About
LOOPFEST has grown from a grassroots idea into one of the biggest cultural events in Shropshire, bringing live music into venues and spaces across Shrewsbury town centre.
Since the first LOOPFEST on Saturday 17th September 2022, the festival has grown rapidly while keeping the same community-minded values at its heart – supporting grassroots artists, independent venues and opportunities for young people to gain experience within live music.
In 2026, LOOPFEST returned for its fifth event and its biggest edition yet, with hundreds of performances across Shrewsbury and an expanded programme in The Quarry featuring artists including Ash, Reef, The Bluetones, Gentleman’s Dub Club, The Skints and Elvana.
And we’ve achieved all of this with a small core team and the support of an incredible network of volunteers.
Partners
LOOPFEST 2022 (Sat 17th Sept)
The first LOOPFEST launched in September 2022 with a budget of just £3,500. Featuring 75 acts across 17 venues, the entire event was organised in-house. Despite its modest size, it brought record-breaking footfall to the town centre, with many venues reporting their best trading days in years.
LOOPFEST 2023 (Sat 8th July)
The second LOOPFEST returned just ten months later — this time with 125 acts across 25 venues and the addition of a new stage at Shrewsbury Castle. Still free to attend, the festival once again exceeded expectations.
Footfall and sales broke previous records, and notably, Shrewsbury Railway Station reported a 100% increase in turnstile usage — a clear sign that visitors were travelling in from beyond the town.
This year also saw LOOPFEST begin to address industry-wide issues, introducing accessible venues and working to improve gender balance in programming.
LOOPFEST 2024 (Fri 3rd to Sun 5th May)
In 2024, LOOPFEST grew into a three-day celebration, with over 200 artists performing at 25 venues across the Bank Holiday weekends, shattering previous footfall records.
The free daytime programme was complemented by ticketed evening shows at Shrewsbury Castle, featuring major acts like Beardyman, Dutty Moonshine Big Band, The Futureheads and Nubiyan Twist.
New additions included immersive experiences, spoken word, workshops and family-friendly activities. A regional campaign encouraged public transport use, doubling footfall at the train station.
The extended format meant more people stayed longer — boosting trade across the town, not just at festival venues.
LOOPFEST 2025 (Fri 2nd to Sun 4th May)
In 2025, LOOPFEST expanded further, with more of the event brought in-house and new venues added — including Shrewsbury College’s Welsh Bridge Campus, Morris Hall and English Bridge Studios — boosting capacity and broadening the programme.
Over 300 acts performed across 40 venues, showcasing a wide mix of emerging national artists and local talent.
An estimated 15,000 additional visitors attended each day, reinforcing LOOPFEST’s cultural impact and value to the local economy.
LOOPFEST 2026 (Fri 1st to Sun 3rd May)
LOOPFEST continued its growth in 2026, bringing hundreds of grassroots and emerging artists to venues across Shrewsbury alongside an expanded main stage programme in The Quarry.
The festival welcomed major artists including Ash, Reef, The Bluetones, Gentleman’s Dub Club, The Skints and Elvana, while maintaining grassroots and emerging music at the heart of the wider festival.
An estimated 30,000 additional visits were generated across the weekend, with the festival continuing to create opportunities for artists, venues, young people and creatives across Shropshire and beyond.
