 Photo Credit: Alex Hughes What a night of live music! Offbeat have been crowned the winners of Maidenhead Festival’s Battle of the Bands 2026, after four fantastic bands took to the stage at Maidenhead United Reformed Hall on Saturday 19th September. With the audience given the difficult job of choosing their favourites, it was Cookham and Marlow-based Offbeat who ultimately won the most votes and lifted the coveted Battle of the Bands trophy. Formed in 2022, Offbeat have been making their mark on the local music scene with a combination of original material and electrifying covers, drawing inspiration from bands including Arctic Monkeys and Rage Against the Machine. They already have plenty of live experience under their belts, having performed at Burghfest, Bunkfest, Pub in the Park and Formosa Fest, as well as regularly appearing at The Duke in Marlow. They have also reached the finals of Bucks Battle of the Bands three times, finishing in the top three earlier this year. And now they can add Maidenhead Festival Battle of the Bands winners to the list! It certainly wasn’t an easy victory, with Offbeat facing some brilliant competition from three other up-and-coming Berkshire bands. Satellite 18 are a five-piece band from Slough whose members are just 15 and 16 years old. They regularly perform at Constantine’s Jam Night at Chalfont Cricket Club and brought plenty of youthful energy to the Battle of the Bands stage. Mai Carter & The Blueberry Jam brought a change of pace with their blues sound. The band only recently played their first gig together at Milk Bar in Reading, supporting local musician Matthew Greener, and have already gone on to perform at the University of Reading’s Centenary Festival – where their audience rather memorably included a very enthusiastic Darth Vader! Completing the line-up were Reading-based rock band Post-Euphoria. Influenced by Royal Blood and similar artists, the band have performed at The Face Bar in Reading as part of their college showcase and arrived in Maidenhead with one Battle of the Bands title already to their name, having previously won the competition at The Curve in Slough. All four bands gave the audience a brilliant evening of live music before the votes were counted and Offbeat were announced as our 2026 champions. Festival Chairman Lisa Hunter said: “What a brilliant night! All four bands brought something completely different to the stage and gave us fantastic performances, so I’m very glad the decision was down to the audience rather than us! “Battle of the Bands is all about giving young and emerging musicians the opportunity to get on stage, perform in front of a live audience and build their experience and confidence. “Congratulations to Offbeat, and a huge thank you to Satellite 18, Mai Carter & The Blueberry Jam and Post-Euphoria for making it such a fantastic evening.” Giving local and emerging performers opportunities to showcase their talents is at the heart of Maidenhead Festival’s new programme of events, alongside bringing people together and celebrating creativity within our community – themes that also run through our other events this year. See Offbeat Live Again! Winning Battle of the Bands means this won’t be the last Maidenhead audiences see of Offbeat. As part of their prize, the band will take to the stage at the Maidenhead Christmas Lights Switch-On, giving everyone another chance to see our 2026 champions perform live on Saturday 21st November. Congratulations Offbeat – and thank you to everyone who joined us and supported all four bands! Photo Credit: Alex Hughes
0 Comments
With the sun shining, deckchairs out and music filling the Waterside Quarter throughout the afternoon, the event had a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Friends and families gathered to listen to the performers, browse the stalls, enjoy something to eat and drink and simply spend time together in the heart of Maidenhead.
More Than Just a Music Festival Live & Local is about much more than putting on a great afternoon of entertainment. Events like this are at the heart of what Maidenhead Festival aims to achieve: bringing our community together, making the arts accessible to everyone and creating opportunities for local performers to be seen and heard. We were also delighted to raise £437 through our Live & Local raffle. Every pound will help Maidenhead Festival continue its work celebrating the arts locally and championing up-and-coming musical talent, enabling us to create more opportunities for performers and more free arts and entertainment events for our community. Thank You, Maidenhead! An event like Live & Local is only possible thanks to the support of a huge number of people. We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along and supported the event, as well as all our fantastic performers, stallholders, volunteers, sponsors and partners who helped make the day such a success. Seeing the Waterside Quarter filled with music, families, friends and smiling faces was exactly what Live & Local is all about. Thank you, Maidenhead – we hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did. We look forward to bringing you more opportunities to experience, enjoy and celebrate the arts very soon!  The sound of music filled Maidenhead town centre on Saturday 18th July as our inaugural Battle of the Choirs brought together local singers, enthusiastic audiences and a wonderful celebration of community spirit. Held in the amphitheatre beside Maidenhead Library, the event saw four fantastic community choirs compete for the inaugural Battle of the Choirs trophy and the opportunity to perform at Maidenhead's Christmas Lights Switch-On later this year. The afternoon began with a special performance from Maidenhead Tuneless Choir, who warmed up the packed amphitheatre before the competition got underway. Audiences were then treated to an incredible variety of music as The Blend Choir, New Maidenhead Choir, Voices Anon and Sing4You each performed energetic sets spanning everything from classical favourites and musical theatre to modern pop classics. Hosted by singer-songwriter Tara Deane, the event showcased not only outstanding musical talent but also the friendship, passion and joy that community choirs bring to our town. A Community Celebration The response from the audience exceeded all expectations, with so many people attending that organisers actually ran out of voting forms before every vote had been cast. While additional forms were found and the votes counted, judge Tabitha Beaven, founder of Tuneless Choir and creator of Crowd Choir, entertained the crowd with an impromptu interactive sing-along that had the whole amphitheatre joining in. The competition was judged through a combination of audience votes and an expert judging panel, with Sing4You, based in Burnham, crowned the overall winners. Tabitha praised the choir's performance, saying they delivered an uplifting atmosphere throughout their set, highlighting their tight harmonies, engaging stage presence and standout rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. Recognising Outstanding Performances' The standard of performances was so high that several special awards were presented:
Festival Chairman Lisa Hunter said: "We are absolutely delighted that our first Battle of the Choirs was such a triumph. The afternoon embodied the shared love of singing and the passion for the fun, friendship and sense of community that being in a choir brings." She added: "It was an afternoon of pure musical joy, exactly the celebration of the arts and community spirit that Maidenhead Festival aims to create. On the strength of Saturday, it will definitely become a regular fixture for us." Judge Tabitha Beaven also praised both the performers and audience, commenting on the fantastic atmosphere and highlighting how fortunate Maidenhead is to have such a diverse range of community choirs catering for singers of all abilities and musical tastes. What's Next? Battle of the Choirs was another fantastic example of what Maidenhead Festival is all about, bringing people together through arts, music and community. There's plenty more still to come in this year's Festival programme:
We'd like to thank every choir, performer, volunteer, judge and audience member who helped make our very first Battle of the Choirs such a memorable success. We can't wait to do it all again next year!  We are incredibly proud of the success of the 2026 Maidenhead Festival SoundLab, which took place on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 April during the Easter school holidays at the Nicholson Shopping Centre. Over the two days, we welcomed more than 100 people of all ages to take part in what proved to be a truly special experience. From young children and families to adults and older residents, SoundLab once again showed us the extraordinary power of music to connect people, break down barriers and create shared moments of joy and reflection. Our aim with SoundLab is to create a relaxed, welcoming space where anyone can explore music, whether they are complete beginners, returning to music after a break, or simply curious to try something new. Participants were able to take part in a vibrant programme of interactive workshops focused on creativity, wellbeing and connection. This year’s workshops included Sync Quest DJ sessions, Tankata Drumming, Music for Wellbeing with Anubis Earth, Soul Choir Vibes, Rhyme and Storytime delivered by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Library Service, and a friendly, accessible ukulele workshop with Tabitha. Each session brought something unique, but all shared the same spirit of openness, energy and encouragement. The Piano Sessions were a real highlight and perfectly captured the spirit of the event. Across the two days, we were delighted to welcome 11 musicians, each performing a 15-minute set and showcasing their individual styles, abilities and musical journeys. From confident young players to more experienced performers, the sessions created a relaxed, respectful listening space that encouraged audiences to pause, reflect and truly connect with the music. For many visitors, it was a rare opportunity to hear such a diverse range of piano performances in an informal, community setting, and the atmosphere throughout was both inspiring and deeply moving, reinforcing how powerful live music can be when given the time and space to be heard. There were many standout moments across the two days, some of which reminded us exactly why SoundLab is so important. One particularly moving moment was seeing a 91-year-old visitor sit down to listen to the piano players. She became emotional as she told us she used to play herself but can no longer do so due to failing sight. Watching music unlock those memories was deeply powerful. Another highlight was welcoming back Amir, who first attended SoundLab last year having taught himself to play the piano on a mobile phone without ever touching a real instrument. Inspired by his talent and determination, we bought him a keyboard and connected him with Berkshire Music Trust, who have provided him with free tuition over the past six months. Seeing his confidence, skill and transformation this year was extraordinary, and a clear reminder that access to the right support can be life-changing. SoundLab 2026 reaffirmed our belief that music is something we can all enjoy together, regardless of age, background or ability. We are immensely grateful to everyone who took part, supported the sessions and shared these moments with us. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to use music as a way to inspire, connect and strengthen our community. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our partners, whose support played a vital role in making SoundLab 2026 such a success. We are hugely grateful to the Berkshire Music Trust for their continued collaboration and commitment to accessible music-making, and to Tabitha Beaven for delivering a warm, engaging and accessible ukulele workshop that welcomed participants of all abilities. Our thanks also go to Pianoz for the generous loan of a baby grand piano, which elevated the Piano Sessions and gave our performers a truly special instrument to play. Finally, we are incredibly grateful to Areli, our event sponsor, whose support helped make SoundLab possible and ensured we could offer such a rich, inclusive and inspiring experience for our community.  Rounding off a year-long programme celebrating and supporting the arts locally, the Maidenhead Festival Stage Takeover brought an unforgettable burst of festive cheer, live performance, and community spirit to the Maidenhead Christmas Lights Switch-On on Saturday 22nd November. Across two vibrant stages, the Christmas Market Stage inside the Desborough Theatre, and the Main Outdoor Stage, audiences were treated to a packed programme of acoustic sets, choirs, pop-punk bands, dance groups, and performing arts schools. From morning through to the big switch-on at 6pm, Maidenhead was alive with music, movement and magic. “The Stage Takeover is all about giving local performers, from students to rising bands, an incredible platform,” said Lisa Hunter, Chairman of Maidenhead Festival. “Seeing the talent, energy and community pride on display was the perfect finale to our year of supporting the Arts.” 🎄 Christmas Market Stage – Inside the Desborough Theatre Visitors browsing the Christmas Market were treated to a rich mix of local musical talent. Trinity Theatre Arts, opened the stage, delivering a confident and charismatic performance from their young stars. They were followed by the ever-popular Rock Choir, who celebrated 16 years of community singing with uplifting pop, rock and Motown favourites. Helena took to the stage next, stunning the crowd with her powerhouse vocals and theatrical flair. Twyford-based acapella group Avenue delivered creative and high-energy arrangements of Christmas hits, before the Vandy Trio impressed with polished acoustic covers. Bringing a burst of fun and confidence, the Tuneless Choir encouraged everyone to “sing like no one is listening,” spreading laughter and joy throughout the theatre. Later in the afternoon, Dance Inspired showcased dynamic street and contemporary dance routines from their talented students. The Christmas Market Stage closed with a powerful performance from Sing 4 You Choir, who brought heartfelt harmonies and community pride. 🎤 Main Stage – The Big Afternoon Build-Up From 2pm, the Main Stage shone bright in the build-up to the Christmas Lights Switch-On. Millenium, an energetic pop-punk and emo cover band kicked things off and had the crowd singing along, despite the rain! Next up, The Courtlands Stories, winners of the very first Battle of the Bands in 2023, delivered warm, nostalgic covers in their signature indie-pop-folk style. Acoustic singer-songwriter Tara Deane captivated the audience with heartfelt lyrics and catchy melodies that champion the vibrant local music scene.
Just before the town was illuminated, audiences were treated to festive fun from the Maidenhead Panto cast, promoting this year’s production of Snow White at the Baylis Theatre. Maidenhead Drama Guild also took to the stage, offering a taste of their upcoming Robin Hood pantomime at Norden Farm. Norden Farm Arts Centre added a touch of magic with highlights from their Christmas show, The Comet, while our Competition Winner brought extra sparkle to the celebrations. At 6pm, the countdown began—and with a cheer from the crowd, Maidenhead’s Christmas lights illuminated the town centre. Fireworks lit up the sky before Hudson's Choice closed the celebrations with an explosive final set. Lisa Hunter, commented "This year’s Stage Takeover was a true showcase of what makes Maidenhead special: creativity, community and a passion for the performing arts. From young students to established musicians, from choirs to rock bands, every performer brought something unique, and together, they made this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-On one to remember."  Photo Credit: Alex Hughes (alex_music_photos) The Maidenhead Festival team brought a vibrant mix of music and community entertainment to the 12th annual Maidenhead Town Show on Sunday 19th October with their Festival Stage Takeover — a day celebrating local talent and community collaboration. Held in partnership with Craft Coop, organisers of the much-loved Town Show, the event marked the next in a new programme of community initiatives from the Festival team. These events aim to continue promoting the arts and local engagement across the town following the announcement earlier this year that the annual two-day summer festival in Kidwells Park would not be returning in its traditional format. The Festival Stage ran from 10am to 4.30pm, opening with Town Crier Chris Brown and Taskmasters Little Alex Horne - Patron of Thames Valley Adventure Playground, the charity being supported at the event. Maidenhead MP Josh Reynolds was also present to officially launch the show. Programme highlights included:
Speaking after the event, Lisa Hunter, Maidenhead Festival Chairman, said: “The Festival Stage Takeover was all about keeping the creative heartbeat of Maidenhead alive — giving local performers a platform and bringing people together to celebrate the incredible talent we have right here in our community. It was a joy to collaborate with Craft Coop and see so many smiling faces throughout the day.” The Festival team plans to continue running smaller community-focused arts and entertainment events throughout the year, working with local partners to ensure that the spirit of Maidenhead Festival continues to thrive in new and engaging ways. The next event to look forward to is the Maidenhead Christmas Lights Switch-On on Saturday 22nd November so watch this space!  Teenage rock group Something Stupid stole the show at the 2025 Maidenhead Festival Battle of the Bands on Saturday, emerging as winners of the sold-out event at the United Reform Church Hall, West Street. The four-piece band – formed at Burnham Grammar School by 16-year-olds Logan Reid, Haydn Juliff and Oliver Gratrick, and 15-year-old Freddie Braithwaite – wowed the crowd and beat older, more experienced opposition to claim the coveted Battle of the Bands trophy. A Night of Outstanding Local Talent: also performing on the night were:
Each band played a 15-minute set before the audience cast their votes for their two favourite acts, with the band receiving the most votes declared the winner. The event was compered by local musician Tara Deane and proudly sponsored by Kirkwood Personal Estate Agents. Previous Battle of the Bands winners Courtlands Stories entertained the crowd while votes were counted. As part of their prize, Something Stupid will perform live at the Maidenhead Christmas Lights Switch-On in the town centre on Saturday 22 November. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Haydn Juliff said: “There were some really great bands playing and we never expected to come first. We just love to play live in front of an audience, so winning was a real bonus for us.” Festival Chairman Lisa Hunter said: “It was an incredible evening of fantastic live music. All of the acts were exceptional but Something Stupid obviously also had something extra special as far as the audience vote was concerned. Battle of the Bands is an important platform for young and emerging acts to play live in front of an audience. It was an amazing showcase for the creativity and talent of our local music scene.” Lisa also thanked Kirkwood Personal Estate Agents for sponsoring the event and volunteers from Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club for supporting the Festival team. The Festival’s next event will see us team up with the Maidenhead Town Show to run the musical entertainment at the popular town centre event on Sunday 19 October. Keep an eye on our website and social channels for more updates about upcoming events! Hundreds of people enjoyed an afternoon of outdoor live music in the relaxed setting of Maidenhead’ Waterside Quarter on Saturday. The event, Live & Local: Summer Sounds, was organised by Maidenhead Festival in collaboration with restaurants and businesses in the attractive area alongside York Stream in the town centre. It was the third in the Festival’s new programme of inclusive events in Maidenhead aimed at fostering development of the arts and promoting community spirit. Visitors enjoyed a mix of live music by a talented line-up of local performers, while relaxing in deckchairs provided along the riverside or eating outside the area’s restaurants and bars. A pop-up outdoor bar from Bardo Lounge and an ice cream stand from Cocoba Café kept everyone refreshed, while free children’s crafts ensured the youngest visitors were entertained. Free afternoon boat rides by the Friends of Maidenhead Waterways proved so popular they were quickly booked up all afternoon. Since deciding to end its annual two-day event in Kidwells Park, Festival organisers are now focussing on a series of smaller events to showcase the arts and live music. Saturday saw performances by an eclectic mix of artists including acoustic duo Vandy, 16-year-old singer-songwriter Arts by Noaa, and acoustic group Spinoff. Also on the programme were four-piece Annie, Ella, Dave and Joe Riverman, The Sepia Tone Folk Collective, solo vocalist Sophie, and vocal harmony a cappella group Avenue. Maidenhead Festival chairman Lisa Hunter was delighted with the event. She said: “It was a great success. We had a steady flow of people through all afternoon and into the early evening with lots of young families and people stopping to enjoy a drink or ice cream, relax and soak up the music. “The quality of the performers was outstanding and it was great to be able to showcase such talent to our community in such a lovely environment as the Riverside Quarter. Our thanks to all the businesses who partnered with us to put on Live and Local: Summer Sounds.” The next event in Maidenhead Festival’s new programme is a Battle of the Bands competition on Saturday, September 13, the winners of which will perform at the switch-on of this year’s Christmas lights in November. Entries are now being sought for the competition and full details can be found here.  Young performers lit up the town centre on Sunday June 1st as Maidenhead Festival continued its summer programme with an afternoon of music, dance, and community fun. The space outside Maidenhead Library on St Ives Road was transformed into a vibrant open-air theatre, drawing crowds of all ages to enjoy a free showcase of local talent. Students from Shining Star Performing Arts School wowed the audience with energetic performances of hits from the West End musicals Annie and Mean Girls. Following the performances, the Shining Star team invited children and adults to join in a dance workshop, teaching a fun routine to Revolting Children from Matilda the Musical. The chance to take part was a hit with young festival-goers and their families. Local singer-songwriter Sophie Natasha brought the afternoon to a close with a relaxed set of acoustic covers and original songs, rounding off an inspiring day of live music. Festival-goers also helped Rio Deli celebrate five successful years of running the library café. With vouchers for free hot drinks on offer, the benches outside the venue were packed with families soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the festival atmosphere. Maidenhead Festival chairman Lisa Hunter said: “It was wonderful to bring open-air music to the heart of the town centre and partner with Shining Star to showcase the abilities of so many talented young performers. Events like this really highlight the spirit of Maidenhead Festival — bringing people together to celebrate creativity and our local community.” This year marks a new direction for Maidenhead Festival. After retiring the two-day event in Kidwells Park last year, organisers are now focusing on smaller, more frequent community-based events designed to connect residents with local venues, businesses, and artists. Sunday’s performances followed the successful Maidenhead Festival SoundLab event held during half-term, which also brought live music to the town centre. Lisa added: “Our first two events have perfectly embodied what Maidenhead Festival is all about: promoting community spirit, connecting people, and celebrating creativity and grassroots arts in our town.” Next up in the programme is Live and Local: Summer Sounds — a vibrant showcase of acoustic musicians taking place in the Waterside Quarter on Saturday, August 16. Be sure to mark your calendars and join us for more great music and community spirit.  More than 145 people – from a 10-month-old baby to a 93-year-old war evacuee – discovered the joy of music this week as Maidenhead Festival launched our brand-new SoundLab event in the Nicholsons Shopping Centre. Running across three fun-filled days from Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th May, SoundLab was a free, hands-on musical experience designed to unite the community through creativity, learning, and play. Marking the start of our exciting new format — moving away from the traditional two-day summer park event to more regular, community-led experiences — SoundLab set the tone for a season of inclusive and vibrant cultural activities across the town. In partnership with Dawkes Music, Pianoz, Berkshire Music Trust, The Power of Uke and Monkey Music, the event gave budding musicians of all ages the opportunity to try instruments, perform, and connect with local music educators. From trumpets and saxophones to pianos and ukuleles, participants immersed themselves in the world of sound. Tuesday’s sessions led by Dawkes Music drew brass and woodwind fans, while Wednesday welcomed a musical moment inspired by Channel 4’s hit show The Piano. Shoppers stopped in their tracks as pianists — aged from just 8 to an incredible 93 — showcased their skills, including local talent like Emily Martin (8), Theo Peretz (11), Esther Fernando (13), and Alfie O’Callaghan (10). One particularly moving moment came when a 14-year-old Iranian refugee, who has been teaching himself piano by practicing on his phone, sat down at the Steinway Baby Grand piano (kindly donated by Pianoz). He wowed everyone with his talent and musicality, drawing emotional applause from passersby. His performance was so powerful that the Maidenhead Festival team are now looking into ways to support him in pursuing his passion and talent. Watch this space for more news! Festival Chairman Lisa Hunter reflected: “It’s been phenomenal – the performances, the participation, the atmosphere. One highlight was 93-year-old Henry Harris, who shared how he learned to play piano after being evacuated in WWII. That’s the power of music – it stays with you for life.” Young children also got in on the fun, with Monkey Music offering interactive sessions for the under-5s, and Power of Uke’s Tabitha Beavan delivering two energetic ukulele workshops that had families strumming and singing along together. Berkshire Music Trust rounded off the week on Thursday, bringing not only traditional instruments but also the Cosmo Switch — a light-up accessible music controller designed to make musical play more inclusive for children and adults with additional needs. Lisa added: “It really is ticking every box – hands-on music for everyone, of every age and ability. It’s just a lovely way to launch the new Maidenhead Festival season and we can’t wait for what’s next.” Find out more about upcoming events and join us as Maidenhead Festival 2025 brings music, joy, and connection to every corner of our town. |
Archives
September 2026
Categories |
RSS Feed
