BBC Swiftly Descends On Norwich

The BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend will take place at Earlham Park in Norwich this year from 23rd – 25th May. Taylor Swift (pictured) has been confirmed to be performing at the event as well as BBC Introducing-discovered-Norwich-based act Context. Back of the net! The event took place in Glasgow last year featuring the (commercially disparate) likes of One Direction and Klaxons.

Controller at Radio 1 and 1Xtra Ben Cooper said: “Radio 1’s Big Weekend is the first big festival of the year, this is where summer begins and it’s going to be amazing. You have got to love the BBC and Radio 1 for bringing you Taylor Swift and some of the biggest names on the planet to Norwich for free!”

Leader of Norwich City Council Councillor Brenda Arthur added: “This is great news for Norwich and will give us the chance to show off this amazing city at its best. We are very proud to be hosting this prestigious national event and the Radio 1 Academy. The Academy will be working with local young people in the run up to the festival to give them an experience of a lifetime. We very much look forward to working with the BBC in the coming months and other partners”.

Of course, the price tag has been a bone of contention to festival promoters over the years- the BBC move in with a line up of commercially huge artists paid for with public money, other promoters can’t compete with a free ticket price and all of a sudden, all other festivals, especially in the region where the Big Weekend takes place, suddenly don’t look like such a great deal for audiences.