We can't wait to host Radio 1's Big Weekend - the countdown is on

In six weeks time, Herrington Country Park will host some of the biggest names in music, with headline performances from Fatboy Slim, Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean.

Ticket wise, Sunday’s tickets have now completely sold out, with limited availability remaining for Friday and Saturday.

Remaining tickets are only available via Ticketmaster here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/backstage/bigweekend

Across the three-day festival, from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24, more than 100 artists will perform including Fisher, MK, Sonny Fodera, CMAT, Dermot Kennedy, Ellie Goulding, Kehlani, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.

A major highlight of this year’s event is set to be a host of performances from homegrown talent.

Eleven North East artists will take to the BBC Introducing stage, with six proudly Sunderland‑born acts among them: LP Rythm, Anish Kumar, Sorley, Able Jack, Tom A Smith and Swindled.

They will be joined by Finn Foster, Heidi Curtis, Max Jones, Imogen and the Knife and Ellie Scougall, giving the emerging artists a national platform in front of tens of thousands of festival‑goers.

Sunderland band Swindled said: "To be there is amazing because it’s a massive festival happening at a local place. And to be playing it is the dream for any band."

Sunderland City Council is working alongside the North East Combined Authority to ensure that this year's Big Weekend is one of the major events of the summer, including funding from the North East Mayor's Office.

Peter McIntyre, Executive Director of City Development at Sunderland City Council, said: "We’re thrilled to see such an incredible response to ticket sales already. With Sunday now sold out and huge excitement building, it’s clear how much this event means to people across the region. Big Weekend will be an unforgettable three days for Sunderland, from global stars to homegrown talent taking the spotlight."

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness said: "Sunderland shows time and time again it knows how to give a big event a proper North East welcome so I’m really excited that BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend is coming back to Herrington Country Park in just six weeks time.

"Events like this are a fantastic opportunity for our homegrown artists to perform on stage in front of huge crowds and gain the recognition they deserve. I want our creatives to succeed in the North East without needing to go to the capital. That’s why we’re investing in recording studios, venues and festivals like Big Weekend to create the opportunities for them."

Getting there

Festival‑goers are encouraged to plan their journeys early and make use of the official shuttle buses from Park Lane Interchange, Heworth Metro Station and Durham Park & Ride Belmont.

Shuttle buses must be pre‑booked.

There will be restricted site access and road closures in place throughout the event weekend, so using official transport options is strongly advised. For information on travel visit https://bigweekendtravel.com/

Festival‑goers can also download the Radio 1 Big Weekend app, which includes set times, maps, live updates and everything needed to make the most of the weekend. The app can be downloaded at: Event App