Record breaking season to remember as Scarborough Open Air Theatre celebrates 200th headline show

The US soul and disco icons take to the stage on Saturday night for what will be the 200 th headline music show at the Yorkshire coast venue since it re-opened to the public in 2010.

This year’s TK Maxx presents Scarborough OAT summer season has smashed records with more than 175,000 tickets sold for the 28 shows which have brought some of the biggest names in music to Scarborough.

2026 sales eclipsed the previous record – set in 2024 – by more than 60,000 tickets. One million tickets have now been sold to gigs at the North Yorkshire Council-owned venue since 2010.

This season – which saw shows from such global icons Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, Hollywood Vampires and Teddy Swims – attracted gig-goers from 64 countries to Scarborough and is expected to have delivered an £18m-plus economic boost to the Yorkshire coast.

Peter Taylor, co-founder of Cuffe and Taylor who have programmed Scarborough OAT’s summer series since 2016, said: “What an incredible season it has been and we cannot think of a more fitting artist than the great Nile Rodgers to bring the party vibe for our final show of the summer. It’s going to be a very special night!

“We went into this summer knowing this was going to be the biggest and best season at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, and it has delivered in every aspect. The shows have been sensational, the record-breaking crowds have been wonderful to see and the sun has shone all the way through! It truly has been the perfect summer at this incredibly special and unique venue.

“What has been really great to see is so many people coming to their first gigs here. Booking data shows 56% of ticket buyers had not been to a show at Scarborough OAT before while we have attracted people from more than 60 countries.

“That is great for Scarborough, the local economy and the thousands of people who work in visitor-related industries on the Yorkshire coast.

“We are now well on with planning for next summer and we cannot wait to start announcing the 2027 season – watch this space!”

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said: “Scarborough Open Air Theatre has become a hugely popular venue as these figures for the record-breaking summer season clearly demonstrate.

“The shows that have staged during the past three months have brought a valuable multi-million- pound economic boost to businesses, hotels and other accommodation providers in Scarborough.

“One of the most heartening aspects is seeing that there is a truly international audience with gig-goers coming from more than 60 different countries. To also see that more than half of all tickets were sold to people who hadn’t been to the theatre before shows there is an ever-increasing number of people experiencing what Scarborough has to offer.

“We hope that they will be able to see what a great place North Yorkshire is to visit and that they will plan future trips to Scarborough and explore the wider county as well.”

Originally opened in 1932 to stage musicals and operettas, Scarborough Open Air Theatre closed in 1986 before being brought back to life in 2010 when the refurbished venue was officially re-opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

The venue – which now has a capacity of 8,000 and is the UK’s largest purpose-built open air concert arena – has welcomed the likes of Britney Spears, Tom Jones, Duran Duran, Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Sam Fender, Noel Gallagher and Bryan Adams in recent years.

With around 70% of gig goers attending shows at Scarborough OAT travelling more than an hour to the North Bay venue, local hotels and hospitality businesses are among those who massively benefit from the summer series.

An Economic Impact Assessment carried out by North Yorkshire Council showed the 2025 TK Maxx presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre 2025 generated an estimated £8.8m in direct economic benefit for the local economy, excluding ticket sales revenue and spend within the venue.