The Great British R&B Festival 2025

We’re still riding the high and not just from the music! It’s official: Colne’s Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival was named ‘UK Blues Based Festival of the Year’ at the 2025 UK Blues Awards – and we couldn’t be prouder. For those of us who’ve danced in the streets, braved the Bank Holiday weather, and helped put this incredible weekend together, this win means everything. It’s the first time we’ve taken the award home since 2019, and it feels like a real comeback moment for Colne. Last year’s festival (yep, 2024 already feels like a blur) was something special. We saw over 50 artists grace our main stages – from the beautiful Pendle Hippodrome to the Exchange Project Stage, and our newest addition, the Little Theatre Acoustic Stage, which quickly became a hidden gem. One of the moments that really stuck with us? The tribute to blues legend Victor Brox, led by his daughter, Kyla Brox. It was raw, powerful, and utterly moving – a real spine-tingler that reminded us why we love this music in the first place. Of course, it wouldn’t be Colne without the Official Fringe, which basically turned the whole town into one giant blues gig. With 130+ performances across 13 venues, it was a full-on feast of live music – from gritty pub sets to goosebump-inducing acoustic sessions. WE WON! COLNE’S BLUES FESTIVAL TAKES TOP UK HONOUR … AND WE’RE STILL BUZZING

70 www.bluesfestival.co.uk