Coventry's Godiva Festival 2025: All you need to know
Godiva began as a free day-long event in 1997 and became a three-day event the following year.Alongside live music, the family festival also has dance and street performers as well as craft and sports sessions, along with food and drink stalls.Previous years have seen headline acts such as The Enemy, Tom Grennan, Sir Bob Geldof, The Libertines and Paloma Faith take to the stage.
When is Godiva Festival?
This year, the festival is taking place between 4 to 6 July.Gates will open at 18:00 BST on Friday with the event that day due to finish by 22:30 BST.Saturday and Sunday will see gates open at midday. On Saturday, the last acts are due to be finished by 22:30 BST and on Sunday, the party will end at the earlier time of 19:00 BST.The festival is named after Coventry's famous medieval legend, Lady Godiva, who is believed to have ridden naked on horseback through the city more than 1,000 years ago in order to reduce taxes imposed by her husband, the Earl of Mercia.
Is Godiva Festival free?
Previously the event was a free, ticketless festival but charges were introduced by the council in 2019.The authority said prices for a standard day ticket for this year's event start from £15 - with weekend tickets from £49.50.Children aged under five or carers can attend for free.In March, the authority announced ticket prices for 2025 would be frozen and earlier this year put £330,000 into the event to cover a shortfall for this year's show.
Who is performing?
Singer-songwriter Marc Almond will perform on Friday, alongside other acts such as Heaven 17 and Heather Small.Saturday will see electronic group Clean Bandit, who have had four number one singles, take to the main stage along with the likes of Nathan Dawe, Rose Gray and a special guest, Neville Staple from The Specials.Closing the festival on Sunday will be Birmingham rock band Ocean Colour Scene, with Rick Parfitt JR and dance group Diversity completing the line-up.Approximate set-times for each artist have been listed on the website.This year, performances will take place across the Main Stage and the Cov Stage, which will host local talent. A third stage, the Cov ConneX Kingston Stage, will see young local musicians given the chance to perform in their home city.The stage, first introduced at last year's festival, is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with a grant worth almost £30,000.
Do you need to bring photo ID?
Admission to the event site will only be allowed with the presentation of a valid ticket, Godiva Festival said.Proof of photographic identity may also be required at the time of entry, a spokesperson added.Conditions of entry, including prohibited items, are listed on the event's website.One bag per person is allowed but it must be no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper.Each ticket holder will also be subject to search upon entry.Age-related restrictions are also in place following reports of stampeding youths at last year's event, which caused a festival stage to close down.
How do I get to the festival?
The War Memorial Park is about a 10-minute walk from Coventry Railway Station.There would also be signs to guide people to the entrance, a festival spokesperson said.National Express Coventry also provides frequent bus services to the park from the city centre and the University of Warwick.For those coming by car, the postcode you will need if you are using maps is CV3 6GF, with car parking available on site each day for £15.
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