Review: Hardwick Festival 2025

We arrive at noon as a queue is already forming at the gates, with music fans keen to enter the festival before Sunday’s first act, Leazes, takes to the main stage. We take this opportunity (before it gets too busy) to check out the site, including two new additions for this year – Mischief, Kaos & Euphoria (a brand new children’s entertainment area) and the Shanti Bee Healing Area where staff are setting up for yoga and group drumming sessions. We discover a bush-craft area too before we’re distracted by the sound of drumming and ‘chuck a quid’ to Busking Joe – the viral drummer you’re bound to have spotted playing at your favourite gigs and festivals.

There seem to be more food stalls than ever before, and a clothing stand selling sweatshirts (which comes in handy later when the sun sets). Into The Woods (with DJ sets and strobe lighting in the trees) is already livening up, as is The Courtyard. One of our favourite areas (Boogie Wonderland) we check out on our way to the main stage where local lad Sonny Tennet is about to perform. He’s without a band so it’s an intimate acoustic set of covers and original songs. That morning Sonny had scattered his dad’s ashes at Marsden Grotto and dedicates the track Blackbird to him. It’s an emotionally powerful set, and huge kudos to Sonny for giving it his all.

It’s a scorching afternoon and a few pints go down well, but the Shanti Bee Healing Area provides some much-needed shade throughout the day. Whilst The Lilacs perform we refuel on street food, and Elvana prove great fun as more and more music lovers head towards the stage to see Scouting For Girls. They perform a fun-filled medley of their greatest hits (two decades’ worth of hits in fact), and a Busted cover for good measure. Next up The Wailers bring a reggae mix to the line-up which goes down a treat, then Tom Walker performs his hits including Just You and I and Leave a Light On, and signs cowboy hats for those in the front row. As the sun sets, it’s time for the highly-anticipated headliner. 

Olly Murs brings his usual cheeky persona, energetic dance moves (almost complete with a trouser malfunction) and a celebration of his 15 years of hits (since local lad Joe McElderry pipped him to the post in The X Factor). His set is a big production – almost a mini tour with multiple outfit changes – and he saves his best tracks ’til last followed by an encore for Dance With Me Tonight.

Once again Hardwick Festival was a sensational celebration of music in the sun and we can’t wait to find out who’ll be performing next summer.