BBC Radio 2 in the Park 2025 Brings Bryan Adams and Def Leppard to Chelmsford

BBC Radio 2 in the Park 2025: Chelmsford Gears Up for Its Biggest Music Festival Yet

Hylands Park in Chelmsford is about to get loud. When the BBC Radio 2 in the Park 2025 festival lands on September 5, it won’t just bring a crowd—it’s promising a blend of music history and today’s chart-toppers all over one action-packed weekend. For the first time ever, this flagship event will stretch across three days, giving fans more time to soak up the performances, the atmosphere, and maybe even a bit of late-summer sunshine.

The headliners are the kind of acts people cross countries to see. Bryan Adams, whose raspy voice and anthem ‘Summer of ’69’ are instantly recognizable, will play his first ever show in Chelmsford on Saturday. His excitement is hard to miss—he describes the unique energy of a Radio 2 crowd as something he just can’t wait to experience.

If that wasn’t enough rock for one weekend, Def Leppard will charge onto the stage Sunday evening, closing out the festival with those stadium-sized tracks that turned them into icons. Their set will likely make Hylands Park shake, with thousands belting out ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ and ‘Hysteria’ as the festival wraps up.

The Lineup: A Hit Parade from Every Era

The lineup is more like a collector’s playlist than a standard festival bill. You’ve got Jessie J, who has stormed the UK charts for years with her powerful vocals and instant singalongs. There’s Belinda Carlisle, pop royalty with that unmistakable ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’ sound, joining the bill alongside Irish star Ronan Keating and soul-pop powerhouse Anastacia. Classic British acts like Suede and Louise are in, making sure the retro and Britpop boxes are ticked.

Soul II Soul’s smooth grooves bring a taste of old-school London, while David Gray’s heartfelt ballads and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s disco-infused pop add even more variety. It’s a rare lineup that truly spans generations—pulling in listeners whether they’re Radio 2 loyalists or just looking for a great live music weekend.

Organisers haven’t just aimed for star power. The festival is built around the idea that music lovers want a little bit of everything, and previous years have shown it works: families, younger fans, and the more seasoned music crowd mix together, making for an atmosphere that feels both big and personal. Hylands Park itself, a vast green expanse on the edge of Chelmsford, has seen big crowds before—but this September, Radio 2’s event should be one for the local history books.

Tickets always move quickly for Radio 2’s annual festival, and this year will be no exception. With so much nostalgia and big-stage energy packed into three days, plenty of fans have already started planning their trips—even before tickets go on sale. For Chelmsford, this isn’t just another music weekend. This is the city’s chance to play host to rock legends and pop icons, making Hylands Park the centre of the UK’s live music map in 2025.