Changes at Darley Park Weekender promise a bigger and better experience for all

Published: 27 March 2023

The Darley Park Weekender is a highlight of the Derby events calendar, and this year will be no exception. With artists such as Peter Andre, East 17, Five, and Atomic Kitten appearing at Ultimate 90s and DJ Martin Kemp, ABC and Hue and Cry taking to the stage for 80s Mix Tape, the weekend is already proving popular with audiences as sales surge.

This year’s Darley Park Weekender will also see further improvements to enhance the audience experience and enable Derby City Council to deliver low prices for the event, with tickets costing between £22.50- £6.50 to see a fantastic range of music, fireworks and famous names over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

As the events evolve and attract even more visitors to Darley Park, changes have been made to both layout and licensing by organisers Derby LIVE, the Council’s arts and events arm.

This year the site will move towards the Derby Rowing Club end of Darley Park, making the event more accessible. This flatter area will provide better access for audience members with mobility issues and firmer ground on the footpath for wheelchair users to reach the gates.

The area in front of the stage will also provide audiences more space to get up and dance to some of the best sounds from the 80s and 90s, with this year’s line-up promising to rock audiences.

The new layout also reduces infrastructure costs, a significant saving which Derby City Council has put back into keeping ticket costs as low as possible.  

Another change for 2023 is that audiences will no longer be able to bring unlimited alcohol into events. To bring the Darley Park Weekender in line with other large events across the country, such as Glastonbury, Creamfields and Ynot Festival, a personal allowance of 4 cans of larger/beer/mixed spirits/ cider and 750ml of wine is now being introduced. Derby LIVE have actively sought out changes to the licence which will enable better control over challenging underage drinking and ensuring better public safety at the events. The new licence will limit the sale of alcohol until 10.30 pm to help address concerns from nearby residents about noise levels.

Bar capacity onsite will be significantly increased with a range of lager, beer, spirits, wine and more will be available at a number of outlets at The Darley Park Weekend. Drink prices be kept on a level with local pubs. While there is no limit to the amount of soft drinks, they will need to be unopened when brought on-site.

Robbie Kerr, General Manager of Derby Live, said:

These changes really help us deliver a safe, sustainable event which customers can continue to enjoy at low prices while being a considerate neighbour to nearby residents. We have a duty of care at these events, and as they grow in popularity, it is essential that we ensure we deliver on our licensing objectives and protect all customers. The approved changes to licensing enable us to challenge ID to help cut down on underage drinking. By limiting the alcohol customers can bring in, we can better regulate alcohol consumption on site and create a safer environment for all our customers, including the families who join us for The Darley Park Concert. A number of bars onsite with a range of drinks to suit all tastes will further add to the festival feel of the weekend.

The entire weekend is now going glass-free, and glass bottles/drinking glasses will be strictly prohibited, similar to other large outdoor events. This is in response to safety issues broken glass has created in previous years. Organisers hope this will not only safeguard audiences but also keep the waste from the events to a minimum. We are pleased to partnering with Circulayo again to provide recyclable glasses and maximise waste reduction on-site.

Full details about prohibited items, personal alcohol limits and other FAQs can be found on The Darley Park Weekender Customer Information page on the Derby LIVE website.

Tickets for The Darley Park Weekender 2023 are on sale now. Buy now to get tickets for Ultimate 90s or 80s Mix Tape at the amazing price of just £22.50 each (for adults) until the 31 May, under 16s £15 with under 5s going free. Tickets for The Darley Park Concert bought before 31 July 2023 are from just £4.50 for adults, and under 16s are £1.50. Tickets are available at derbylive.co.uk from or at the Sales and Information Centre, Guildhall Theatre, Derby, DE1 3AF, or by calling 01332 255 800.

Culture, Events, Leisure