Historical music festival resurrected near Lincoln

It’s over 50 years since the Beach Boys headlined a one-off music festival near Lincoln – now a community group is attempting to resurrect the event to raise money for Southrey Village Hall.

In May 1972 some of the biggest names came to Bardney for The Great Western Express Festival including Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Slade, and Genesis, and although it is estimated that 50,000 attended the event, local opposition and torrential rain made sure that it wasn’t repeated – until now. 

Joan Thistleton, Treasurer of Southrey Village Hall Committee explained: “The original festival was a precursor to Glastonbury, it’s quite historical really and we’re trying to resurrect that on a smaller scale.

“At our event there will be music, stalls around the field, like jewellery, crafts, preserves, there will be a bar, BBQ, and an ice cream man booked too.”

Southrey Music Festival 2025 follows the success of its first outing last year and includes a line-up of local talent such as Collided, The Eastman Brothers, and The Shaw Thing bringing the sounds of festival classics from bygone years. 

The family-friendly day out on Sunday July 13 will be held on the village’s Youth Club field, just two miles from the 1972 Bardney festival to raise money for the upkeep of Southrey Village Hall. Entrance is £7.50 with children under 12 free.

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Please note the children’s bouncy castle has been cancelled.

Slade are pictured top in their 1970s heyday when they played at the Bardney festival.

Below is the poster for this year’s event.