14 UK Music Festivals To Book Now
El Dorado, Herefordshire
This relative newcomer is held in the middle of the Herefordshire countryside. Loved for its eclectic music programming by Cirque Du Soul and experiential and interactive green field site, this year’s schedule promises to be packed with bizarre and wonderful workshops, as well as a developed wellness programme – all complimenting a four-day music programme that spans genres of disco, house and bass.
Line-up highlights: TBC
Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1RL; 1st-5th July
Visit ElDoradoFestival.com
South Facing, London
South Facing is a new month-long outdoor concert series. Taking place at the Crystal Palace Bowl, one of London's most scenic outdoor venues, the striking amphitheatre will host six diverse nights of live music across the summer, hosting everyone from Dizzee Rascal to the English National Opera.
Line-up highlights: Supergrass, The Streets, Max Richter.
Crystal Palace Bowl, Crystal Palace Park, SE19 2BA; various dates between 5th-29th August
Visit SouthFacingFestival.com
Wide Awake, London
This new one-day London festival was meant to make its debut last June. Now Wide Awake is kicking off three days of live music at Brockwell Park in early September. The festival aims to delve into the underground scene to create a festival that’s all about music fans, with a line-up that hosts a huge range of artists creeping out from sub-cultures across left-field indie, post punk, electronica, techno and jazz.
Line-up highlights: Black Midi, Daniel Avery, Dream Wife.
Brockwell Park, London, SE24 9BJ; 3rd September
Visit WideAwakeLondon.co.uk
Mighty Hoopla, London
What do you get when you mix Cheryl, En Vogue and legendary meme account Love of Huns? Mighty Hoopla – the most flamboyant all of London’s festivals. Celebrating the capital’s alternative club culture, come rain or shine, it’s set to be another loud, proud and colour-filled day, where fancy dress is pretty much mandatory. This year, we’re most excited about Jimmy Somerville and Love of Huns presents Katie Price.
Line-up highlights: Becky Hill, Raye, Eve.
Brockwell Park, London, SE24 9BJ; 4th September
Visit MightyHoopla.com
Cross The Tracks, London
Brixton's jazz, funk and soul feast has moved to September for its second edition. Celebrating both music legends and exciting new talent, the festival’s first edition saw thousands of revellers pack south London’s Brockwell Park. Returning with its no-bad-vibes and no-plastic ethos, this year’s event will host everyone from The Cinematic Orchestra to Sister Sledge.
Line-up highlights: Lianne La Havas, En Vogue, Sons of Kemet.
Brockwell Park, London, SE24 9BJ; 5th September
Visit XTheTracks.com
All Points East, London
A new kid on the block in 2018, this popular four-day festival will take over Victoria Park once more over the August bank holiday. The event will host its usual top selection of pop-up bars, street food and arts programmes, but we’re most excited about its wide-ranging choice of live music: think London Grammar, Celeste, Caribou, Nadine Shah, Bombay Bicycle Club and Arlo Parks.
Line-up highlights: Jorja Smith, Foals, Jamie XX.
Victoria Park, London, E3 5TB; 27th-30th August
Visit AllPointsEastFestival.com
Camp Bestival, Dorset
Bestival is no more. Thankfully, Camp Bestival – the team’s more family-friendly offering – will return to Dorset this summer. Kids are king at this festival – there’s an avalanche of activities for children of all ages: at BigTopMania kids can learn circus skills and see Mr Tumble, while the Lower Kids' Garden is packed full of entertainment for slightly older children (this year you'll find the ‘Brainiac Live’, activities hosted by the Brit School, vintage fairground rides and face-painting) and they’ll be food experiences from DJ BBQ, Fred Sirieix and Temper’s Neil Rankin.
Line-up highlights: Fat Boy Slim, Groove Armada, Kelis.
Lulworth Castle, Dorset, BH20 5QS; 28th July-1st August
Visit CampBestival.net
End of the Road, Wiltshire
End of The Road always has one of the coolest music line-ups across the UK festival scene – and this year is no different: Bright Eyes, Pixies, Big Thief, Whitney, Perfume Genius, Tune Yard, The Comet Is Coming… we could go on. The comedy and literature tents are always packed with top-notch authors, comedians and rapt audiences, while mysterious late-night art installations and secret acoustic sets by big-name bands continue to make this Wiltshire festival unmissable. The event is currently sold out, but fans are encouraged to sign up on the website for resale tickets.
Line-up highlights: Pixies, Little Simz, King Krule.
Larmer Tree Gardens, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 5PY; 2nd-5th September
Visit EndOfTheRoadFestival.com
Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight Festival takes place annually in Newport and was originally a counterculture event held from 1968 to 1970. The event continues to pull in the big names: Liam Gallagher, Tom Jones and Duran Duran are all headlining this year’s edition, as well as performances from All Saints, Snow Patrol, Supergrass, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Primal Scream, Razorlight and Kaiser Chiefs.
Line-up highlights: Liam Gallagher, Snow Patrol, David Guetta.
Newport, Isle of Wight; 16th-19th September
Visit IsleOfWightFestival.com
Latitude, Suffolk
This weekender is about much more than music. If this year’s festival is like any other the team has thrown, expect readings, debates, discussions and poetry, lake swimming and food from all your favourite traders at its huge street food market. Remember to keep an eye out for the famous spray-painted pink sheep.
Line-up highlights: Bastille, First Aid Kit, Snow Patrol.
Southwold, Suffolk, NR34 8AQ; 22nd-25th July
Visit LatitudeFestival.com
Parklife, Manchester
Manchester’s Parklife has become synonymous with the biggest names in music and continues to be the UK’s largest metropolitan festival. Moved to now take place later in the year – increasing the likeliness it will go ahead – the year’s line-up is packed with some of the most exciting names across pop, hip-hop and electronica: think Carl Cox, Mabel, Four Tet, Camelphat, Skepta and Jon Hopkins. Best of all, as it’s in the city centre, there’s no camping required.
Line-up highlights: Dave, Megan Thee Stallion, Disclosure.
Heaton Park, Manchester, M25 2SW; 11th-12th September
Visit Parklife.UK.com
Field Day, London
For its 13th outing, Field Day relocated to a series of warehouses in north London. This year, it’s back where it belongs: in a field. Stripped back to a one-day festival in its original home of Victoria Park, the festival staple will host the likes of electronic artists such as Bicep, Artwork and BBC 6Music’s newest DJ, The Blessed Madonna. Visitors will also be able to sample food from some of London’s finest traders and check out a selection of independent breweries and drinks brands.
Line-up highlights: Bicep, Floating Points, Mount Kimbie.
Victoria Park, London, E3 5TB; 29th August
Visit FieldDayFestivals.com
Wilderness, Oxfordshire
Yes, this is more a music festival than a food festival, but Wilderness always pulls out all the stops when to comes to hospitality. Details for this year’s jaunt are still under wraps, but previous outings have included food experiences from the likes of Patty & Bun, Temper, Cornerstone’s Tom Brown, The French House’s Neil Borthwick and Sabor’s Nieves Barragan, alongside feasting tables hosted by Angela Hartnett, James Knappet, Yosi Elad and Petersham Nurseries. Don’t forget your bathing suit – both its collection of wood-fired hot tubs and its lake prove popular every year, regardless of the weather.
Line-up highlights: TBC
Cornbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3DG; 5th-8th August
Visit WildernessFestival.com
Bigfoot Festival, Warwickshire
Another event that was due to launch last summer, Bigfoot is set to be a boutique three-day celebration that aims to unite the best of the international craft beer scene with headline acts and a selection of the best new bands around. Hosted among the forests, meadows and lake of Ragley Hall, Bigfoot will provide an adventurous music programme featuring headliners Primal Scream, Hot Chip Megamix and Maribou State, a huge selection of natural wines, a programme of family events and food experiences from Patty & Bun, Andrew Clarke, Genevieve Taylor, Rovi’s Neil Campbell, Scully’s Radmael Scully and Birmingham’s Andy Stubbs – aka Andy Low & Slow. We’ll see you down the front for Fat White Family, Baxter Dury and Warmduscher.
Line-up highlights: Primal Scream, Hot Chip, Erol Alkan.
Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, B49 5NJ; 18th-20th June
Visit BigfootFestival.co.uk
DISCLAIMER: Rules are changing daily so do check the refund and booking policies on each individual festival's website before you book.
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