I went to day two of Radio 2 in the Park in Preston and here's why it was amazing

I arrived at Moor Park twenty minutes after gates opened and I was already cursing myself for not getting there earlier as I entered the park’s vicinity, expecting to find a huge queue ahead of me.

Thankfully though there was no such queue, and with the efficient security, I was inside the park in no time and ready to enjoy everything Radio 2 in the Park had to offer.

I was so impressed by the site before me, Moor Park had been completely transformed into a festival site just like any other but unlike most others, you could see everything on offer in one view as it was all on one field rather than being spread out.

Heading into the festival, again more stark differences between Radio 2 in the Park and any other festival I’d been to became apparent- the first being that much of the field was designated to no standing and there were so many people sitting down in camp chairs- this was great news for those who had bought a chair but it was slightly annoying for us standers at the front who had to try and fight a way though the thousands of chairs first.

Other differences though could be seen as nothing other than a huge bonus: I felt like there was far more food options available and there was definitely more portarloos than I had every seen before, you never had to wait for one and you would always find toilet paper and hand sanitizer- even at the end, the portarloo I used still smelt like flowers!

Now for the music, before attending the festival the Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas, explained to me how important it was that the line-up showcasing the wide variety of music they play and it certainly did that.

The main stage entertainment started with a DJ set by Owain Wyn Thomas and he picked the perfect selection of universally liked, lively sounds to get everyone hyped up for the first act, Travis. 

I must admit I only knew a few Travis songs so I wasn’t sure how I would find their set but honestly it turned out to be one of my favourites, they sounded amazing and they brought such energy to the stage, you could tell they had the audience captivated.

I actually managed to chat to Travis before they went on and when told me they were a great warm up band, I wasn’t expecting them to literally give us all a warmup- they had us pogo sticking to their hit ‘Why does it always rain on me’!

Next up Shaznay Lewis came on and she switched up the vibe to R&B, soothing the crowd with a fab mix of her own singles and All Saints classics.

Shaznay even wowed the audience with a surprise cover of George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ which had everyone else jiving along with her- the star evidently enjoying every minute.

Before the next act came on I went to grab lunch- a £12.50 chicken burrito which was a bit pricey, as expected, but generously stuffed with all the toppings on offer, tasty and filling.

After food, I watched Pixie Lott take to the stage and it was amazing hearing all the songs I spent my teen years singing being beltered out by the pop star herself in the middle of Preston. 

Her set also had a few fun surprises in it: the first being when Radio 2 star Rylan joined in for a duet on ‘Cry Me Out’ much to the delight of the audience.

For the second surprise, Pixie announced she would be covering the chart song ‘Bar Song’ but changing it to Park Song, “because we’re Radio 2 in the Park!” and indeed the crowd looking delighted as she sang “Everybody in the park getting tipsy.”

The one and only Craig David was next on the stage and I must say he was the best set so far- he brought such a cool energy with him and everyone around me was singing and dancing to each song like they were at a party with their best friends.

Included in his set, Craig debuted his upcoming new single which sampled the primary school classic ‘He’s got the whole world in his hand’- it was comical at first but then everyone got used to it and it meant we could sing along to the chorus in no time plus the catchiness of the tune means I’ll definitely be adding it my Spotify when it’s out September 27!

The next act was the iconic pop star Kim Wilde and her set featured fan favourites like Hangin’ On, Kids in America, and Chequered Love.  

However me and my guest took this opportunity to head to the DJ tent instead as we hadn’t explored it yet and we had so much fun dancing to Dermot O’Leary’s ‘Sound of the 90s’.

We returned to the main stage for Snow Patrol whose set was quite frankly stunning, each song was beautifully performed and every one in the crowd sung along and waved their hands throughout- even to the new singles.

Their set was another reminder of the variety of music played at Radio 2, I was in need of the heartfelt rock ballads after hip swinging to Craig David and preparing for the pop party that Sugababes had in store.

In between acts I took another food break, enjoying a Smokey bratwurst which again came with the standard costly price tag (£9) but was delicious and hearty enough to keep me going for the rest of the night.

Even more so then Pixie Lott, Sugababes were the act that has soundtracked my life the most- me and my guest were pleasantly shocked when we realised we knew not only every single song they played but also nearly every word!

The Sugababes set was the longest so far and the standard of their performance was excellent throughout, like they were straight out of a music video.

Last but not least the legend that is Sting took to the stage and he saw the day off with a bang- performing a 75 minute set full of absolute classics.

Sting’s voice is still absolutely spectacular and his band were great, he had brought a Madison Square Garden set to little old Preston and the crowd looked ecstatic- we were all then singing Roxanne all the way back through the streets towards the centre.

Overall, Radio 2 in the Park was a great experience and we were so lucky that Preston was chosen as the location this year.

The main stage line-up was so varied that it took audiences on a thrilling journey through the genres and there was something for everyone, right through from the four year olds bouncing on their parents shoulders to the octogenarians I spotted chilling out on their camping chairs.

The DJ tent then provided an excellent alternative to the main stage artists- I only regret that I didn’t get to see more of the DJ sets but the main line up was so good and the busy walk way between the two tents took too long to get through that I didn’t want to risk missing the musical acts.

But thankfully for me, you can listen back on BBC Sounds to all the music from Radio 2 in the Park so that’s what will be soundtracking the rest of my Sunday!