The annual free music festival organised by Radio 1 will be held in Hackney next year in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend has been confirmed as being a two day event to take place at Hackney Marshes over the weekend of June 23 and 24 of 2012.

Organisers of the event have revealed that there will be 100,000 free tickets available for the festival which already has Plan B and Leona Lewis confirmed as headlining acts.

Leona Lewis, who grew up in Hackney, told the BBC: “I couldn't be happier, to be part of this event is so important to me, Radio 1 are going to put on the biggest show in their history and it's happening in East London.”

Plan B said: “It is great to have a musical celebration in the area where the Olympics are being held and that it's Radio 1 who are bringing it to east London.”

Andy Parfitt, the controller of Radio 1 said: “We aim to enhance the overall London 2012 summer with a celebratory event aimed specifically at the thousands of young people who live in the boroughs directly surrounding the Olympic Park.”

The bulk of the tickets for the free festival are to be allocated to people who live in Hackney and the surrounding areas and will be part of wider celebrations in the build up to the Olympics held in the capital.