Solihull Summer Fest celebrates landmark 10th anniversary with spectacular weekend of live music
Solihull Summer Fest has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a landmark programme of live music and entertainment at Tudor Grange Park.
The anniversary marks a decade since the festival first brought artists, families and music lovers together in the heart of the borough.
The celebrations culminated in a two-day festival on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July, led by two generations of internationally recognised British music.
Craig David brought his high-energy TS5 show to Saturday’s headline slot, following performances from Gabrielle, Fleur East, Sigala, Vibe Room and 2 weeks’ notice.
Sunday’s programme was headed by Culture Club, with JLS, The Wailers, Rick Parfitt Jnr, the George Michael Singers and hitmaker Pete Waterman completing a line-up that crossed pop, soul, reggae, dance and rock.
The main festival weekend formed part of a wider anniversary programme at Tudor Grange Park.
The celebrations began on Thursday 16 July with an open-air screening of Better Man, followed by a live performance from JK as Robbie Williams.
On Friday 17 July, Disco Classical transformed some of the best-known disco, soul and funk anthems into a large-scale live experience performed by a 50-piece orchestra.
Festivalgoers also enjoyed street food, fully licensed bars and a range of premium viewing and hospitality options, including the festival’s Gold Circle and VIP areas.
Ian Rogers, festival director of Solihull Summer Fest, said: “Celebrating ten years of Solihull Summer Fest is an incredibly proud moment for everyone who has helped to make the event what it is today.
“What began as a community festival has grown into one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the region’s summer calendar.
“Reaching this anniversary with artists such as Craig David, Culture Club, Gabrielle, JLS and The Wailers performing in Tudor Grange Park made the weekend particularly special.
“Our sincere thanks go to every artist, supplier, crew member, partner, local business and member of the emergency and security teams who worked so hard behind the scenes.
“Most importantly, we thank everyone who has bought a ticket, attended the festival and supported us during the past ten years.
“Solihull Summer Fest has always been about bringing people together through live music, and the atmosphere across the anniversary celebrations demonstrated exactly why the festival remains so important to the town.”
The first Solihull Summer Fest was held at Tudor Grange Park in 2016, when hundreds of people attended despite the unpredictable British summer weather. Its inaugural line-up featured UB40, Five and Scouting for Girls.
During the decade that followed, the festival developed into an established fixture in the West Midlands events calendar and welcomed performers including The Jacksons, Ronan Keating, Olly Murs, Shaggy, Billy Ocean, Busted, The Human League, Sister Sledge, Kool & The Gang and Blue.
Alongside providing live entertainment, Solihull Summer Fest has used its platform to support charitable and community causes. In 2024 alone the festival raised £11,596 for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
The festival’s tenth anniversary was also recognised across the region, with Solihull Council including it among the major attractions in the borough’s summer programme and regional destination organisations describing Summer Fest as one of the West Midlands’ biggest summer live events.
Across the anniversary programme, Solihull Summer Fest welcomed over 20,000 visitors to Tudor Grange Park, supporting local jobs and contractors and generating income for the local visitor economy.
Highlights, photographs and further announcements will be shared through the festival’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts, @solihullsummerfest
