The programme for this year’s Henley Festival has been unveiled with a dazzling line-up on its iconic Floating Stage including Boy George & Culture Club, Sugababes, Lulu, and Alex James’ Britpop Classical.
Hemani,a Berkshire-based company with a mission to empower innovation by investing in pioneering technologies shaping the future, were recently announced as Henley Festival’s new headline sponsor. Their support also ensures that the RISE charitable programme continues to nurture the next generation of talent.
The UK’s only black-tie music and arts festival, Henley Festival is truly an experience like no other: a world-class music programme of pop, classical, folk and jazz set alongside stellar comedy, stunning art galleries and sculpture installations, roving performers, as well as dining, drinks, dancing and spectacular fireworks shows.
Kicking off this year’s Henley Festival on the Floating Stage are icons that need little introduction: Boy George & Culture Club. With careers spanning over 40 years, the Grammy Award-winners first shot to international stardom in the 1980s as one of the UK’s biggest exports of the 20th century. When Boy George and Culture Club exploded on the scene in 1982, they sent shockwaves around the World and changed popular culture forever. Over the next three decades, they simultaneously shifted perception in music, fashion and art. Winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artists, and BRIT Awards for Best British Group and Best British Single, Culture Club became the first group since The Beatles to have three Top 10 hits in America from a debut album, the first group in music history to have an album certified diamond in Canada, and went on to achieve numerous international Top 10 singles including ‘Karma Chameleon’ and ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me’. They have sold over 100 million singles and 50 million albums Worldwide. Culture Club are without a doubt living legends, with their frontman Boy George recognised as one of the first true, unapologetic innovators in the music and fashion world and irrevocably, of our time.
On Thursday, pop brilliance Sugababes take to the Floating Stage. Since their formation in 1998, Sugababes have cemented their place as one of the most successful and critically acclaimed British girl bands of the 21st century. They have scored six Number One singles, had millions of global sales and multiple multi-platinum albums. Their recent comeback – as the original line-up of Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy – was solidified with their now legendary 2022 and 2024 Glastonbury performances, where both fields were at record-breaking capacity. This set the scene for their biggest tour to date in 2025, hitting Arenas across UK and Europe, and the first new wave of music.
Bringing the Friday feels to Henley Festival, is the UK’s greatest female rock and roll legend: Lulu. Hailing from Glasgow, Lulu’s career has transcended generations with a lifetime of global success, including winning Eurovision, singing a Bond theme, and receiving an OBE. Most recently, Lulu released her candid memoir, completed her sold-out Champagne for Lulu! tour, joined Robbie Williams on his stadium tour, and shared the Glastonbury stage with Sir Rod Stewart. Still going strong as a captivating live entertainer, the UK proudly and ferociously heralds Lulu as one of our most precious pop icons – the glittering jewel in our entertainment cultural crown. Lulu is currently recording a new album.
Lulu has said: “I can’t wait to perform at Henley Festival in the summer and to give them one hell of a show with all the hits and a few surprises!”
Ending the night of stellar performances on the Floating Stage is the original Australian ABBA homage, Björn Again. The internationally acclaimed Björn Again, created in 1988 in Melbourne by Rod Stephen, rapidly garnered a global cult status and critical acclaim as a humorous, rocked-up, tongue-in-cheek satirical ABBA homage. Credited with singlehandedly initiating the world-wide ABBA revival which led to ABBA Gold, Muriel’s Wedding and Mamma Mia! In its 38th year, Björn Again has amassed an impressive 5,800 performances in 77 countries reflecting ABBA’s enduring appeal, with their success with Voyage. Acknowledged by many in the music industry including ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog, this uniquely Australian production successfully combines ABBA’s hits together with several covers and original tunes.
On Saturday, Blur’s Alex James brings the unforgettable anthems of the 90’s to Henley Festival with Alex James’ Britpop Classical, fusing the raw energy of the era’s biggest hits with the breathtaking power of a full Orchestra. Featuring special guest performances from Phil Daniels, Saffron (Republica) and Gary Stringer (Reef), this unique concert reimagines the songs that defined a generation, delivering an electrifying blend of melodies and stunning classical arrangements.
Rounding out the Festival is the ultimate ode to The Beatles, Bootleg Beatles. Formed in 1980 from the West End cast of Broadway hit musical ‘Beatlemania’, the Bootleg Beatles were at the very origins of the tribute band scene. From Love Me Do to Let It Be, from the Cavern to the Apple rooftop, from black and white to psychedelic technicolour, the world’s premier Beatles band returns to take you on a whistle-stop journey through the most vibrant revolutionary and divisive decade of all – the Swinging Sixties. Featuring the iconic mop tops and the Chelsea boots, the Sgt Pepper tunics and the Chesterfield suits, each tiny vocal inflection and each witty Beatle quip, all meticulously studied on this Magical Mystery Trip… it’s all here at Henley Festival.
Henley Festival was set up in 1982 as a charity with mission to stage an unforgettable music and arts Festival for the local community and this mission remains the same over 40 years later. But it’s more than just an unmissable event: launched in 2022, the Festival’s RISE programme provides a unique platform for aspiring professionals in music (who perform on the dedicated RISE stage), visual art (with artists exhibiting in the RISE gallery) and production (with backstage students working across the site with the best lighting and sound companies in the industry).
Audi has been the proud Official Car Partner to Henley Festival since 2019 and a long-standing champion of the RISE programme. This year, the brand with four rings is going a step further with Audi Presents RISE Music, which will give participants visibility, financial support, mentoring, professional advice and networking, and exposure to a fantastic, receptive audience. RISE actively works with local and national colleges, as well as performing arts academies, to find talented individuals and groups, whatever their story, who will benefit from the opportunities provided.
Henley Festival will once again be bringing world-class comedians to the Thames riverside, opening on Wednesday night with a performance by celebrated comedian, writer, actor and TV presenter Alan Davies, best known for Jonathan Creek and QI. Friday will see multi-award winning comedian, actor and presenter Russell Kane deliver his trade-mark high-octane performance. On Saturday, comedian and political commentator Geoff Norcott brings a unique voice to British comedy and Henley Festival, followed by Suzi Ruffell, whose impressive credits includes Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, and The Jonathan Ross Show, with her quick-witted and lively stand up. Closing out the weekend is comedian, actor, novelist and presenter Julian Clary, beloved for his iconic, flamboyant performances.
FESTIVAL FOR FOOD LOVERS
From fine dining to street food, Henley is the Festival for food lovers with a raft of pop-up bars and restaurants adorning the riverside sure to tantalise all taste buds.
VISUAL ARTS SHOWCASE
Henley Festival is known for uniquely bringing visual art to the Festival experience. Talented artists, photographers and galleries from the UK and internationally will feature in this year’s innovative programme, with festival-goers treated to striking installations of fine art, ceramics, sculptures, photography, prints and paintings in the Festival’s Galleries and Sculpture Garden.
Each iconic evening at Henley Festival is brought to a dazzling conclusion with spectacular firework displays exclusively designed by the industry leading pyrotechnic professionals at Titanium Fireworks.
Tickets are available from Thursday 26th February at www.henley-festival.co.uk.
