Darley Park Weekender 2026 – Friday Night – Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.
Reviewed by Julie Hayward
We had a fantastic evening at the Darley Park Weekender on Friday 21st August. Darley Park is such a beautiful setting for an outdoor event, from the moment we arrived, there was a brilliant atmosphere. Everything felt well organised, with friendly and welcoming staff making the evening feel relaxed and enjoyable. There was a mix of people of all ages, creating a sociable atmosphere that made it easy to settle in and enjoy the night. I attended with my husband, and it was a lovely evening to spend together.
We enjoyed the VIP Darley Garden, which was a great addition and made the experience feel that little bit more special. The dedicated bar and toilets meant we could spend more time enjoying the music rather than queuing. The VIP area was spacious and relaxed, with a fantastic view of the stage. In the main arena there is also a good selection of food outlets available, with enough variety to suit different tastes.
The entertainment was, of course, the highlight of the evening. Local group, Cassette Roulette got the party started with some great feel-good music before DJ Mark Angels kept the atmosphere going. Katrina brought plenty of energy and nostalgia to the stage, while Marti Pellow, from Wet Wet Wet fame, performed favourites such as Love Is All Around and Wishing I Was Lucky. It was lovely to see everyone dancing, and enjoying themselves, and the whole evening had that feel-good festival atmosphere that makes live music so enjoyable.
Billy Ocean was the perfect headline act for Friday night and really brought the evening to a fantastic finish. Hearing classics such as Love Really Hurts Without You, Red Light Spells Danger, Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car and Caribbean Queen had the whole crowd singing and dancing along. Billy’s performance of Suddenly for me was magical, he had us all captivated. There was such a wonderful sense of nostalgia throughout his set, and it was clear just how much the audience were enjoying every minute. Billy was a fantastic choice to kick off the Weekender and left everyone on a real high.
Overall, Friday was a brilliant night and one we would happily experience again. The beautiful setting, fantastic performances, friendly customer service, good food and drink choices and the added comfort of the VIP area all came together to create an enjoyable experience. The Weekender continues on Saturday with JLS, Appleton, from All Saints fame, and Chesney Hawkes, followed by the Darley Park Concert with Sinfonia Viva on Sunday. For anyone who hasn’t yet experienced the event, there is still plenty to look forward to this weekend, and if you’ve missed this year, it is certainly one worth putting on the list for next summer. 5/5 from us.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets for Friday and Saturday cost £47 per adult/£50 on the day, £22 per child.
V.I.P tickets are £77
For the Sunday Darley Park Concert cost £8 in advance, £5 per child/£11 on the day, £6 per child
Darley Park Weekender takes place Friday 21st August until Sunday 23rd August.
Tickets can be bought on the Derby LIVE website or for more information contact the box office on 01332 255800 or email boxoffice@derby.gov.uk
Darley Park, Derby DE22 1EN
https://www.derbylive.co.uk/whats-on/the-darley-park-weekender/