The Preston Weekender postponed: all you need to know about tickets, new dates and the rearranged venue

The music festival has been pushed back to nearer Christmas – and it has also found a new home.

When will The Preston Weekender now take place?

The event has been moved to Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November, with the timetable of gigs corresponding to those originally planned for 12th and 13th August.

Where will The Preston Weekender now be staged?

The two main elements of the festival – Saturday night's Ministry of Sound Club Classics and the Sunday Showdown event – have moved from the Flag Market to Preston’s Guild Hall. They will be the first shows staged there for four-and-a-half years.

What do I need to do if I already have tickets?

Nothing at all – they will remain valid for the Saturday and Sunday events.

What if I can’t make the new dates?

You can apply for a refund by logging in to Fatsoma.com/orders, within the next 14 days.

What about the Saturday afternoon ‘Family Fiesta’ event?

The artists due to perform at that event will now appear, subject to abailability, at Preston’s Christmas lights switch-on on 18th November – with no tickets being required.

Has any part of The Preston Weekender been cancelled?

Yes. The ‘Friday Funk’ event, with Bjorn Again and Brutus Gold, will not now take place this year. However, organisers say that they are “in talks with both acts to have them perform in Preston in 2024”.

Refunds will be issued automatically for this event.

Who’s performing at the Ministry of Sound Club Classics event?

From 7pm on 18th November, some of the biggest-selling dance acts of the 1990s and 2000s will be performing their worldwide hits, live in Preston.

Artists include mid-90s masters N-Trance - of ‘Set You Free’ fame - and Alex Party, best known for their track ‘Don’t Give Me Your Life’.

Others include JX (with ‘There's Nothing I Won't Do’ and ‘Son of a Gun’) 2 Funky 2 (‘Brothers and Sisters’) and Julie McKnight (‘Finally’ and ‘Home’).‘

The organisers are also promising a special guest at the 18-and-above event.

Meanwhile, Hacienda club legend Graeme Park will take to the decks, joined by production pioneers, the ‘Freemasons’, alongside Amanda Wilson.

Who’s performing at the ‘Sunday Showdown’ event?

On 19 November, from 1pm, the headline groups will be From The Jam, Buzzcocks and Liverpool’s Space.

They will be joined by: Evil Blizzard, Building Giants, and Deja Vega; plus a host of epic regional bands including, Head Feeder, The Amber List, Hauspoints, Capital Riot, and Whinge.

How do I get tickets if I don’t yet have them?

Follow the links from this page.

What have the organisers said about the changes?

Preston Business Improvement District (BID) said in statement issued to the Post:

“We’ve taken the tough decision to change the dates of ‘The Preston Weekender’ – the good news is that the events will now take place indoors and will be the first events of size to take place in the Guild Hall in recent years.

“We apologise for any inconvenience and hope that you will agree that staging the event indoors will be a better experience for everyone.

"We look forward to celebrating with you in November, and kickstarting the city’s Christmas celebrations early.”