Every year, once the tents have been packed away and the gates have closed, we ask ABR Festival ticket holders to tell us what they really thought of the weekend. The feedback gives us a valuable snapshot of the festival, showing us what worked, what could be improved and helping to shape the years ahead.
Rather than bury those results in charts and percentages, we thought we’d have a bit of fun with them by turning them into the first People’s Choice ABR Festival Awards. Across five categories, Best Band, Best Speaker, Best Masterclass, Best Area and Best Newcomer, the people who experienced the festival decided the winners.
The votes have been counted. The winners have been chosen. All that’s left is to see whether you agree.
Next year we’ll do it all again, celebrating the people and places behind the moments festivalgoers remember long after the festival is over. If you want to help decide the winners in 2027, you’ll need to be there to experience them first. Early Bird tickets are on sale now, saving £50 on a full price weekend ticket, and you can get yours here.
People’s Choice Award – Best Band
Nominees: Let There B/DC • Fleetwood Bac • Ben Portsmouth: This Is Elvis
With more than 25 bands and performers appearing across five stages, ABR Festival 2026 delivered its biggest and most diverse music line-up to date. From intimate acoustic sets in the Travellers’ Tales tent to full-scale headline performances on the Bikerheadz Stage, there was something for every musical taste.
Among all the performances, three acts stood out in the People’s Choice voting.
Ben Portsmouth: This Is Elvis brought a touch of Las Vegas to Ragley Hall, complete with a full live band, horn section and backing vocalists. His uncanny likeness to Elvis Presley, combined with a brilliantly entertaining stage presence, made him one of the standout performers of the weekend.
As the sun set on Saturday evening, Fleetwood Bac had the crowd singing along to Fleetwood Mac classics from every era. Long-time ABR Festival favourites, they once again proved why they’re one of the most popular returning acts.
But when the votes were counted, one band edged ahead of the competition.
From the opening chords of It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) to the final salute of For Those About To Rock, Let There B/DC delivered another unforgettable Friday night performance, cementing their place as one of the festival’s most-loved acts.
Winner: Let There B/DC
The best performances don’t end when the lights go down. They become the moments you remember. That’s why, when voting opened, Let There B/DC claimed your People’s Choice Award for Best Band.
Next June, a completely fresh line-up will create a whole new set of unforgettable moments, some of which will become next year’s People’s Choice winners.
Secure your Early Bird ticket today and save £50. Then you can be there to make the memories, and cast your vote in 2027.
People’s Choice Award – Best Speaker
Nominees: Carl Fogarty • Richard Hammond • Charlie Boorman
From world travellers and adventure biking legends to Isle of Man TT winners and mountaineers who’ve tackled some of the world’s most challenging peaks, the speaker line-up at ABR Festival 2026 was the most diverse yet. Across more than 80 talks, festivalgoers were entertained, inspired and occasionally left thinking they could really be doing more with their own lives.
When the votes were counted, three speakers emerged as clear favourites.
Carl Fogarty brought his trademark honesty and humour to the Bridgestone Stage, sharing stories from a career that made him one of Britain’s greatest motorcycle racers. From becoming a four-time World Superbike Champion to behind-the-scenes tales from life in the paddock, Foggy gave festivalgoers a fascinating glimpse into one of the sport’s most remarkable careers.
Richard Hammond needed little introduction as he took to the stage, but he still managed to surprise the audience. Best known for life on four wheels, he revealed how motorcycles first sparked his love of motoring, before sharing stories from his riding life and his latest venture, Hawkridge Distillery.
But it was Charley Boorman who claimed your People’s Choice Award. Blending behind-the-scenes stories from the Long Way series with tales from a lifetime of adventure biking, memories of his godfather Lee Marvin and even his role in giving away the bride at the first-ever ABR Festival wedding, Charley’s warmth, humour and honesty struck a chord with festivalgoers.
Winner: Charley Boorman
The best talks don’t end when the microphone’s switch off, they leave you thinking long after you’ve moved on to the next.
That’s why, when the People’s Choice survey landed in inboxes, Charley Boorman was your Best Speaker of ABR Festival 2026.
Winner: Charley Boorman
Next June, a new line-up of guests will take to the stages with fresh stories, fresh adventures and fresh inspiration. Some of those moments will become the memories people vote for in next year’s People’s Choice Awards.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now saving £50. Be there to hear the stories, make your own memories and cast your vote in 2027.
People’s Choice Award – Best Masterclass
Nominees: Austin Vince • Wheelie Good TV • Llewelyn Pavey
The talks might inspire your next adventure, but the Himalayan Masterclass Stage gives you the practical skills to make it happen. From planning epic journeys to filming them and dealing with the inevitable setbacks along the way, the sessions are all about helping riders get more out of life on two wheels.
There were plenty of brilliant masterclasses across the weekend, but three stood out in the People’s Choice voting.
Llewelyn Pavey is a photographer, filmmaker, writer and Dakar Rally finisher. He premiered his latest film following a trip through Greece on a hired Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, showing that memorable adventures don’t have to cost a fortune or take months to organise. It was a message that clearly resonated with festivalgoers.
Dave Perry, professional cameraman and the Director of Photography behind the Wheelie Good TV YouTube channel, shared simple ways to capture better footage from your rides. His practical advice showed that even an ordinary ride can become something worth watching. His debut masterclass proved hugely popular, with the audience sending him off to chants of “Wheelie! Wheelie! Wheelie!”
Austin Vince has been an ABR Festival favourite since the beginning. His session on the useful art of the bike-to-bike tow was packed with practical advice and delivered with the humour and irreverence that have made him such a popular fixture over the years. It was no surprise to see him top the People’s Choice vote.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now, saving £50. Join us next June, pick up a few ideas of your own and vote for your favourite masterclass.
Winner: Austin Vince
The best masterclasses don’t just give you ideas, they give you the confidence to have a go yourself.
Next June, another programme of masterclasses will help riders learn something new. One of them will become the People’s Choice winner for 2027.
People’s Choice Award – Best Area
Nominees: Bikerheadz Stage • Exhibitor Village • Street Food Market
Every festival has areas that visitors naturally gravitate to. They’re the places you head to when you’re hungry, looking for a bargain, catching up with friends or simply soaking up the atmosphere. Across Ragley Hall there were plenty of places you could spend your time, but when we asked festivalgoers which areas they kept coming back to, three stood out from the rest.
The Street Food Market was the site of a mini festival in its own right. With more than 60 vendors serving everything from hearty breakfasts to late-night street food from around the world, it was where festivalgoers headed whenever hunger struck. Whether grabbing a quick bite between talks or lingering over dinner with friends, it became much more than somewhere to eat.
The Exhibitor Village was the place to discover the latest bikes, clothing and accessories, with more than 200 exhibitors showcasing everything from helmets and riding suits to tyres, luggage and navigation equipment. Better still, the people behind the stands knew their products inside out, giving festivalgoers the chance to ask questions, compare options and find the right kit for their next adventure.
The Bikerheadz Stage was the beating heart of the festival once the riding was done. With the main Spada Bar alongside it and live music carrying on long into the evening, it was where thousands of riders came together for a beer, a catch-up with friends and some unforgettable singalongs. It’s no real surprise that the People’s Choice Award for Best Area ends up here.
Winner: Bikerheadz Stage
The best festival areas aren’t marked on a map. They’re the places people choose to return to again and again.
Next June, new memories will be made in every corner of Ragley Hall. Somewhere among them will be the place you’ll keep finding your way back to.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now, saving £50. Join us next June and cast your vote for your favourite spot in the 2027 People’s Choice Awards.
People’s Choice Award – Best Newcomer
Nominees: Horsebox Hootenanny • Helly Hansen Dome • The Big Screen (Bog Of Doom TV)
One of the great things about the ABR Festival is that it never stands still. Every year brings something new, whether it’s an idea we’ve been working on for a while behind the scenes or something festivalgoers have been asking us to add. In 2026 there were plenty of new attractions, but when the People’s Choice votes were counted, three stood out from the rest.
Brand new for 2026, the Helly Hansen Dome hosted talks by some of the world’s most accomplished adventurers, including climbers who’d tackled the planet’s toughest rock faces and mountaineers who’d stood on its highest summits. By night, it transformed into the festival’s first karaoke bar, and judging by the crowds and the performances, there were plenty of festivalgoers convinced they’d missed their true calling.
The Horsebox Hootenanny found a new home in Base Camp and quickly became the centre of its laid-back Summer of Love-inspired atmosphere. Alongside acoustic performances celebrating the music of late 1960s icons including Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and The Mamas & The Papas, visitors were treated to a full-blown Woodstock Revival.
The Big Screen arrived by popular demand, giving festivalgoers relaxing at the Beak & Pannier bar the chance to follow all the action from the Bog Of Doom without having to get muddy themselves. Live footage was transmitted from the notorious section of the TRF Trail, powered by Suzuki, where riders took on one of the festival’s most notorious challenges. Some made it through cleanly. Plenty didn’t. Watching muddy recoveries unfold on the big screen quickly became one of the highlights of the weekend, making it the runaway winner of the People’s Choice Award for Best Newcomer.
Winner: The Big Screen (Bog Of Doom TV)
Sometimes the best new idea is simply saying yes to something you’ve never done before. For thousands of riders, that was buying their first ABR Festival ticket. Next June could be your first time too.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now, saving £50. Join us next June and discover why so many first-timers become regulars.
