35th annual Colne Rhythm & Blues festival hits a high note

Colne’s Rhythm & Blues Festival celebrated a milestone 35th anniversary in 2026, a year that also saw it achieve significant national recognition. The festival clinched its third UK Blues Award for the Best Blues-Based Festival, an accomplishment that guarantees its place in the esteemed Blues Hall of Fame.

The 2026 event featured a stellar line-up across three venues: the Pendle Hippodrome, The Muni Theatre, and the Fort Vale Little Theatre. Performers included Mike Sanchez, Walter Trout, Ray Beadle, Kevin Brown, Dom Martin, and The Cinelli Brothers.

Simon Shackleton, who plays a key role in the festival's organisation, highlighted the positive feedback received. He recounted a conversation with first-time attendees who were so impressed they vowed to return for the entire event next year. “I was talking to a couple in the hippodrome who had actually only recently heard about the festival. They were visiting for the first time and they'd just come for the day, but they're gonna come back for the whole thing next year because they were enjoying it so much, saying how well organised it is and what a great selection of music there was. I'm over the moon,” Shackleton said.

Having claimed the UK Blues Award for best 'Blues-Based Festival of the Year' for the third time in April, the Colne festival now joins notable figures such as Cerys Matthews, Dom Martin, and Elles Bailey in the UK Blues Hall of Fame. This achievement means the festival will not be eligible to win the award again in 2027, as rules stipulate that an organisation cannot win more than three times. “You're not allowed to win the UK Blues Federation Awards because your third award gets you into the Hall of Fame. So once that happens, you're not winning again and that's when you get into the realms of maybe sponsoring an award for somebody else or something like that. That'll be something that we're looking into doing next year,” Shackleton explained.

This year also marked the fifth anniversary of the Colne Blues Society’s involvement, which began in 2022. Shackleton reflected on their expanded role: “We programmed the entirety of the fringe and also took on the Little Theatre and made that a kind of mini Colne Blues Society main stage. The following year the council looked at what we'd achieve with that, they were satisfied that we were capable of taking on the artistic direction of the whole festival and they gave it to us. We've had a great working relationship with them ever since I think it's gone from strength to strength.”

Looking ahead, plans for the 2027 festival are already underway. Shackleton revealed: “I've a list of about 35 Main stage acts, which I would like to get on the bill for next year. I don't want to give anything away because I haven't actually contracted anybody yet, but there will be the usual mixture of favourites and nice surprises. It'll be a blend of UK acts, maybe some European acts and a couple from America.”