The town centre was filled with music, food and fun in the summer sun as Rochdale Borough Council's biggest ever event was headlined by indie rock legends Ocean Colour Scene, Lottery Winners and Heather Small.
The town centre was bustling from midday, with a large crowd gathering around the main stage, which returned to Rochdale Town Hall Square for the first time in five years.
Guests at the Feel Good festival in Rochdale on Saturday.
Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and collaboration at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“Seeing the return of this festival and finally the return of the main stage to our restored Town Hall Square was fantastic. We celebrated the milestone with our biggest line-up yet and it did not disappoint, a weekend to remember. The extraordinary Friday night events were very lively, the city was packed all day on Saturday and the crowd enjoyed even more brilliant live music on Sunday. We had visitors from all over the UK, some visiting Rochdale for the first time.
“A big thank you to everyone who came out to make this festival a success, our staff and partners who helped us deliver it, our wonderful volunteers who looked after everyone and the security team who kept everyone safe. It was a huge team effort but the feedback we have received so far has been fantastic. We will be carrying out a thorough assessment in the next few weeks.”
The festival kicked off at The Empire on Saturday lunchtime, with live music featuring local artists on the indoor stage throughout the day, as well as Ferny's Funky House Party at The Baum and a special 60s-themed vinyl night at Our Gracie's.
The main stage on Saturday was opened by the band Atlas, who won this year's Feel Good – Battle of the Bands competition.
Later, the main stage, sponsored by The Flying Horse Hotel and hosted by DJ Dave Sweetmore, was opened by local band Atlas, who won this year's Feel Good – Battle of the Bands competition. It was a rousing main stage debut that received a great reception from the crowd for the five-piece, who only formed last year.
Indie R'n'B-pop star iamkyami.
They were followed by a fiery and captivating performance by indie R'n'B-pop star iamkyami.
Saddleworth ska band Madame Claude backstage at Feel Good festival in Rochdale.
Saddleworth ska band Madame Claude upped the tempo even further with a rousing set that had the crowd on their feet and dancing for over half an hour.
Soul, pop and funk artist Toucan and his band.
Next up was soul, pop and funk artist Toucan and his band. The Irishman won over many new fans during his set, which was full of infectious melodies, soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics.
Heather Small proved to be very popular and got thousands of people dancing in Rochdale Town Hall Square.
Just after 5.30pm it was time for multi-award winning Heather Small, who drew a crowd of thousands to enjoy a high-octane performance of dance hits perfect for a sunny evening. Opening with 'Renaissance', her set included all her classic M People tracks as well as her solo anthem 'Proud'. 'One Night in Heaven' delighted the crowd before the glittering set concluded with her 16th top 40 hit 'Fantasy Island'.
Lottery Winners made a triumphant return to the main stage 10 years after their debut in 2014.
Returning to the main stage for the first time in 10 years, Lottery Winners are now playing to a much bigger crowd than when they made their Rochdale debut in 2014, thanks to a surge in popularity and last year’s Anxiety Replacement Therapy album. The iconic Heather Small were always going to be tough to keep up with, but the indie pop quartet burst onto the stage, performing anthemic songs from that chart-topping LP, as well as some of their much-loved original hits. It was a show full of great humour and catchy tunes, opening with Worry and ending with Burning Down The House, which rounded off a thoroughly infectious set that had the crowd singing along right through to the end. Lead singer Tom Rylance thoroughly enjoyed their return to Rochdale, keeping the crowd engaged from the first minute to the last with witty banter between each track.
Then after a short interlude the stage went dark before the arrival of final headliner Ocean Colour Scene in front of a crowd of over 4,600. Their celebratory set began with Riverboat Song, sending waves of excitement through the crowd and this built throughout the evening with a mix of fan favourites such as Robin Hood before a cover of The Beatles Day Tripper. All the classics were there including The Circle, Travellers Tune, Hundred Mile High City and Better Day. By the time their set concluded on Saturday night on the main stage with a euphoric The Day We Caught The Train, they had the crowd in their grasp.
DJ Dave Sweetmore.
After the Ocean Colour Scene closed, the main stage celebrations continued at The Flying Horse Hotel, where the official after-party featured dance trio Scratch. Steve Cradock, Tom Rylance and festival host Dave Sweetmore played at the after-party at Hoochi Koochi, while a Tina Turner tribute set, Just Tina, closed the night at The Empire.
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters Dana Cooper, Gemma Mazza and Mel Payne did a brilliant job of translating the signs on the main stage.
On Friday night, 10 local venues hosted free indoor concerts as part of the entertainment lineup, including Emma Connans at The Treehouse Bar and Miami Jack and Friends at Vinesteins.
On Sunday 11 August 2024, the Main Stage hosted a free evening of folk music, produced by Sound Roots and funded by Arts Council England, led by Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet, who returned to the Main Stage for a second time alongside Marvara. The musical Peter's Field had its New Rochdale premiere, featuring Sean Cooney, Eliza Carthy MBE and Sam Carter. The musical marked one of the most significant days in working class history, telling a story of struggle, tyranny, freedom and hope against the backdrop of the Peterloo massacre. The trio Seamus Og opened the Main Stage, weaving rich harmonies and stories full of heart.
Mayor Councillor Shakil Ahmed and his wife Councillor Rachel Massey at the food and drink village at the festival.
The festival's food and drink village was bustling with activity throughout the day and the indoor venues in the city centre were packed with over 45 live acts from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. The Rochdale Artisan Market was held at Rochdale Riverside.
On Friday night, 10 local venues hosted free indoor concerts as part of the Freelance program, including Dan's Girlfriend, Foxglove, Between The Vines, The Sprats, Dr Butlers Hatstand Medicine Band and many more. Champness Hall hosted a sold-out comedy gig Feel Good, headlined by Live at the Apollo and Mock the Week, one-liner master Gary Delaney.
The team of the festival partner The Royal Toby Hotel.
The festival, which is now in its 14th year,y This year the event was funded by the council with support from Arts Council England and the Rochdale Development Agency, and through ticket sales and sponsorship from: