Pete Tong and Embrace confirmed as Preston Weekender headliners

Global superstar DJ Pete Tong, and one of the UKs biggest bands of the 90s, Embrace, are to headline this year’s ‘Preston Weekender’.

The May Bank Holiday bonanza – which will again take place on the city’s historic Flag Market – will also feature incredible support artists, and the best talent from the region.

Saturday night sees legendary DJ Pete Tong takes to the decks with a big bag of Balearic classics for an unforgettable party, with an exclusive two-hour set, in his only northern performance of the spring and summer.  He’ll be supported by ‘No.1 House DJ of 2024’ Sam Divine.

On Sunday, multi-million selling Embrace will headline the band-led part of The Weekender, with support from the epic Elvis-fronted Nirvana band, Elvana, and Ferocious Dog, fresh from their recent headlining tour of the UK.

Tong, with an incredible 30-plus year career, is a revered performer, DJ, broadcaster and producer, and remains dedicated to making dance music a global genre; constantly pushing boundaries and breaking new talent wherever he goes.

He is the UK’s original superstar DJ, and a household name the world over.

With her years in the game, a multitude of awards, accolades and achievements, global tours and festivals, Sam Divine is a powerhouse.  A renowned DJ, producer, and all-round inspiration to countless women worldwide, she has established herself as a formidable presence.

Sam stops off to perform in Preston following 2025 gigs in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Singapore.

Brothers Danny and Richard McNamara formed Embrace on the ‘other side of the Pennines’ and are revered for tracks including ‘All You Good Good People’ and ‘Ashes’.  Critically acclaimed across the board, the NME declared their first album “One of the great debut albums of the decade”.

Since then, Embrace have gone on to score three No. 1 albums and six Top 10 singles, selling millions of records albums in the process.

The Preston Weekender will be one of the full band’s rare live performances in 2025.

Headline support comes from the impressive Elvana who took the UK by storm back in 2019, following a sell-out show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.  Since then, they’ve performed on the main stage at the Download Festival and Glastonbury.

Completing Sunday’s headliner line up is Ferocious Dog, a six-piece band who deal in a vibrant vein of Celtic folk infused punk rock, comfortably slotting in between Billy Bragg and The Levellers.

The band has headlined tours of the UK and Europe, performed in Kenya and Dubai, and at festivals such as Bearded Theory, Alchemy, Lowlands (Netherlands), and Glastonbury Festival.

Mark Whittle, from Preston BID, said: “We’re excited to have secured an incredible lineup of talent for this year’s Weekender, building on the success of 2024.

“As a city, we’re committed to making the event better each year, so that we can welcome as many people as possible to enjoy what Preston’s got to offer, alongside offering a great platform for local artists.

“The Weekender is made possible through the support of city centre businesses, so we’d encourage everyone attending to ‘give a bit back’ and support local shops, restaurants, and venues during their visit.

“We’ve kept ticket prices as low as possible to make the event open to all, and we can’t wait to see the Flag Market packed for an unforgettable weekend in our amazing city.”

Councillor Anna Hindle, Cabinet Member for Arts and Culture at Preston City Council said: "The Preston Weekender is a fantastic addition to our city's vibrant calendar of events which we’re delighted to partner with.

“Events like this play a crucial role in showcasing Preston as a dynamic and welcoming destination while driving significant visitor footfall to our city centre.  We can’t wait to see residents and visitors come together for this exciting weekend!"

The Weekender team are working with local businesses to create special offers, deals and promotions from city centre businesses; and are encouraging people to make a weekend of it, celebrating the bank holiday in style.

Tickets go on sale from 8.00am on Tuesday 11^th February for those on the pre-sale sign up list, with general sales opening from 8.00am on Wednesday 12^th February.

Tickets and all the info, at ThePrestonWeekender.com