Established and new talent lined up for 21st Cambridge Rock Festival
Rock fans get ready, as the Cambridge Rock Festival (CRF) is returning to Ben’s Yard, near Ely, from 31 July to 3 August.
This year's festival promises to be better than ever, with a varied line-up of local and national acts taking to the stage.
The festival showcases the best of rock and blues, and also provides a platform for emerging talent. It is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, who work tirelessly to bring the event to life.
Acts set to perform include Creedence Clearwater Review, King King, The Commoners, Jayler, Georgia Nevada, White Heat, and Aynsley Lister.
Emma Thomas, festival co-ordinator, says: “We’re excited to celebrate another year of music and community at the Cambridge Rock Festival.”
Dave Roberts, festival director, adds: “Our line-up is shaping up to be one of the best yet, with a mix of established acts and new talent.
“We're looking forward to welcoming our fans back to the festival and introducing them to a variety of music, both new and old.”
The long weekend of festival fun begins on Thursday evening (31 July), when some of the finest tribute bands and original acts will give audiences a taster of what lies ahead over the next three days.
Friday to Sunday boasts music from 11am-11pm, showcasing many more great bands you’ll know, and other bands to discover.
The festival will take place once again at Ben’s Yard, on the Stuntney Estate, with a range of entertainment to suit all tastes.
In addition to the live music, the festival will feature a real ale bar and merchandise, local food stalls, and a selection of stalls selling a variety of wares.
The organisers say the festival is committed to providing a friendly, safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees. The site is disabled-friendly with no step access in green fields.
The CRF started in 2004 as a family-run event (it still is) and was known as the Rockinbeerfest, taking place at Huntingdon Racecourse, with the first headliner being Dr Feelgood.
The Stranglers and Wishbone Ash also headlined that year.
It quickly gathered support and a team of volunteers to help run it, many of whom are still involved today and without whom it would not be possible to continue.
From Huntingdon it moved to the Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester, before relocating again in 2009 to Haggis Farm Polo Club.
An arrangement with Black Barn Records enabled the festival to move to Horseheath Lodge for 2017 and 2018, before returning to Haggis Farm for 2019.
In 2020, a 'virtual' online festival showed videos of performances recorded at previous festivals, and then in 2021, the CRF started a new chapter, still in Cambridgeshire, at the purpose-built East of England Showground, Peterborough.
With the demise of the Peterborough showground (it’s currently in the process of becoming a housing estate), the festival needed a new home and 2025 is the second year the event will be hosted by Horlock’s Farm near Stuntney, near Ely.
For more information about the Cambridge Rock Festival 2025, including ticket sales and line-up announcements, go to cambridgerockfestival.co.uk.