BBC Radio 2 in the park was a music festival that took place annually in London’s Hyde Park from 2006 to 2018. It featured live performances from major pop and rock artists and was hosted by BBC Radio 2 DJs. Over its 13 year run, the festival attracted hundreds of thousands of attendees and established itself as a hugely popular event in the UK’s summer music calendar. But how much did it actually cost music fans to attend this iconic concert event? Let’s take a look at ticket prices over the years to get an idea of what the festival charged.
Ticket Prices from 2006 to 2009
The inaugural BBC Radio 2 in the park took place on September 9th, 2006. Tickets went on sale 5 months prior in April and were priced at £25 for entry to the event. This remained the standard weekend ticket price for the first 4 years of the festival. Day tickets were also available at the cheaper price of £15. The £25 charge for the full weekend ticket offered excellent value when you consider attendees got to see massive acts like Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, and Simply Red included in that price.
Here are the standard weekend ticket prices for the first 4 BBC Radio 2 in the park festivals:
Year | Weekend Ticket Price |
2006 | £25 |
2007 | £25 |
2008 | £25 |
2009 | £25 |
So in the early years of the festival, attendees could enjoy all the entertainment for the weekend for just £25. That’s quite a steal really when you consider most major music festivals now cost upwards of £200 for the full experience!
Ticket Prices from 2010 to 2012
In 2010, the festival organizers increased weekend ticket prices for the first time to £35. This represented a £10 (or 40%) price hike from previous years. Day tickets went up to £20. The higher pricing didn’t deter attendees though as the 2010 event was a sell out success with Stereophonics, Paul Weller and Blondie all on the bill.
Ticket prices remained unchanged at £35 for the weekend and £20 per day for both the 2011 and 2012 events. These years saw huge acts like The Pet Shop Boys, Stevie Wonder and Rihanna grace the Hyde Park stage.
Ticket prices from 2010 to 2012:
Year | Weekend Ticket Price | Day Ticket Price |
2010 | £35 | £20 |
2011 | £35 | £20 |
2012 | £35 | £20 |
So across these 3 years, the weekend price held steady at £35 while day tickets remained at £20. Overall, the festival was still providing good value considering the A-list musical talent on display each year.
Ticket Prices from 2013 to 2015
Prices edged up once again for the 2013 event, rising to £40 for weekend tickets and £25 for day passes. Music legends like The Moody Blues, Jerry Lee Lewis and BB King performed that year.
The increases continued in 2014 with weekend tickets going up to £45 and day tickets priced at £27. Sir Tom Jones and Paloma Faith were among the popular artists on the lineup.
For the 10 year anniversary event in 2015, organizers pushed the pricing up further to £50 for weekend tickets and £30 for day passes. Music fans clearly felt it was still worthwhile with acts like The Who, Van Morrison and Jamie Cullum available for that price.
The rising price trend from 2013 to 2015:
Year | Weekend Ticket Price | Day Ticket Price |
2013 | £40 | £25 |
2014 | £45 | £27 |
2015 | £50 | £30 |
In just 3 years, weekend prices had risen 25% from £40 up to the £50 mark. Day tickets went up 20% across that period. But the festival still gave good bang for buck with so many iconic artists on the billing.
Ticket Prices from 2016 to 2018
There was a dip in pricing for the 2016 festival with weekend tickets lowered to £46 and day tickets down to £24. Kylie Minogue, Status Quo and Madness were among the big performers that year.
But in 2017, as the festival’s popularity continued to grow, organizers hiked weekend prices back up to £52 and day tickets to £29. Phil Collins and Blondie made return appearances to entertain the crowds.
For the final BBC Radio 2 in the park event in 2018, weekend and day prices remained unchanged from the previous year at £52 and £29 respectively. This last festival hurrah featured performances from headline acts like Lenny Kravitz, Craig David and Bananarama.
The pricing fluctuations from 2016 to 2018:
Year | Weekend Ticket Price | Day Ticket Price |
2016 | £46 | £24 |
2017 | £52 | £29 |
2018 | £52 | £29 |
So by the final year, weekend tickets were over double the original 2006 price of £25. Day tickets had also nearly doubled from £15 to £29 during the festival’s tenure. But attendees were clearly still willing to pay these higher rates for the quality lineups on offer.
VIP/Hospitality Ticket Options
In addition to the general weekend and day tickets, the festival also offered more premium VIP and hospitality packages over the years.
These options gave paying fans access to special VIP areas, luxury facilities, meal/drink vouchers and the best views of the stage. They allowed a more comfortable and exclusive festival experience.
VIP ticket prices varied each year but were generally in the £120-£200 range depending on amenities included. Hospitality packages with the most luxury add-ons went up to £350-£400 per person.
These premium offerings gave fans who wanted to splurge the chance to enjoy a 5-star version of the festival.
Conclusion
Over its successful 13 year tenure from 2006 to 2018, BBC Radio 2 in the park became a hugely anticipated event in Britain’s summertime entertainment calendar. While ticket prices certainly increased over time, going from an initial £25 weekend pass in 2006 up to £52 in 2018, the festival still offered good value for money given the calibre of musical talent it attracted. Higher production costs, artist fees and the event’s growing popularity contributed to the pricing rise over the years. But music lovers remained willing to pay the cost to see legends like Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue and The Who all performing in the iconic setting of London’s Hyde Park. VIP and hospitality packages were also available annually for those who wanted an enhanced, luxury festival experience and were prepared to pay a premium. Overall, BBC Radio 2 in the park ticket prices reflected its status as a world-class music festival with outstanding lineups. For 13 years, fans happily paid the charge to witness some of the greatest musical entertainers of all time performing live on one stage.