Abbeydale Live
A one-day showcase of music, independence, and community collaboration! Abbeydale Live is set to take place on Saturday 26 April with 50+ live acts performing across 14 venues along Abbeydale Road in Sheffield.
Born from the energy of local traders, artists, and neighbours, Abbeydale Live has its roots in shared challenges and a desire to see the area thrive.
This year’s event builds on the success of Independent Abbeydale’s 2024 pilot autumn festival, with an even wider mix of music, performances and activities taking place in venues up and down the street.
From pubs and cafés to bars and bottle shops, each space is hosting something different—and all of it free.
The line-up features acts like the Langsett Dance Orchestra, University of Sheffield Big Band, Montuno, and emerging performers from WaterBear Music College.
Alongside the live venues, a Buskers Corner by the Greek Village will bring a street performance element to the day, with pop-up performances dotted around shopfronts and side streets.
Hybrid Studios will be showcasing artists selected through their Arts Council-funded mentoring programme, giving local talent a platform to share new work with the public.
Families are also catered for, with Broadfield Park transformed into a kids’ area hosted by Everyone Active (formerly Sheffield City Trust). Entertainment will include appearances by crowd favourite Benoit the Magician, as well as activities for all ages throughout the day.
The full artist line-up will be released closer to the time, visit the Independent Abbeydale Facebook page for the latest info.
Additional Information
The event is produced by the Abbeydale Traders Association, which formed in 2022 in the wake of a series of break-ins affecting small businesses along the road.
Since then, what started as mutual support has grown into something much bigger—helped along by a successful bid to the Economic Recovery Fund, and the creation of the Independent Abbeydale brand.
The festival’s production is being overseen by Tim Foulerton-Walker, a seasoned programmer and event coordinator with deep roots in Sheffield’s cultural scene.
Tim runs The Big Swing—the city’s longest-running weekly live jazz night—and brings a wealth of experience from festivals including Tramlines, No Bounds and Signals, as well as national events like Glastonbury, Boomtown and Eden Festival. His involvement ensures Abbeydale Live has the organisational backbone to match its grassroots energy.
