Wireless Festival takes NEC outdoors

The NEC is to host this summer 's Wireless Festival - with a line-up of global music stars coming to the region.

The three-day festival will take place from 8 to 10 July and welcome more than 135,000 live music fans.

The event will utilise five of the NEC 's car parks which form part of a total of 446 acres on the campus.

The Ticket Factory, the official box office for the NEC, has also been appointed as a ticket agent for the event.

Tickets will be on general sale from today via www.theticketfactory.com or 0344 338 8222.

Richard Mann, new business director for the NEC said: “We are constantly seeking ways to maximise activity across our estate, and it's great to see the team behind Wireless using our adaptable space.

“This approach to hosting a festival on concrete is a tried and tested method commonly seen in the US and will no doubt improve the logistics associated with our great British weather!

“We are well accustomed to hosting large-scale live music events in both of our arenas, and to have the ability to also offer an outdoor music festival of this scale, showcases the flexibility of our spaces and how we can diversify our offering for organisers and promoters.

“This is an exceptional win for the region, and we hope this will be the start of further festival opportunities in the coming years for our audiences. ”

Ian Taylor, managing director for NEC Group Conventions and Exhibitions, said: “This is a huge cultural opportunity for the West Midlands, and we are excited to further boost Birmingham 's profile by hosting such an iconic event in 2022.

“Coming out of the pandemic, the NEC is diversifying its event model as we look to embrace new audiences and welcome outdoor festivals to our campus. ”

Wireless Birmingham will headline with Dave, Cardi B and J. Cole. Two further events will run in London at Crystal Palace and Finsbury Park.