This marks another North East edition following the 2019 Middlesbrough event, continuing the region’s festival footprint.

The Sunderland announcement was made on Radio 1 Breakfast Show by Greg James on a Tuesday morning.

Context notes reference the 2019 Ellie Goulding set’s technical issues, plus Liverpool’s 2025 edition, with related reading links.

In the Park’s Newcastle edition has moved from Leazes Park to Exhibition Park, with more acts to be announced for 2026.

The piece concludes with related reading and notes on North East festival history.

Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026 will take over Sunderland’s Herrington Country Park from Friday to Sunday, May 22–24, with around 100 artists and about 80,000 attendees.

As Radio 1’s flagship live music festival, the event aims to boost Sunderland’s economy and spotlight the host city, marking another North East edition after 2019 in Middlesbrough.

Headliners and the full lineup, plus ticketing details, will be announced in the months ahead while the organizers emphasise a four-stage setup across the festival.

A retrospective preview references 2019, including an anecdote about Lewis Capaldi’s undercover acoustic set at a Greggs bakery near the venue.

Highlights from 2019 include Ellie Goulding, Little Mix, James Arthur, Rita Ora, Stormzy, Anne‑Marie, Mumford & Sons, and The 1975.

Past editions have featured high-profile acts, illustrating the festival’s history of major performances, including a 2005 lineup with Foo Fighters, The Black Eyed Peas, and Gwen Stefani.

Contextual references to 2025 Big Weekend in Liverpool, featuring Tom Grennan, Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Blossoms, and Ed Sheeran’s surprise appearance.