Radio 2 In The Park Draws 65,000 Fans Chelmsford Boosting Local Economy

The BBC Radio 2 In The Park music festival is taking place this weekend at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, attracting around 35,000 attendees each day and featuring headline performances by Bryan Adams and Def Leppard. Alongside these headliners, artists like Jessie J, Ella Henderson, Stereophonics, Olly Murs, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor are also performing, with familiar Radio 2 presenters such as Dermot O'Leary and Jo Whiley hosting DJ sets. Saturday's tickets have sold out, but there are still some available for Sunday, which includes performances by Def Leppard, Anastacia, David Gray, and others. Food and drink options at the festival include a variety of stalls and bars, with reusable cups requiring a refundable deposit, and prices ranging from £13 for meals like sweet and sour chicken to £16 for mixed wraps. The event is expected to significantly boost the local economy, as seen in previous festivals, with local hotels already seeing rapid bookings and businesses anticipating increased trade. Organizers are providing live updates on traffic and travel to manage the influx of visitors during the event.