BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend 2011 is coming to Carlisle ... with its best line up yet!
Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and the Foo Fighters are among the headline acts appearing at the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend in Carlisle this summer.
BBC Radio 1 announced today (30th March) that the station's annual flagship event, will take place in Carlisle on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May 2011, featuring an incredible line up of the best international and UK artists.
The news was announced by Scott Mills this morning (currently deputising for Chris Moyles) as he broadcast his Radio 1 show live from Trinity School in Carlisle. He was joined by British singer Katy B who performed in front of the school's pupils.
BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend is the station's flagship event and the UK's biggest free ticketed festival. Forty-thousand lucky music fans can enjoy performances across four stages over the weekend - the Main Stage; the In New Music We Trust Stage; the Outdoor Stage and the BBC Introducing Stage.
A truly multi-platform experience, Radio 1's Big Weekend will be broadcast on Radio 1, with a major interactive presence online at bbc.co.uk/radio1 and many live performances available to watch on demand. There will be highlights on BBC Three and extended performances can be seen via the Red Button on digital TV during the weekend.
The event, which takes place at Carlisle Airfield, will hold 20,000 people per day with the majority of the free tickets going to the residents of Carlisle and the surrounding area.
Scott Mills says: "Radio 1's Big Weekend is always a big highlight of the year for me. The line up this year is simply incredible and I can't wait to come back to Carlisle again with the rest of the DJs in May."
Neil Wyatt, Editor, Live Events, BBC Radio 1, says: "I'm really excited to be bringing Radio 1's Big Weekend, to Carlisle this year. Working alongside Carlisle City Council and Carlisle Tourism Partnership we've found a great site and should be able to deliver a fantastic event. I believe that this is our best line up to date - we're bringing some huge international and UK artists to the city and it should have a huge impact on the area."
Director of Carlisle Tourism Partnership Marie Whitehead adds: "This is without doubt the single biggest event to happen in Carlisle this side of the Millennium. To have the cream of today's music industry and radio talent coming to Carlisle is worth its weight in gold in publicity and will provide a great boost for the local tourism industry and for businesses in the region. Radio 1's Big Weekend is a fantastic event and we have all worked hard to make it happen. We can't underestimate the magnitude of an event like this taking place here and the opportunities it brings to Carlisle."
Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson says: "This is fantastic news for Carlisle. The event will bring the very best music acts to the City and we're delighted that we've been chosen to host it. The event also provides a great opportunity to promote how great Carlisle is to the rest of the UK and will provide a boost to our local tourism economy. I'm sure our local communities will relish the opportunity to be part of a world class event on their doorstep. We would like to thank Carlisle Tourism Partnership for their support and look forward to welcoming BBC Radio 1 to the City in May."
Radio 1 also revealed that it is to embark on its most ambitious social action campaign around Radio 1's Big Weekend to date, getting well and truly into the heart of the community via a major volunteering initiative. Last year Radio 1 gave students in Bangor the opportunity to earn themselves tickets to the event by taking part in cleaning beaches in North Wales and this year's campaign will be even bigger and better, getting even more local residents involved in a number of projects in the area.
Hosted by Radio 1 DJs, Radio 1's Big Weekend has an outstanding reputation for attracting some of the biggest and hottest UK and international acts. With live music across four stages, the two-day event will be broadcast on Radio 1, with a major interactive presence online at bbc.co.uk/radio1 and many live performances available to watch on demand.
The line-up for the In New Music We Trust stage will be announced by Nick Grimshaw while he deputises for Scott Mills later today (4-7pm); The BBC Introducing Stage will be announced by Zane Lowe during his show on Thursday 31st March (7pm-10pm) while the line-up for the Outdoor Stage will be announced by Annie Mac on Friday 1st April (7pm-9pm).
Tickets for Radio 1's Big Weekend are free and registration opens on Thursday 31st March at 8.15am and closes at 7pm on Thursday 7th April at bbc.co.uk/radio1
There are 40,000 tickets available across the weekend. Tickets are free, but last year over 480,000 people applied for tickets for Radio 1's Big Weekend in Bangor, North Wales and demand is expected to be huge again this year.
Each successful applicant will receive a pair of tickets for either Saturday or Sunday. The event goes to a different area in the UK each year and Radio 1 will again give priority to applicants in the region. Tickets will be allocated randomly, but weighted in favour of those living in Carlisle, Cumbria and the surrounding areas, including the Scottish Borders and North East of England with a smaller amount distributed throughout the rest of the UK.
Throughout the weekend of the event, Radio 1 DJs including Chris Moyles, Fearne Cotton, Reggie Yates, Greg James, Scott Mills, Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Vernon Kay, Edith Bowman, Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw will be introducing the bands on stage and broadcasting from the event.
Further information and frequently asked questions can be found at: bbc.co.uk/radio1.
Notes to Editors
We'll be covering the event across all digital platforms including mobile.
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
For all the latest Big Weekend videos to embed on your site or blog, plus badges:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2011/share
Twitter:
For more information about Big Weekend use @BBCR1
And to join the conversation use #R1BW
Radio 1 on Facebook:
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bbcradio1
Radio 1 on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com//bbcradio1
Carlisle Tourism Partnership is responsible for tourism in the city and its surrounding areas. Its partners include Cumbria Tourism, Carlisle City Council, and Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited.
www.discovercarlisle.co.uk
A 2,000 year old city, Carlisle is stepped in history and its strong Roman heritage will soon be celebrated as part of a new Roman Frontier Art Gallery, due to open this June. Located close to the Scottish border as well as being a gateway to the Lake District, the city's compact historic quarter includes a medieval castle and cathedral, alongside an award-winning shopping centre.
Carlisle offers a huge choice of attractions to enjoy, including museums and art galleries, award-winning parks, nature reserves and relaxing open spaces. Open-air events include the annual Fireshow, regarded as one of the best in the UK. Carlisle's population is around 104,700. Carlisle City Council is the local district authority, visit www.carlisle.gov.uk
For further information please contact:
Caren Davies, Head of Communications, BBC Radio 1, Telephone: 0207 765 4575.
Email: caren.davies@bbc.co.uk
Tamsin Morgan, Publicist, BBC Radio 1, Telephone: 0207 765 5460.
Email: tamsin.morgan@bbc.co.uk
Elin Rees, Publicist, BBC Radio 1, Telephone: 0207 765 2627
Email: elin.rees@bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 30th March 2011
