STARS of TV and radio are among the headliners of a summer festival which returns to Rugby in June.
Maisie Adam.
Festival on The Close, Rugby’s annual celebration of culture, creativity, and community, will feature a performance by comedian Maisie Adam, a DJ set by Jo Whiley, and a live set by Alex Horne’s The Horne Section.
Organisers say the five-day festival, much of which is staged at an outdoor arena at Rugby School’s famous pitch The Close, will be the ‘most ambitious yet’.
The festival kicks off on Saturday June 21 with Manford’s Comedy Club, hosted by Barry Dodds and featuring Babatunde Aleshe, Charlie Lewis and headline act Maisie Adam.
The following night will feature an eclectic Jo Whiley DJ Set, supported by electric string quartet Stringfever.
Monday June 23 brings the internationally acclaimed BBC Big Band and conductor Barry Forgie to the stage for a celebration of swing legends, featuring vocalists Iain Mackenzie and Emer McParland.
Comedy band The Horne Section will perform their HitShow on Tuesday June 24.
Further acts are due to be announced at the end of this month.
Festival Manager Amie Johnson said: “We are incredibly excited to bring such a diverse and high-calibre lineup to Rugby for Festival on The Close 2025.
“From comedy to DJ sets, big band swing to hilarious musical theatre, there’s something for everyone.
Jo Whiley.
We’re also thrilled to support Cancer Research UK and partner with local youth group the Bradby Club.”
Festival Directors Tim Coker and Richard Tanner said they were proud that the festival continued to grow in its eighth year.
They added: “It not only attracts world-class arts and culture to Rugby, but also offers thousands of local school children the chance to engage in free creative workshops throughout the week as part of our on-going partnership with local schools.
“The work that the festival does in our community is something we at Rugby School are incredibly proud of, and we look forward to inspiring more children and adults this year in our most ambitious festival yet.”
The Festival on The Close takes place from June 21 to 26. Visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/thefestivalontheclose for more information, including ‘early bird’ offers.
All profits will be donated to Cancer Research UK, and The Bradby Club will be collecting donations at each event.
