There’s no doubt that the UK is the best place to go for the summer festival circuit. With a wide range of audiences, line-ups and venues, the festival circuit offers something for everybody. So why not make your stay in the UK extra special and find the right festival for you?
1) Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is the UK’s oldest musical festival. It takes place on the Isle of Wight an Island situated off the South of England. The festival started in 1968 when then a ticket would only cost £1.25. Despite taking a 32 year gap between 1970 and 2002, the festival was revived in 2002.
- When does it take place? Early June.
- How much will it cost? £195.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included) a bit more than £1.25 this time.
- What type of music? Rock, indie and pop.
- Who is this festival for? Everyone.
Fun fact: The Isle of Wight festival offers several different types of camping options, why not try glamping? (http://isleofwightfestival.com/where-to-stay/).
2) Download, Derby
Download festival is one of the UK’s most popular rock and heavy-metal festivals. Why is it called Download? Well, when the festival started in 2003 downloading was seen as a dirty word. As some of you may think, this connotation goes hand in hand with the ‘gritty’ music. But still, why Download? The internet has played a massive role in the popularity of the festival. In 2003, the music was free to download for festival goers, but with the increased popularity of both forms of download this became hard to sustain.
- When does it take place? Early June.
- How much will it cost? £205.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Rock and heavy-metal.
- Who is this festival for? Metal-heads
3) Parklife, Manchester
Parklife is a 2-day festival that takes place in Heaton Park, Manchester. As one of the largest municipal parks in Europe, the venue has hosted some legendary concerts such as, The Happy Monday and Oasis. Manchester is an iconic place for English music and home to many renowned British artists. So they’ll be plenty to visit in your stay in Manchester.
- When does it take place? Early June.
- How much will it cost? £150.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Commercial, house, grime and dance.
- Who is this festival for? Glitter-painted youngsters.
IMPORTANT: Parklife doesn’t allow campers, so accommodation will be based outside of the venue. Accommodation can be bought with tickets and you can easily travel to the venue via metro.
4) Glastonbury, Somerset
Glastonbury is the UK’s most popular and in-demand music festival. The festival is so big that it can take up to 30 minutes to walk from stage to stage. It is also the longest running UK festival, starting in 1970 and only taking a the occasional break to give the locals and organisers a rest.
Glastonbury sells out ridiculously fast and has a tough application process. It can take various attempts until you are successful and are able to buy a ticket. However don’t be disappointed if you miss out on ticket in the first round. Organisations such as Oxfam offer great opportunities to volunteer at the festival.
- When does it take place? Mid-June.
- How much will it cost? £188.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? As the UK’s most popular music festival
- Who is this festival for? This festival is for everyone who likes music and doesn’t mind rain.
Fun or not so fun fact: The festival is infamous for the rain, and there has been very few that have been dry - bring your wellies!
5) Wireless, London
Wireless is famous for its introduction of grime music into the festival scene. Grime is a primarily London-based genre, that has become popular through artists such as; Dizzee Rascal and Skepta. So why not make the most out of your experience in London and watch some of the UK’s most embraced artists?
- When does it take place? Early July.
- How much will it cost? £160.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- How do I get there? The festival takes place in Finsbury Park in zone 2 London. The closest Station is Finsbury Park connecting to the Great Northern line and the Overground.
- What type of music? R’n’B, hip-hop, commercial, house and grime.
- Who is this festival for? Youngsters interested in the London underground music scene.
IMPORTANT: Wireless doesn’t allow campers, so accommodation will be based outside of the venue. Accommodation can be bought with tickets and you can easily travel to the venue via the London Underground.
6) Latitude, Suffolk
Latitude is a family-friendly festival in the Suffolk, where of course the drink of choice is cider. Latitude isn’t just for music fans but also has a large range of other arts such as comedy, theatre and poetry, along with activities suitable for children. So, there’s a little something for everyone.
- When does it take place? Mid-July.
- How much will it cost? £197.50 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Folk, indie and rock.
- Who is this festival for? Families and calm, tranquil people.
7) Boardmasters, Cornwall
Boardmasters is the definition of an outdoor festival. The festival takes place right by the English coast, and I’m not talking about a grotty northern beach here. With surfing and lots of other outdoor activities to do, why not experience another side of British culture?
- When does it take place? Mid-Early August.
- How much will it cost? £174.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Indie, rock and commercial.
- Who is this festival for? Keen adventurers.
8) BoomTown fair, Winchester
BoomTown Fair is a fairly recent and up-and-coming festival. It celebrates the underground genres such as Drum & bass and jungle and leans less towards the commercial market. As an up-and-coming festival the activities are innovative and different - there’s something for everyone.
- When does it take place? Mid-Early August.
- How much will it cost? £195.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included)
- What type of music? Drum & bass, jungle, house, garage and dubstep.
- Who is this festival for? Everyone.
9) Leeds and Reading, Leeds and Reading
Leeds and Reading take place in both Leeds and Reading respectively. They have the same line-up. The same weekend. The same atmosphere. Leeds and Reading normally attract a younger crowd of festival goers and both are very popular with the locals of both regions.
- When does it take place? End of August.
- How much will it cost? £213.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Rock, indie, alt-rock, metal and punk.
- Who is this festival for? Students and young locals.
10) Creamfields, Daresbury
Creamfield is a 4-day festival that takes place over the August bank holiday weekend in Daresbury, Chester. The festival is especially for adults to enjoy and let loose over the bank holiday weekend, with special and exclusive DJ sets.
- When does it take place? End of August.
- How much will it cost? £230.00 (adult weekend, booking fee not included).
- What type of music? Dance and electronic.
- Who is this festival for? Party animals.
Have you been to any of these festivals? Share your experience with us in the comments!