Radio 1 has confirmed Fatboy Slim and Sonny Fodera as the first headliners for its 2026 Big Weekend in Sunderland, a three-day music festival that is expected to draw over 100,000 attendees. The event will be held at Herrington Country Park, a location that has previously hosted the festival in 2005 and 2019.

Headliners and Line-Up Details

The Dance Party stage will feature Fatboy Slim, Sonny Fodera, FISHER, Clementine Douglas, and MK on Friday, May 22. The festival will run from May 22 to 24, with additional acts to be announced in the coming weeks. BBC Radio 1 will reveal more names on its breakfast show with Greg James on Monday, March 9.

Tickets for the event will be available in three distinct categories. Thirty percent of the 31,000 tickets will be reserved for residents of Sunderland, 60 percent for those in the surrounding North East region, and 10 percent for the rest of the UK. The ticket booking process will be managed by Ticketmaster.

Ticket Sales and Pricing

Tickets for Friday, May 22, will be available for purchase starting at 9am on Friday, March 6, with a price tag of £34.50, which includes a £4.50 booking fee. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday will go on sale on March 11, with the same price structure. Purchasers are limited to two tickets per day, and attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

The event is expected to have a significant impact on the local economy, as the BBC has stated that the festival aims to shine a light on the region while providing a major boost to the local economy. The last time the festival was held in the area was in 2019 in Middlesbrough, with headliners including the Foo Fighters and The Black Eyed Peas.

Previous years have seen big names such as Sam Fender, The 1975, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish perform at the festival. This year’s lineup is expected to follow a similar trend, with international and UK-based artists joining the bill.

Community Focus and Safety Measures

According to the BBC, the festival will be held in collaboration with Sunderland City Council to ensure the event is safe and secure for all attendees. The event will also include geographical weighting in ticket allocation, prioritizing local residents and those from the surrounding region.

Parts of the venue have already been fenced off, and preparations are underway to bring the event to life. The park, located opposite the iconic Penshaw Monument, is being transformed into a music hub for the weekend.

The BBC has emphasized that the festival will be the first major event of the UK’s festival season, drawing attention to the region and its cultural offerings. With over 100,000 attendees expected, the event will be a major draw for music fans across the UK.

As the festival approaches, the BBC has urged fans to keep an eye on its website for more updates and ticket information. The event promises to be a celebration of music, community, and local culture, with a strong emphasis on safety and accessibility for all attendees.