Lewis Capaldi to headline new Yorkshire festival

Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi has been announced as the first act for Roundhay Festival in Leeds next summer.

Capaldi will headline the new festival, launched in collaboration with Leeds City Council, and will perform at Roundhay Park on 4 July 2026.

The 28-year-old has six UK number one singles, including Before You Go, Pointless and Wish You The Best, with both of his studio albums reaching number one in the UK albums chart.

He is also the second headline act announced for British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park, organised by the same team as the Leeds event, with the singer performing in London on 11 July.

The park, which covers over 700 acres (280 hectares) and believed to be one of the biggest city parks in Europe, has previously played host to superstar artists such as Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson.

The festival would attract big name performers and raise the profile of Leeds both nationally and internationally, the council previously said, as well as "delivering an important boost to the local economy".

Capaldi, who announced a break from touring shortly after his performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2023, returned to the Somerset festival earlier this year to play a short set on the Pyramid Stage.

Jim King, chief executive of live entertainment company AEG Presents UK and European Festivals, said Capaldi was "fast becoming a legend for a new generation".

"This will be the true comeback that everyone has been waiting for, and we are so proud to host it," he said.

Last month, councillors voted to allow crowds of up to 69,999 to attend events at Roundhay Park, which is three miles north of the city centre.

The last time the park hosted a concert with a similar-sized crowd was when Ed Sheeran played in 2019, when its capacity was temporarily increased to 80,000.

Additional reporting by PA Media.