Abbeydale Road set to host vibrant new music festival with pubs, cafes and shops all involved

More than 50 acts will be performing in 14 venues across Abbeydale Road next month in what promises to be a truly unique event.

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Organised by Abbeydale Traders Association - which formed in 2022 in the wake of a series of break-ins affecting small businesses along the road - the festival hopes to boost grassroots talent, draw in visitors and most importantly provide a free festival for those desperate to see live music.

The enormous production will be overseen by Tim Foulerton-Walker, a seasoned programmer and event coordinator with experience in festivals including Tramlines, No Bounds and Signals, as well as national events like Glastonbury, Boomtown and Eden Festival.

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A full line-up will be released closer to the event - which takes place on April 26 - though acts like the Langsett Dance Orchestra, University of Sheffield Big Band, Montuno, and emerging performers from WaterBear Music College are set to take the stage.

The event also marks the final phase of the Traders Association’s Economic Recovery Fund supported project, which helped create the Independent Abbeydale brand in a bid to promote local businesses.

Nicole Jewitt, chair of the Abbeydale Traders Association and owner of Coles Corner, said: "This festival has come out of people getting organised.

“We’ve always had the talent, the venues, the ideas - Abbeydale Live just connects the dots.

“It’s about keeping things local, lifting each other up, and showing that a street like ours has a truly unique offering and needs celebrating.”

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