Ilkley’s popular community music festival, Ilkley Live, returns for its fifth year on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th July, and this year it will be bigger and better than ever!
This is unique festival as it is genuinely ‘for the community by the community’, with the festival being created by performers, venues and the audience.
From modest beginnings during the pandemic, when music lovers and performers gathered in people’s gardens to spread a little joy, the festival has grown year on year and is now a much-anticipated fixture on the town’s calendar.
In addition to informal performances in people’s homes and gardens, popular commercial venues such as Martinez, the Flying Duck, the Ticket Office and the Ilkley Tap will be playing host to a wide range of musicians and musical styles that are sure to pull in the crowds and keep the festival atmosphere going from morning till night.
Anyone can attend the performances, and anyone can perform.
The festival’s founder, Dan Hammond, says:
‘The heart of the festival is the community. It is highly inclusive - anyone can play if they want to - and the range of music has expanded to everything from Rachmaninov to Rock! This year we hope to see an even bigger audience, walking from place to place and soaking up the great atmosphere!’
To sign up as a performer, go to www.ilkleylive.com.
The festival programme will be available on the same site two weeks before the event.


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