Thousands of music lovers descended on the Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield as the Hardwick Festival began on Friday (August 16) to mark ten years of the festival.

The sun was shining and the atmosphere was electric, as people got into the party mood and enjoyed music from ADMT, Soul II Soul, Jack Savoretti, and Boogie Wonderland.

Families, farmers, festival-goers and music superstars will all come together for the three-day festival, which not only features plenty of music-related fun but also children’s areas in the woods, vintage fairground attractions, and plenty of locally sourced food items. 

After the other acts had played, it was time for the headliner Becky Hill to deliver an energetic and pop-filled set - which included a host of recognisable hits that had cracked the UK top 40. 

These included some of her collaborations with artists including Wilkinson, David Guetta, Joel Corey, Sigala and Ella Henderson.

Take a look at the images of the opening day of the festival above.