we’re all about making
the experience better every year. Our aim is to become the North East’s must-visit independent
music festival – and we reinvest 100% of ticket profits back into the event each year to help make
that happen,” added Lewis.
“We are incredibly proud of the loyal community of regular attendees who have supported the
Stanhope Weekender since its earliest days.
“True to our people-before-profit promise, the festival remains rooted in strong family-first and
community-focused values. In keeping with this ethos, we’re excited to announce a series of local
environmental and sustainability initiatives, which will be launched in the coming months.”
Tickets are only available from our website StanhopeWeekender.co.uk.
