Thousands of visitors flocked to Burnley over the early May bank holiday weekend for the town’s annual event Burnley Live.
With more venues than ever before taking part in the four day event, which was packed full of live music, entertainment and community activities, Burnley cemented its status as one of the North’s most exciting towns for grassroots music and culture.
Now in its third year, Burnley Live has grown rapidly in scale and popularity, and this year saw unprecedented participation from local businesses. The event ran from Friday 2nd to Monday 5th May and featured over 20 participating venues including The Big Window, The Royal Dyche, Smackwater Jacks, The Loom, The Palazzo, Burnley Mechanics Theatre, Ellis’s, The Turf, The Inn on the Wharf, The Swan, Real Food Hall, Penny Black, Hatters Craft Bar, The Coal Yard, The Swan, The Little White Horse, Hidden, Mr Greens and Charter Walk Shopping Centre.
Music lovers enjoyed an eclectic mix of genres, from indie and ska to rock and tribute acts, with headline performances taking place on the Ormerod Street Main Stage. Beyond the music, families were entertained by live wrestling from Top Rope Wrestling Academy at Burnley Market and treated to street food, crafts and artisan goods at Burnley’s Artisan Market on St James’s Street.
Laura Diffey, Burnley BID Project Manager from Discover Burnley said, “Burnley Live was absolutely phenomenal this year! The town was absolutely buzzing with live music at dozens of different venues across the town and it really does demonstrate the benefit of businesses working collectively together to host town-wide events. Special thanks go to all the venues and artists who took part to make this the biggest and best Burnley Live to date.”
Plans are already being discussed for 2026, with the hope to expand even further on this year’s success.
