Thousands of festival-goers danced all night long in Childerley Orchard as Lionel Richie, Kool & The Gang, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Billy Ocean brought the party to a sun-soaked Cambridge Club Festival.

Having welcomed 25,000 people to Childerley Orchard across the weekend, Motown superstar Richie headlined the Saturday bill at the three-day event just weeks after playing to the royal family as part of coronation celebrations.

Ely Standard: Lionel Richie performing at The Cambridge ClubLionel Richie performing at The Cambridge Club (Image: Alice Howard)

Bursting onto the stage in a red sequinned jacket with his 1983 hit ‘All Night Long’ emblazoned on the back, he was quick to spark up banter and make sure everyone was up on their feet. 

His set featured the rousing ‘Dancing on the Ceiling’, Commodores classic ‘Three Times a Lady’ and a crowd duet of ‘Endless Love’.

Earlier in the day, British soul favourites The Real Thing brought their beautiful vocals and 45 years of experience to the Orchard to get the audience grooving, and Lemar treated festival-goers to his soothing melodic R&B vocals.

Ely Standard: British Soul favourites The Real Thing brought their beautiful vocals and 45 years of experience to the Orchard to get the audience grooving.British Soul favourites The Real Thing brought their beautiful vocals and 45 years of experience to the Orchard to get the audience grooving. (Image: Alice Howard)

Ely Standard: Lemar treated festival-goers to his soothing melodic R&B vocals.Lemar treated festival-goers to his soothing melodic R&B vocals. (Image: Alice Howard)Disco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor delighted crowds with her pop anthems, too, as the popstar performed her early noughties hits ‘Groovejet’, ‘Take Me Home’ and ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ on the main stage on Saturday evening.

“This is what you imagine festivals to be like in your head,” she told the crowd as the sun began to set. 

She even made it clear that she was wearing false eyelashes with glitter - so she wasn’t going to hide behind shades.

Ely Standard: Disco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor delighted crowds with her pop anthemsDisco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor delighted crowds with her pop anthems (Image: Alice Howard)

Even more legends graced the stage at Childerley Orchard on Sunday: disco trio Odyssey kept the party pumping, Billy Ocean and his band brought his greatest hits to life, and the iconic Kool & The Gang left the crowd dancing well into the evening.

The disco-inspired festival had got underway on Friday night with the iconic ‘Amazing Grace’ Jones. The American model paraded around the crowd barrier on the shoulders of a security guard and danced with a neon hula hoop. All at 75-years-old. 

Elsewhere, Denise Van Outen and Jo Whiley took to the decks to deliver impressive DJ sets over the weekend - with turn-of-the-millennium vibes from Whiley; ‘Jump Around’ by House of Pain in particular got a rapture of cheers in the sweltering heat of almost 30 degrees. 

Ely Standard: Odyssey kept the party pumpingOdyssey kept the party pumping (Image: Alice Howard)

Ely Standard: Billy Ocean and his band brought his greatest hits to lifeBilly Ocean and his band brought his greatest hits to life (Image: Alice Howard)

Meanwhile, the site's Discovery Den - which offered a unique blend of wellness activities, pre-mixed cocktails and freestyle break dancing in the shade - had the tunes going for the whole weekend in its new location in the Orchard.

Hosting DJs and dance music for the entire festival, on the Friday night Fat Tony made it impossible to not get up and dance, along with Dan Shake and The London Disco Society.

The decks kept spinning into Saturday, with drag queen extraordinaire Jodie Harsh getting the music blasting, Twisted Time Machine providing grooves as well as a riotous performance from Bongo’s Bingo.

Ely Standard: Jodie Harsh DJing at The Cambridge Club 2023.Jodie Harsh DJing at The Cambridge Club 2023. (Image: Garry Jones Photography)

Ely Standard: Crowds enjoying the sunshine at the main stage.Crowds enjoying the sunshine at the main stage. (Image: Alice Howard)

House music institution Eats Everything lit up te Orchard after dark and DJ Stuart Banks made sure the energy never waivered. On The Sunday night Kane Lancam took over the decks, and Abba Disco Wonderland made sure spirits were kept high with some of the group's most beloved tracks.

As if that wasn't enough, The Auditorium of Intrigue allowed festival-goers to kick back and laugh loud all weekend long with Andy Askins, Ed Byrne, Andrew Maxwell and more hilarious comedy acts, while The Imagination station made sure the little ones were also entertained all weekend long with Tootles & Nibs and The Rainbow Collections. 

There was also an unforgettable DJ set from children’s entertainment legends Dick & Dom which got the whole family on their feet.

William Young, festival managing director, said "From start to finish, the atmosphere has been electric - genuinely one of the loveliest crowds we have ever seen and some of the performances were even more magical than we could have imagined.

“We are a team of friends who run this and it makes it even more exciting when we see the festival grow and improve each year.

“We can’t wait to share the plans for 2024 as we will take things up a level once again."

Weekend tickets for next year's festival are on sale now via www.thecambridgeclub.co