WOW Hull took place from 10-12 March 2017 as part of Hull City of Culture. It took place in venues across the city including Hull City Council, Hull Libraries, the Ferens Art Gallery, City Hall, Hull Truck Theatre, the Guildhall, the Albemarle Music Centre, Kingston Art Group Gallery and Humber Street Gallery.

WOW Hull featured a line-up based on some of the city's most trailblazing women. From "Battling" Barbara Buttrick - Hull's 1950s boxing world champion, to Maureen Lipman CBE and the Great British Bake Off's Nancy Birtwhistle. The festival also had appearances from actress Maxine Peake, film director Gurinder Chadha, and broadcaster Gemma Cairney, who brought along her very big (and very yellow) bus!

WOW Hull was part of Hull City of Culture 2017.

Hull UK City of Culture 2017 was a designation given to the city of Kingston upon Hull between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2020 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The organisers of Hull UK City of Culture 2017 are now Absolutely Cultured, a charity working to enhance the arts and cultural offer in the city and region, for the benefit of Hull.