WOODBRIDGE FESTIVAL OF ART AND MUSIC 2025

Woodbridge Festival's 14th year takes place on the weekend of 28-31 August with events in Elmhurst Park and venues around town including Hopsters, Marlowe's and New Street Market.

A line-up of original acts and pioneers is appearing as part of this year's twin themes - Super Fly and Spin.

Legendary 1960s soul singer, Geno Washington, and pioneering 1970s funk DJ, Les Spain, are the first headliners announced for the ‘Super Fly’ theme. Super Fly is the first project to research and celebrate the role US Air Force bases in Suffolk played in bringing American black music into Britain from the 1950s to 1990s. Geno Washington is playing his first gig in Woodbridge since he started his singing career when he was stationed at RAF Woodbridge in the USAF in 1965 - bringing Brit Soul home to Woodbridge 1965-2025.

Pioneering 1970s UK funk DJ Les Spaine makes an appearance 50 years after he first played Suffolk’s US airforce bases. At the time resident at Liverpool's 2000 capacity all night funk club Timepiece, and the UK’s biggest national funk club DJ, Les went on to become the first UK representative for Motown records; working with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Jacksons.

Also headlining the event are Immersion, the new project from seminal post punk Wire frontman Colin Newman and Minimal Compact's Malka Spigel, perform live in advance of this autumn's debut UK tour and following their successful US tour.

Electro clash stars Spektrum make their first live appearance in 10 years and first show in Suffolk since Latitude in 2006. Their track 'Kinda New' is an era-defining club smash. Celebrated film, stage and TV star Ben Miles returns to play his third DJ set for Woodbridge Festival alongside festival founder DJ Ben Osborne and Girl In A T-Shirt.

Geno Washington, the early Brit Soul star celebrated in Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ Number 1 chart hit Geno, is playing Woodbridge for the first time since he was based at USAF Woodbridge and Bentwaters in the early 1960s. His appearance in August sees him bring his up-beat brand of Brit soul home to Woodbridge for the first time in 60 years.

One of two themes announced for this year’s festival, Super Fly explores the hidden history that US airforce bases in Suffolk played in the development of UK music from the late 1950s to the 1990s. Between this period the numbers of USAF personnel in Suffolk accounted for one in seven people living in the county. The project was recently featured on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, reaching an audience of nearly 5 million.

Spin, the other theme for 2025, launched in mid June with a series of interactive workshops and audio visual events being held in schools, colleges and community events across Suffolk. The project explores the continuous role spinning has played in history. It has been generously supported by local councillors in East Suffolk District Council.

Both projects feature in Woodbridge Festival's popular, often emulated, annual event in Elmhurst Park, featuring the return of Anchors Aweigh, Make and Do workshops, Street Food Village, Hopsters, Mr Bees, Saltpeter and Tipsy Bubbles craft beer, natural wine and cocktail bars, Kids Areas, Eco zone and more.

Tickets for Elmhurst Park start at £7 for adults and tickets for under 16 year olds (accompanied by an adult) are free.

Founded in 2012, Woodbridge Festival is a not for profit organisation with charitable aims, including an educational arts and music programme working with schools and colleges across Suffolk. This year the festival has been recognised by Ofsted for its work with local schools. It is an official creative industry partner with higher education colleges across East Suffolk.