Colne's Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival marks 35 years and enters the UK Blues Hall of Fame

Every August bank holiday, the Pendle town of Colne turns into one of the best places in the country to hear the blues. In 2026 the Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival reached its 35th edition, and it arrived at the milestone with a fresh honour to its name.

At a ceremony in Milton Keynes in April, the festival was crowned Blues Based Festival of the Year at the UK Blues Awards for the second year in a row, having also won the title in 2019. That hat-trick of wins secured its place in the UK Blues Hall of Fame, alongside names such as Elles Bailey, Dom Martin and Cerys Matthews.

The anniversary festival ran across the bank holiday weekend, with the main programme from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August and more than 50 artists from the UK and around the world. The main stages were the Pendle Hippodrome, the Muni Theatre and The Little Theatre, and 17 Official Fringe venues kept the music going from Thursday through to Monday.

The Muni's return carried special meaning. It was the theatre's first time as a festival venue since 2022, and it played host during the very first festival back in 1990.

The Pendle Hippodrome welcomed Australian blues player Ray Beadle, Belfast guitarist Dom Martin and American blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout. At the Muni, The Cinelli Brothers, Mike Sanchez and Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys headlined, while Kevin Brown, The Delta Aces and the Sean Taylor Trio topped the bill at The Little Theatre.

One of the biggest crowd-pleasers came on the Saturday night from King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys, who had also played the very first festival. Local acts including Ross Munro, Tadhg Bean-Bradley and J-Bear & The Giants also starred, with J-Bear making a 20th festival appearance.

The weekend closed on the Sunday night at the Hippodrome with a tribute to John Mayall, featuring Walter Trout, Kyla Brox and Sonny Flint's Beano Bluesbreakers, with Ray Beadle joining Kyla on stage. A night earlier, The Little Theatre had hosted a tribute to Rod Mayall.

For Colne, the festival is about more than music. Organisers said tens of thousands of fans filled the town over the weekend, giving pubs, cafes and shops a welcome boost. The event is organised by Colne Town Council in partnership with the Colne Blues Society.

With 35 years behind it and a Hall of Fame place secured, the festival goes into its next chapter in fine form. News of future dates appears on the official festival website.