Warrington Music Festival: Winter Showcase

An all-day celebration of grassroots music and emerging talent is returning to Parr Hall in early 2027.

Warrington Music Fest’s Winter Showcase provides a vital platform to champion upcoming musicians, as well as offering a taste of what's to come at the summer festival.

It returns on Saturday, 23 January, and this time it is bigger than ever with a record 21 homegrown bands and artists taking to Parr Hall's historic stage.

That includes a headline set by Freight, a rapidly rising four-piece from Thelwall and Lymm whose recent highlights have included supporting NYC band We Are Scientists in the summer and announcing their largest headline show at Manchester's Gorilla.

Under the banner of Warrington Music Festival, the event is being hosted by arts charity Culture Warrington and Score Creative Ltd, which supports young musicians in the town.

The aim is to raise the profile of emerging artists who have been blazing a trail through Warrington’s music scene and are looking to take the next step.

Score Creative’s Steve Oates, who established the festival in 2007, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Warrington Music Festival Winter Showcase return to the iconic Parr Hall stage in 2027.

“Warrington has a wealth of home-grown musical talent, and this event is all about giving local artists the opportunity to perform on one of the town’s most prestigious stages.

“We’re really excited to bring together another great line-up and celebrate the incredible music being created right here in Warrington.”

Freight frontman Luka Gunes, a former Priestley College student, added: “As a Warrington band, to be headlining the Winter Showcase at Parr Hall is really such a privilege that we don’t take for granted at all.

“It’s a real compliment from Steve Oates and all of the crew for selecting us to close a festival which we have been a part of for the past few years.

“This festival was one of the first bigger stages we played and it feels very much like we’ve come full circle to be top of the bill now.

“I really don’t know where we would be without the help of the Winter Showcase and summer music festival!

“If you can get down for it on 23 January, you will not be disappointed. The line-up features 12 hours of amazing bands and for less than a tenner, it’s a no brainer!”

Warrington Music Festival’s Winter Showcase returns to Parr Hall on Saturday, 23 January, and tickets are on sale now. Call Box Office on 01925 442345 or visit parrhall.culturewarrington.org/whats-on