Reading Festival's founder Harold Pendleton passes away aged 93

By Neil Greenway | Published: Fri 13th Oct 2017

Reading Festival 2018

Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th August 2018
Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8EQ, England MAP
£205 weekend tickets (SOLD OUT), £69.50 any day (SOLD OUT)

Daily capacity: 90,000

Reading Festival founder Harold Pendleton has passed away aged 93, it's been announced by another of his ventures Entec Sound & Light (here). Harold was "a promoter, manager, club owner, publisher, festival owner and innovator".

A jazz fan, Harold started the National Jazz Festival in 1961 that has today become Reading Festival, with involvement up until 1992. He booked the Rolling Stones for their first gig at London's Marquee Club (which he owned until 1987) after another band dropped out. He started Entec Sound & Light which has worked with many of the biggest festivals as well as the world's top stars. He did much more too.

For an in-depth account of his life in the world of music, please see A SHINING LEGACY - Harold Pendleton on the Entec website.

discuss this news on the Festival Forums