Image caption, Olivia Dean closed the show as Sunderland said OK Love You Bye to the festivalByMitch MansfieldBBC NewsbeatPublished25 May 2026 Radio 1's Big Weekend doesn't always promise sunshine. Nor does north-east England, as we were regularly reminded by some of the 100,000 festivalgoers who couldn't believe their luck in Sunderland. They were treated to about 100 acts across three glorious days at Herrington Country Park. BBC Newsbeat was there too, speaking to artists and fans about the big talking points – starting with a few words they all wanted to hear. (Costa del) Sunderland felt like 'the best city in he world' for Amy (right), while Joe described 'being a Mackem' as 'the best thing on earth' Kicking off the start of festival season at the end of May, Big Weekend's weather conditions are usually mixed. And there's no denying it can make or break the experience.
Published: May 25, 2026 9:55 am
Source: BBC — Read original