A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Summer Festival and helped make it our most successful yet. With performances from artists such as Jess Gillam, Stephen Hough, Eric Whitacre, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and so many others, the Festival travelled to more places – and reached more people – than at any point in our history.

This year’s programme drew record audiences across its 17 days, including more than a thousand first-time attenders, many discovering concerts in places new to the Festival such as Skipton, Northallerton, Ripon and Selby. It was a fortnight marked by shared discovery and a warm welcome wherever we went.

Our annual audience survey offered the same encouraging picture. The average rating was 4.7 out of 5, with 97% of respondents said they were likely or very likely to recommend the Festival to others, and 70% stating it was “Better” or “Much better” than similar events they attend.

Voices from across the Festival captured this mood. The Yorkshire Post noted that Ryedale is now “recognised as one of Europe’s premier festivals of its kind” while a first-time visitor wrote: “From the very first note I knew that the hundreds of miles we had travelled to get there had been absolutely worth it.”

Thank you to everyone who made the season possible – our volunteers, artists, members, audiences and partners. Your enthusiasm and generosity lie at the heart of the Festival and we look forward to the seasons ahead.