A Look Back at 2025…

Few artists are so iconic that they needn’t more than a syllable to be recognised. The truly legendary Sting graced Henham Park for the first time to deliver an unforgettable headline show, weaving through beloved classics from The Police and solo gems with the kind of seasoned charm only he can summon.

Lovers of dance music rejoiced, as Saturday at Latitude belonged to Fatboy Slim. From a surprise Q&A with The Independent on our Listening Post, to his intoxicating two-hour headline set on our Obelisk Arena, to a secret 1AM DJ set in the woods, there was no stopping Norman Cook in his quest to take over Henham Park.

Snow Patrol returned to Latitude with their soaring melodies to close the Sunday of Latitude, creating one of the biggest singalongs of the weekend. Their heartfelt indie anthems synced perfectly with the bittersweetness of the weekend nearing its close.

Throughout the weekend, Henham Park echoed with the eclectic energy of Kaiser Chiefs rocking crowds with sing-along favourites, Air’s dreamy soundscapes, Sigrid’s powerful pop, and Mika’s effervescent performance and consummate showmanship that had everyone dancing with delight. Elbow offered a soulful, emotive Sunday afternoon set that felt like a gentle embrace after days of non-stop action.

We also enjoyed a vast range of sensational sets from the likes of Maribou State, Leon Bridges, Example, Lambrini Girls, Alison Moyet, Feeder, Billy Bragg, Kingfisher, and so many more that this list could go on forever. 2025 was another brilliant year for music.

Gareth Malone returned to form his second ever Latitude Choir; his ensemble of 100 festival-goers lifting spirits with their renditions of timeless hits, joining together on the Obelisk Arena to create one of the weekend’s most special moments. In fact, we wholeheartedly believe that it was their rendition of It’s Coming Home that later secured the win for our Lionesses…

Did you know that Greg Davies was the first ever comedian to grace our Comedy Arena? Back in 2006, Greg was the opening MC on the stage – what a privilege to witness his meteoric rise to headline status over the years, with his set seeing the Comedy Arena full to the brim, and then some.

Reggie Watts delivered two of his signature improvisational musical sets across the weekend – one as the Comedy Arena’s headliner, and a secret set in the Trailer Park – while Latitude favourite Bridget Christie returned to the top spot with her absurdist humour.

Across the bill our Comedy Area delivered a *stacked* line up consisting of the likes of Sophie Duker, Mark Watson, Jordan Gray, Joel Dommett, Marcus Brigstocke and Kerry Godliman, who delivered riffs and revelations in equal measure –  from absurd confessions to sharp social wit that had crowds howling.

Spellbinding performance art and spectacle filled the Theatre Arena. Gravity and Other Myths amazed us with their deft physical storytelling that blurred the line between theatre and athleticism, and the playful, anarchic spirit of Yuck Circus had audiences roaring. Acrobatics aside, crowds were also treated to solo performances from renowned theatre-makers Bryony Kimmings and Victoria Melody.

Over on the Waterfront, our children’s poetry competition with BBC Suffolk saw its second year, this time with three winners reciting their poems on Friendship to open the festival. An adorable, wholesome start to the weekend that left everyone feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

DanceEast brought several brilliant dance productions to our Waterfront stage, including magnetic works from choreographers James Wilton, Seeta Patel and Jeanefer Jean-Charles, plus the welcome return of New Adventures and Stopgap Dance Company.

London City Ballet also made their return to our Waterfront after a triumphant debut at the festival in 2024, their beautiful and haunting movements stopped passers-by in their tracks.

The Listening Post is our hub for live podcasts, talks and Q&As, this year seeing surprise appearances from Fatboy Slim and Guy Garvey with Virgin Radio, and live podcast recordings with Irvine Welsh, Joel Dommett, Mark Kermode and John Pienaar. With no topic off limits, audiences were witness to a range of discussions from film, music, the environment, social issues, comedy, literature and more.

We had an abundance of artistic brilliance on offer across our arts stages this year, including poetry from Luke Wright and Brian Bilston and a spoken word performance from Simon Armitage‘s musical outfit LYR, an insightful talk with the judges of The Booker Prize, a dedicated Bookshop takeover from Martha Kearny on nature, a Q&A with punk icon, Throbbing Gristle’s Cosey Fanni Tutti plus numerous podcasts, conversations, cabaret performances, club nights and so much more. We can’t wait to experience more cultural delights in 2025.

Brand new for 2025 was The Cosmic Shambles Forest of Science and Culture, a bold and wondrous new space in the forest curated by the award-winning independent team at The Cosmic Shambles Network, piloted by Latitude mainstay Robin Ince. Part science festival, part book club, part comedy club, part music gig, part interactive museum, and all wonder, the Cosmic Shambles Forest presented a whole new world of fascination, created for both the curious and the creatively inclined.

At the heart of the Cosmic Shambles Forest was The Apollo, a dedicated stage and performance space that played host to a rich programme of live talks, podcasts, music, panels, performances, family events, late-night screenings, and more. Topics on the table included climate science, horror cinema, particle physics, literature, neurodiversity, space exploration and mental health, guided by a wide range of award-winning broadcasters, scientists, historians, astrophysicists, comedians, filmmakers and journalists.

Museum Street was packed with interactive exhibits and pop-up mini-museums from incredible places such as the National Physical Laboratory, Royal Museums Greenwich, the Crab Museum, and loads more surprises around every corner. By night, it transformed into a woodland cinema screening Cosmic Shambles documentary features, followed by Robin Ince’s Uncanny Film Club, showing the strange, obscure, and unmissable, hand-picked by Robin himself.

Back for their fifth year spreading their message of mental health awareness and mindfulness were the brilliant team at The Zen Project with Mind, Body & Zen: a beautiful oasis in the heart of Henham Park. With a host of yoga, meditation and workshops to explore plus massages, saunas, and ice-baths, it’s always the perfect retreat from the madness of a festival. We can’t wait to find more zen at our 20th edition..

We gorged, we devoured, we indulged. But isn’t that what a festival is for? With a plethora of delectable food traders across a wide variety of cuisines, plus our stunning on-site restaurant, The Hothouse, keeping us nourished all weekend long, it’s no wonder good food is such an important pillar of our ethos.

Festivals should be for all ages, which is why we’re so proud of our ever-growing family experience at Latitude. 2025 saw Camp Greenpeace expand into a bigger territory for sharing their environmental ethos, and our Kids Area and Enchanted Garden created a fun and colourful haven for little ones with a wide variety of non-stop entertainment, plus some much needed respite for parents.

And of course, no Latitude memory from 2025 would be complete without the collective roar of festival-goers watching the Lionesses triumph in the Euros, a moment of national pride that united everyone in celebration long before the final encore.

And just like that, another orbit around the sun passes and we draw ever nearer to yet another gorgeous summer in our beloved Henham Park. Across music, comedy, the arts and human connection, Latitude 2025 proved again why the best experiences are shared.

2026 will see our milestone 20th edition come to fruition, and we want you there to celebrate with us.