The top five favourite festivals in the north have been named – and now you can vote for the winner

The search for the Favourite Festival of the Year in the north of England is nearly over, with five incredible events shortlisted in the inaugural Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards (NMAs). 

After a panel of music industry professionals selected a longlist – including one of The Manc audience’s choosing – it was then over to the public to narrow down the selection to five northern festivals. 

And you lot have picked some cracking events that could end up being crowned the Favourite Festival of the Year at the NMAs. 

Voting is now open for you to cast your vote, with the public whittling down an impressive list of northern music festivals to five of the very best.

Those shortlisted include Stockport’s Moovin Festival, Kendal Calling in the Lake District, Salford’s Sounds From The Other City, Sheffield’s Tramlines, and Beatherder.

The overall winner will be revealed at the performance-packed awards ceremony on 23 April at Manchester’s iconic Albert Hall.

The awards themselves will be hosted in a different northern city each year and will continue to recognise the breadth of musical talent across the north of England, year after year. 

This year’s inaugural celebration will be headlined by Courteeners’ Liam Fray with a short and special live acoustic set, plus the legendary Lisa Stansfield, Warrington’s rising stars The K’s, up-and-coming Leeds quartet English Teacher, and spoken word, indie hip hop artist Antony Szmierek, who is to open the awards with a specially commissioned piece about the power of music therapy.

The Northern Music Awards have been created by the UK’s largest music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins, to raise awareness of their transformative work and fundraise for more music therapy provision throughout the region, including the opening of a new dedicated music therapy centre which will open next year, in Salford.

Awards categories range from Newcomer of the Year to Artist of the Year, Band of the Year, DJ of the Year, Disruptor and the Northern Music Award.

A special Music and Culture for Wellbeing award will showcase outstanding and innovative creative arts provision in the North, that uses music and culture to support and connect with people that face health, wellbeing and socio-economic challenges.

We here at The Manc are the proud sponsors of the Favourite Festival of the Year category.

You can cast your vote and choose the winner of Favourite Festival of the Year for the NMAs below.

Voting closes at 23.59pm on Wednesday 27 March, 2024.

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Featured image: Publicity picture