In music, bbc, concert, event, kylie, gig, radio 2, bbc radio 2, live music, festival

On Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September BBC Radio 2 in the Park is coming to Leicester! This is one of the biggest gigs that the city has hosted in years, with 35,000 people expected each day, and will welcome stars including Kylie Minogue, James Blunt, Tears for Fears, Sam Ryder and many more to Victoria Park in the city. It also sees some of the top DJs bring their sets to the field.

Tickets have been sold out for weeks, but we’ve put together a quick guide with all the key information you’ll need on the gig and how it is likely to affect the city.

What’s the line up and who’s playing when?

The full line up is below. on Saturday and 12.30pm on Sunday. Timings and stage order have not yet been announced other than the main headline acts.

Saturday 16 September 2023 main stage

Doors open at 11am with the music starting at 1pm with Soft Cell. Last entry is at 8.45pm and the event will finish at 9.45pm.

  • Tears for Fears (headlining)
  • Bananarama
  • Texas
  • James Blunt
  • Deacon Blue
  • Beverley Knight
  • Busted
  • Soft Cell

Sunday 17 September 2023 main stage

Doors open at 11am with the music starting at 12.30pm with Simply Red. Last entry is at 8.15pm and the event will finish at 9.15pm.

  • Kylie Minogue (headlining)
  • Pretenders
  • Shalamar
  • Rick Astley
  • Jessie Ware
  • Lemar
  • Sam Ryder
  • Simply Red

There will also be DJ performances from some of Radio 2’s most well known presenters. The full list of confirmed appearances are:

  • Dermot O’Leary’s Alternative Sounds Of The 90s
  • DJ Spoony’s Good Groove
  • Gary Davies’ Sounds Of The 80s
  • Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist
  • Michelle Visage’s Handbag Hits
  • Owain Wyn Evans’ Airdrum Anthems
  • Rob Beckett’s Beck In The Day Disco
  • Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love of Hip Hop
  • Rylan’s Ibiza Anthems
  • Sara Cox’s Wower Hour
  • Tony Blackburn’s Golden Hour
  • Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation
  • Vernon Kay’s Dance Sounds Of The 90s

The gates open at 11am on both days and there is no readmission, so once you’ve left the venue, you will not be able to return.

Is the park completely closed?

No, the concert has taken up the two main fields in Victoria Park, but the rest of the park, including childrens play areas, fitness equipment and the cricket area is still open to the public. The map below shows how the site is being used up to and over the weekend.

Where can I park

Parking is heavily restricted around Victoria Park with residents parking only. Official car parking is available through the BBC site here. There is an official drop-off point at Morrisons on Aylestone Road if you are getting a lift.

How can I get there?

Try to use public transport to get here as parking is restricted to residents around Victoria Park and many roads will be closed.

Victoria Park is only a mile away from Leicester City Centre, and the free Hop Bus can bring you from both the train and bus station to Nelson Mandela Park, which is just a short walk from Victoria Park.

You are encouraged to come by bike as Leicester is located on a national walking and cycling route (NCN 63). The cycle route from the city centre is via Pocklingtons Walk, Welford Road, Nelson Mandela Park and Lancaster Road. There are two free bike parks for the event within Victoria Park at the memorial and at Green Gate. 

Check out our getting around page for more information.

Are there any road closures?

Regent Road and Granville Road are closed all day from the junction of Tigers Way to A6 London Road. The A6 London Road will be closed from 9pm to midnight on both days. Victoria Park Road is closed between St Marys Road and St Leonards Road from 9pm to midnight on both days. University Road will be one way only Southbound.

Where can I get something to eat?

Once you leave the arena you won’t be able to get back in. You're able to bring along food and a bottle of drink as long as it fits inside a small A4 sized bag (more info on the BBC site about security and bag checks here). But there are plenty of food options in the arena including local businesses like Samosa Wallah, Northern Cobbler coffee, That Filthy Food, Dhil's Vegan Street Food and many more. If you’re looking for somewhere for dinner or a cocktail after the event has finished, then check out our food and drink pages for more information.

I haven't got a ticket, can I still get one?

The event is completely sold out, and tickets are non-transferable. The BBC terms and conditions say that if someone is unable to attend the event, and the event has sold out, they may be able to sell their tickets at face value via Ticketmaster’s Fan to Fan resale function. This is the only way in which to safely ensure your ticket is legitimate.

Are there any hotels available? 

Most of the hotels in the city are fully booked. There may be some available outside the city. Please take a look at our Book Hotels and Stay page to check availability.

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4 Comments

Comments

  1. ChJh
    Can you bring canvas chairs to sit on?
  2. Lolly
    Who runs the party in tge park do you have info ? Thanks
  4. MervinBlanen
    I used to always love listening to BBC Radio, but what happened happened. I came across the https://liveradioau.com/ website, which was full of different radio stations that replaced BBC Radio for me. I sat on it for too long and didn’t realize that there are a lot of other radios that are much better than this!

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