Lytham Festival: A Veteran’s Guide
Originally published in 2017
Having been to every single Lytham Festival since 2010 (except for Stereophonics and Nile Rodgers – there IS a story there!), I’ve got a wealth of experience to share. Not sure if 2010 named Lytham Proms can be in the count of Cuffe & Taylor/Libve Nation count?? (Factoid, it continued to be called Lytham Proms until 2015)
Looking to do a seperate blog soon, when I’ll delve into the highlights of each and every year and ask about your favourites too! So look out for that
Lytham vs Field Festivals: A Different Experience
Forget the not showering for days, and the whiff in the car/train home, dry shampoo, sick of junk food, walking 3 hours to your tent and last but not least questionable toilets you find at other festivals. Lytham offers a unique, comfortable vibe. It’s perfect for everyone, even people of a certain age (like myself!) and children too. Sure, recovery might take a bit longer these days, but that’s just part of the fun!
The best part? You get to see incredible performances without the hassle and expense of traveling to a big city. Plus, you usually don’t need to stay overnight.
A Festival with History (and a Blip)
This year marks the 12th Lytham Festival (with a pause in 2020 & 2021, for you-know-why), and I’ve been there since the very beginning in 2010. You may not Remember Lesley Garrett and the box office made of two fold-up tables? Yep, I was there! That kind of experience earns me the right to share my wisdom, wouldn’t you say?
Getting around Lytham
Lytham is so compact and bijou, it wont take you any more that 5 minutes to walk from one end to the other, and from the train station to the ‘Lytham Green’ and 3 minutes from one Festival Gate to another and same from Parking spaces.
All bars, cafe’s, pubs are literally just off the Green, or one street behind, plus one as you get off the train. There are two right on the Green, but will be rammed (!) as will ‘Spoons’
Here are my Top Tips for an Amazing Lytham Festival:
Clothing: Comfort and layers are key!
- Footwear: Ditch the stilettos. You won’t be winning any friends if you step on someone’s toes. Trendy flats or trainers are perfect, and your feet will thank you later.
- Dress for the British Weather: It’s unpredictable! Be prepared for anything. Pack a light top, something warm for later, and a waterproof jacket (not a flimsy fashion thing). There’s a good chance of rain, and trust me, being soaked is no fun.
- Sun and Wind Protection: Lytham’s on the coast, so it can be windy. Sunscreen and a hat are your friends, especially for the gentlemen who might be a bit “follicly challenged” (I’ve seen some rough sunburns over the years!). If it’s hot, stay hydrated with free water from the festival stations or buy drinks from the vendors. Remember, the weather here can change in a blink – all four seasons in a day aren’t unheard of!
This is just a taste of what I’ve learned over the years. Stay tuned for more insider tips and festival fun!
This years site map
Garden Upgrades
The first time I decided to treat myself to full blown VIP, there was none (what is my luck like!). VIP had been replaced with the ‘Garden’ I have had experienced of the Garden area before, it IS an extra cost,but it IS worth it in many little ways, so if you want to elevate your experience for one or more nights………….go on, it’s once a year, and YES you are worth it!!
Get straight to the front in the VIP Garden. The Garden is the ultimate dancing zone with access to a exclusive garden bar and premium food options as well as posh flushable loos all in an area right at the front of the stage!
The Garden tickets include:
Premium view at the front of the stage
Private Bar
Premium food options
Premium toilet facilities
Souvenir Lytham Festival wristband
And After
This year there are no official ‘satellite’ events, outside the Main Arena, but please help support the pubs and bars in the local area some have specials and pop up’s on for the Festival period.
Travel arrangements
The key to this is PLANNING, if coming by car, public transport, or being dropped off you need to have it locked down BEFORE you come, there are road closures in operation from Wednesday 3rd July.
Lots of public transport available this year (more than ever before) Click HERE for the Festivals Travel Page
However getting a mate or parent to pick you up is still the best way, you can bribe them with money/food or reciprocal pick ups for the next month. Insider tip if you ARE being dropped off/picked up, Lytham Hospital is a good meeting place FY8 5EE if coming from Preston side and the back of Lowther Gardens/Lytham Cricket & Sports Club FY8 5QD if coming from Blackpool and both are only 5 minute walks from the Main Arena
Food & Drink
There are lots of World Food stands and Drink concessions within the arena, and although there is sometimes queues they are dealt with quickly and efficiently. Some people complain about the drinks prices but can categorically say they are no better or worse than any other festival in the UK! It’s a once a year occasion!!
This year they say the Festival will be cashless BUT please, please take some spare change for the various charities there that will be grateful for your cash. (See Charities below)
Insider tip, on any/all days, come early and sample some of the local restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and takeaways before heading to the Arena and support the town that supports the Festival
Toilets
As a women of a certain age, that cant drink anything more than a shot, without searching out the facilities, dont worry there are banks at either end of the arena to the left and right of the stage, so queuing time is normally absolute minimum, and with a central hand-sanitiser bank so you can be in and out in seconds. But would recommend taking a travel pack of tissues or wet wipes with you as inevitably they sometime run out of loo paper.
Meeting Places
Lets face it, it is going to be manic everywhere, but outside the Area, the Assembly Rooms on corner of Dicconson Terrace FY8 5JY and the main road, which will be closed anyway, is a good bet and slightly away from pubs and bars in Clifton Square.
Your hosts
Daniel Cuffe & Peter Taylor, now under the LIVE NATION ‘umbrella’, are local guys with local staff, and even though a UK wide, if not now a Global operation, I feel they put extra love into Lytham., their home town, and once again have put on a brilliant programme of entertainment covering most tastes and ages
Keep up with what they are up to around the country
Money
Once again it is advertised as a ‘cashless’ event, which does make like a bit easier all round but PLEASE, PLEASE bring some cash in order to support the very worthy charities (see below)
Charities
As well as supporting the local economy, Lytham Festival supports many charities, so please give generously if you can
Each year charities are invited to apply to be a partner
The charities selected and the nights they will partner with are:
TramShed Theatre Company Hozier – July 3
Blue Skies Hospitals Fund Shania Twain – July 4
LiveLikeRalph Courteeners – July 5
Brian House Children’s Hospice Madness – July 6
RNLI James – July 7
Again Lytham Festival has chosen mainly to support relatively small North-West based charities who make a big impact in the communities they serve. Plus the RNLI, a service which is a very important to any coastal town.
And Finally
SO what do the residents think?? Well, you will always get some that are against it, and that is their right, but on the whole people are positive about what it brings to Lytham and the wider local economy plus the closest ones get free tickets and some can even view from the comfort of their own homes (with a third floor)
Please keep behaviours polite and consider people of all ages & children that the Festival attracts. Before and after your concert in the town please be kind, considerate to hospitality and retail staff as we are not used to some many people in what is a small town at one time, and when leaving remember you are in the middle of residential area, not in a field miles from anywhere, so please treat the place respectfully when leaving the Arena.
So in the immortal words of Dame Shirley (and Pink) lets get this Party Started
ENJOY
*The story around my missed nights, is, in 2019 someone had jumped on my foot whilst dancing to Heather Small on the Wednesday night, and was just too painful to chance knocking it again, so had to forego the Thursday night. I made it on Friday but sad not to boogie around to Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who was incredible, and of course Kylie. I was actually there for Nile Rodgers and I was probably more excited about this than I had been for years, being brought up in the Chic era, I was with my daughters and stupidly started to get into the groove even while getting ready at home, then some in Lytham and a couple in the arena, by the time Nile came on I do not remember a THING, or how I got home, but did safely and was tucked up in bed by the time my frantic daughters got home. Only got myself to blame. This adulting stuff is hard work sometimes!
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Lots more info on lythamfestival.com
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