BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend 2023

A stage with people around it. It is branded in blue and pink with BBC Radio 1 written on it.

Image Credit: Mark Thomas

A Big Weekend with a major impact

The Big Weekend was held at Camperdown Park from May 26-28, with star names taking part including Lewis Capaldi, Jonas Brothers, The 1975, Niall Horan and Wet Leg.

 

The event was organised by the BBC and Dundee City Council, with support from EventScotland and other partners. Dundee City Council were responsible for festival-related activity outside the event site in Camperdown Park, while BBC were responsible for operations within the site.

 

As hosts, Dundee City Council invested significant resources into the event and established a number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure the city received a positive social and economic return on their investment.

 

Dundee City Council appointed James Law Research Associates Limited to deliver a social and economic impact report.

Read more: Evaluation of Dundee’s hosting of Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2023 (External PDF)


 

33,652

unique visitors to Dundee

 

5,900

commercial stayers, generating

 

 

 

10,500

bed nights


£1.8 million

estimated visitor spend estimated in Dundee, resulting in


£2.9 million

net positive Direct Economic Impact


51%

of attendees said that attending the event improved their impression of Dundee

Dundee’s hosting of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend delivered significant social impacts, starting with civic pride: residents said the event made them feel proud of the city, with 74% of those surveyed feeling more positive about it than they used to.

 

The event also enabled visitors and locals to enjoy collective experiences – with 99% of surveyed attendees reporting that they spent quality time with friends or family at the event – while people new to the city described Dundee as vibrant, exciting and inclusive.