HENLEY FESTIVAL REVEALS SENSATIONAL LINE-UP FOR 2025

Tickets go on public sale on Thursday 6 February.

Westcoast, a Berkshire based technology company distributing some of the world’s leading tech brands, are thrilled to continue their long association with Henley Festival in 2025 and to support RISE, Henley Festival’s charitable programme.

The UK’s only black-tie music and arts festival, it is truly an experience like no other: a world-class music programme of pop, world, classical, folk and jazz set alongside stellar comedy and cabaret, stunning art galleries and sculpture installations, roving performers, as well as dining, drinks, dancing and simply jaw-dropping fireworks.

Henley Festival is more than an unmissable event: it is a charity with a mission to support the next generation of talent through its RISE programme. As part of the Festival’s incredible line-up, the RISE stage gives a unique platform for emerging musicians and visual artists, as well offering opportunities for young people aspiring to work behind the scenes.

“It’s an honour to be continuing our RISE programme into yet another year, supporting young and emerging artists by offering paid opportunities to perform, exhibit or complete work placements. It’s at the core of everything we do as a festival and there is no greater privilege than helping these incredible young artists and students kickstart their careers in roles across the cultural spectrum.” Jo Bausor, CEO of Henley Festival

Henley Festival is also thrilled to present the second ever Westcoast RISING Star Award – celebrating outstanding achievement and great potential – to Manchester-based singer, songwriter Hetta Falzon. Known for channelling honesty and vulnerability into her song-writing and music, Hetta draws on jazz, pop and classical influences to inspire a unique melodic style, driven by a desire to move people.

“I feel so honoured to have won this award and so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful event and community with RISE. I am so excited to share the stage with so much other talent and feel so lucky to be a small part of something so great!” Hetta Falzon, 2025 recipient of the Westcoast RISING Star Award

“We are thrilled to extend our continued support to Henley Festival’s RISE programme, recognising its crucial role in promoting up-and-coming musicians during these challenging times for grassroots music. With great enthusiasm, we announce our continued sponsorship of the Westcoast Rising Star Award in 2025, honouring the incredibly gifted

Hetta Falzon. This award highlights our dedication to fostering and celebrating the promising future of artists who make significant contributions to the dynamic music industry.” Jess Tyley, Marketing Director, Westcoast

HENLEY FESTIVAL 2025: FULL LINE-UP

FLOATING STAGE HEADLINERS

DIANA ROSS: A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION

MCFLY | RICK ASTLEY | HACIENDA CLASSICAL

And on Sunday… MATTEO BOCELLI | JAMIE CULLUM

PURE HEAVEN – The Festival Club

JO WHILEY: FESTIVAL ANTHEMS| YOLANDA BROWN: BOB MARLEY SONGBOOK | ELLIE SAX

COMEDY at the Paradiso & Riverside

ED BYRNE | IVO GRAHAM | MATT FORDE | ROB AUTON

RISE by Henley Festival

Creating opportunities for emerging talent to learn, perform and flourish

Westcoast Rising Star Award Winner HETTA FALZON

 LEILA MCKENZIE | DARCY WINTER | JONNY MORGAN | CONOR MCLAIN

NAIMA ADAMS | THE WHITE LAKES | HIGH WINDOWS | TONY MAC

JAZZ & SWING at the Paradiso

MEGAN MCCONNELL | JAZZ & THE TONICS

NATTY CONGEROO & THE FLAMES OF RHYTHM

WORLD in the Bedouin Tent

WONDER 45 | THE DOMINOS | BB3 | LUISA SANTIAGO | DATURA ROOTS COLLECTIVE

ANDRES CRUZ | THE REVUE | TOR HILLS | NO LIMIT STREET BAND | KAVALLA

VISUAL ARTS in Henley Festival’s Galleries & Sculpture Garden

HAUT DE GAMME | THE BARKER GALLERY

CIRCUS GALLERY | HARRIET GOSLING | CATRIONA WOOD

ROCK LEGENDS LIVE | HYPERGALLERY | THE DRANG GALLERY

AMBER GALLERY | TOMMY GURR | SUPERSTARS | JAMES MARSHALL

PLAYDATE @ Henley Festival

THE EXTRAORDINARY TIME-TRAVELLING ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN | MR SLEEPYBUM | PANG ON

YOLANDA BROWN BAND JAM | FRED IN THE SHED | BUBBLEOLOGIST | TWISTINA & TWISTOPHER

OXFORD FACE PAINTER | THE PARTY POPPERS | FACE PAINTING FOR ALL | ESA LAU

HAPPY HEART BIKE | DOODLE JAM | ABBEY SCHOOL

THE FLOATING STAGE HEADLINERS 2025

Diana Ross proudly presents the majestic 2025 ‘A Symphonic Celebration’, opening this year’s Henley Festival on the iconic Floating Stage. For the first time ever, Ms. Ross will be accompanied by the grandeur of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, surrounding her legendary voice in a world of splendour, love, and music. This unforgettable evening will feature a full orchestra of timeless hits, including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Stop! In the Name of Love, Upside Down, I’m Coming Out, and many more.

On Thursday, beloved band McFly take to The Floating Stage, playing hits from their breakthrough single Five Colours in Her Hair to 2023’s full-force rock album Power to Play. The past 21 years has seen the band score seven number one singles, seven Top 10 albums, multiple platinum certifications and a Brit Award for Best British Pop – and still remain the youngest band to ever have a debut album go straight to number one (outranking The Beatles!)

Following her captivating Floating Stage show last year, Henley Festival is thrilled to welcome back the world-renowned saxophonist Ellie Sax to Pure Heaven on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Ellie is set to bring her trademark electrifying performance, vibrant energy, unique style and seamless blend of classical training with dance music to the festival’s late night club. One of the most sought-after musicians in the world of dance music, her career has spanned an array of global stages, club floors and international party hotspots, and – of course – Henley Festival!

Henley Festival is also thrilled to welcome iconic singer-songwriter Rick Astley on the Friday evening of the Festival, alongside an epic big swing band. Astley needs little introduction –  his era-defining classic Never Gonna Give You Up topped charts the world over and catapulted the young Lancastrian on a journey that would encompass eight consecutive UK Top 10 hits and 40 million sales. In 2016, Astley celebrated his half-century by releasing ‘50’, which raced to the top of the charts and began a seven-week run in the Top 10. His latest album, Are We There Yet?, was released in 2023, peaking at number two on the UK album chart. Over his career, he has performed at numerous iconic venues such as the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2023, and headlined multiple world tours, including a sold-out tour in 2024. He published his first and only official autobiography, Never, in 2024.

As the sun goes down on Henley Festival’s Friday evening, one of the UK’s most influential radio DJs Jo Whiley will fill the Festival’s club – Pure Heaven – with festival anthems for late night revellers. Whiley rose to prominence in the 1990s as a trailblazing DJ on BBC Radio 1, where she became a voice for indie and alternative music through her flagship show, The Jo Whiley Show, and earnt a reputation as a tastemaker in the music industry. Since 2011, Jo has been a fixture on BBC Radio 2, sharing a mix of nostalgia and fresh sounds.

The mind blowing musical experience Hacienda Classical will open Saturday night’s Floating Stage performances, combining the spirit of the club with the timeless sounds of classic dance tracks. Carefully curated by Graeme Park and brought to life by the power of the Manchester Camerata Orchestra, alongside vocalists and special guests, these iconic reinterpretations of floor-filling dance anthems never fail to deliver an electrifying experience.

On Sunday – the final evening at Henley Festival – the Floating Stage will welcome two incredible musical talents to close a star-studded week of performances. First, global music sensation Matteo Bocelli will take to the stage as part of his European 2025 tour Summer Nights. Son and sometimes collaborator of renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, Bocelli has performed on some of the world’s biggest stages (his debut performance age 18 was at Rome’s Colosseum and he sold out the Sydney Opera House on his A Night With Matteo tour). Following the success of his debut album Matteo, he continues to forge his own genre, a classically inspired take on contemporary pop, with recent collaborations including Falling Back with Polish superstar sanah, and new single If I Knew, featuring multi-platinum and Oscar-nominated artist, Sofia Carson.

Commenting on his appearance at Henley Festival, Matteo Bocelli said, “I’m so delighted to be invited to perform at this year’s Henley Festival. I love coming to the UK. People here know how to have a good time and it’s always a very warm welcome. Let’s just hope the British weather is kind!”

Rounding out the Festival is globally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Cullum, known for his unique blend of jazz, pop, and rock. Most famous for his dynamic stage presence and prodigious musical talent, Cullum first came to prominence with his major label breakthrough Twentysomething, who’s multi-million sales make it one of the UK’s best-selling albums of all time. Jamie continues to win over audiences worldwide, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and innovative musicians of his generation.

For those who looking to see off the final hours of the Festival in style – renowned saxophonist YolanDa Brown will be filling Pure Heaven with beats from her monumental tribute show, the Bob Marley Songbook, in celebration of what would have been the legendary reggae artist’s 80^th birthday. The show will take the audience on a journey through Marley’s legacy, exploring the depth of his musicality and the enduring impact of his message on love, peace, and unity through YolanDa’s delicious blend of jazz, reggae and soul.

RISE by 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 forty years later. In 2022, Henley Festival launched charitable initiative RISE to inspire and support emerging talent in the creative arts, providing opportunities to perform, flourish and learn. RISE by Henley Festival champions aspiring professionals in music (who perform on the dedicated RISE stage), visual art (with artists exhibiting in the High RISE gallery) and production (with backstage students working across the site with the best lighting and sound companies in the industry.) RISE gives participants in the programme visibility, financial support and mentoring, and helps them to form connections with industry professionals.

This year, there are outstanding emerging artists including bands that have had millions of streams on social media, a Welsh-Jamaican singer/song writer tipped to be the new face of pop R&B, a Roundhouse resident artist who has performed at Glastonbury, bands with European tour experience, and award winning, emerging musicians. The line-up includes performances from the RISING Star Award winner Hetta Falzon; Welsh R&B singer-song writer Leila McKenzie; Jazz-Pop artist Darcy Winter; Bath-based indie folk singer-songwriter Jonny Morgan; South-London based R&B vocalist Naima Adams; Birmingham three-piece Indie rock band The White Lakes; guitarist and vocalist Tony Mac; London-based Indie pop band High Windows and finally closing the stage on the Sunday of the festival, Irish singer-songwriter Conor McLain, who uses his music to spread positivity and discuss complex topics through a fusion of pop and folk.

Past RISE musicians have gone on to support James Blunt and Franz Ferdinand and performed at the Royal Albert Hall as well as the Bedouin tent at Henley Festival. Past visual artists have sold work around the world and backstage students have been taken on by the lighting and sound companies they worked with at Henley Festival.

JAZZ in the Paradiso

Henley’s very own jazz club in the Paradiso opens its doors on Wednesday with a glittering performance from Northern Irish Jazz singer Megan McConnell, who mixes classic swingwith contemporary favourites – all with her own vintage twist.

On Friday, Natty Congeroo & the Flames of Rhythm, one of Europe’s leading Swing bands, will return to Henley to once again to deliver an explosive, high-energy performance of Hot Jazz, Swing, Rhythm ’n’ Blues and Gospel numbers from the 1930s and 40s.

Six-piece band Jazz & The Tonics will take to the stage on the Saturday evening of the Festival, playing jazz standards, swing classics and Postmodern Jukebox Covers in a live-show that will take listeners on a musical journey from start to finish.

WORLD & FOLK in the Bedouin Tent

Henley Festival’s striking Bedouin Tent will offer festival goers a spellbinding mix of global world music and local folk in a relaxed, bohemian atmosphere, alongside drinks and dancing. The opening night line-up features Wonder 45, a London-based soul ensemble, and The Dominos, a four-piece band delivering rock, soul, swing, Motown and contemporary favourites. On Thursday, Luisa Santiago will take to the stage, a Colombian-born, London-bred singer and pianist who draws on her roots in Latin music and a love of UK Soul and R&B. BB3 then take the late night slot with their high-energy, crowd pleasing covers.

On Friday Venezuelan singer-songwriter, Andres Cruz performs his trademark Latin Urban Pop, before The Revue, led by Ben Lee deliver much-loved covers that won’t fail to get a crowd dancing. Vocalist Tor Hills and the Datura Roots Collective continue the party atmosphere throughout Saturday evening. Closing the Bedouin Tent on Sunday will be alternative pop-rock artist Kavalla and the highly entertaining brass band No Limit Street Band.

AWARD-WINNING COMEDY in the Paradiso

Henley Festival will once again be bringing world-class comedians to the Thames riverside, opening on Wednesday night with a performance by acclaimed comedian Ivo Graham, whose stand up has been described by The Evening Standard as ‘confident, exquisitely crafted…and satisfyingly funny,’ and previous accolades include nominations for Best Show and Best Joke at the Edinburgh Fringe. On Thursday sell-out comedian and TV favourite Ed Byrne will take to the stage, widely known a regular panellist on Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You, before political comedian and satirist Matt Forde appears on Friday, whose impressive CV includes lead writer and voice in the revived Spitting Image.

On Saturday, Henley Festival will welcome Rob Auton to the Paradiso, known for his whimsical yet profound observations on life, existence and the human experience, before a final, soon-to-be-revealed comedy act rounds off the festival on Sunday.

OUTDOOR CABARET in the SALON QUARTER STAGE sponsored by Beckhoff

Launched in 2024, the Salon Quarter is a vibrant area featuring outdoor cabaret on a raised stage in the round within a beautiful riverside setting. With acts and DJs both pre and post floating stage concert, guests can enjoy a meal in the Festival’s only non-bookable restaurant, or a cocktail from the bar whilst soaking up the vibes of our eclectic music and street theatre programme.

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. Proud to support British farming and seasonal, locally sourced produce, ‘Dish’ will return to the stunning Riverside Restaurant this year, offering festival goers an outstanding fine dining experience of exceptional quality and innovative design, and ‘Caper and Berry’ will return to the Terrace Restaurant.

VISUAL ARTS SHOWCASE

Henley Festival is also known for bringing visual art to the heart of the festival circuit with innovative installations curated by some of the UK’s most talented artists, photographers and galleries. This year’s unrivalled programme will bring fine art, ceramics, sculptures, photography, prints and paintings to festival-goers, with an array of incredible artworks filling the Festival’s Galleries and Sculpture Garden. Exhibitors include Haut de Gamme, The Barker Gallery, Circus Gallery, Hypergallery, The Drang Gallery, Rock Legends Live and world-renowned artists including Harriet Gosling, Catriona Wood and James Marshall.

As part of the Festival’s charitable initiative RISE, up-and-coming contemporary artists will be given free exhibition space, with the Festival taking no commission on the work they sell and providing expenses for transport of work.

PLAYDATE AT HENLEY FESTIVAL

Playdate at Henley Festival will take over the riverside on Sunday with a range of activities and performances for children of all ages – it’s set to be an unmissable day out for the whole family with a jam-packed programme. Character comedian Mr Sleepy Bum will be performing his hilarious children’s show in the Spiegel Tent, before The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen takes over the stage; an improvised storytelling comedy show sure to have little ones in stitches.

Meanwhile at Big Top, Pang On – a one-person comedy juggling street show – will keep children mesmerised, before YolanDa’s Band Jam, of Cbeebies fame, will get kids dancing on their feet. Families can also head to Riverside to be spellbound by flawless magic Fred in the Shed, watch in amazement as Twistopher & Twistina create incredible balloon sculptures live and learn something new Circus Skills Rainbow Tent. There will also be a live Doodle Jam session with Tommy Gurr, face painting with Esa Lau, a wandering dragon puppeteer and more!

SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS

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, the team behind some of the UK’s biggest firework shows in the last decade, from The Mayor of London New Year’s Eve celebrations and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Henley is the only music festival working Titanium and their extraordinary brand of sparkle is the perfect partner for the magical and unforgettable memories made at the Henley-on-Thames riverside.