The summer festival is a great British tradition. But festivals have become so popular now that choosing one from the hundreds available can be quite a task.
Although it’s impossible to choose a definitive list, here are a few of the best festivals on offer this summer. All have their own unique appeal and come highly recommended.
Glastonbury Festival by Sharon Loxton
1. Glastonbury
Glastonbury is the mother of all festivals, so it can hardly be left from the list. Billed as the biggest open-air music festival in the world, Glastonbury is one of those festivals that you have to go to at least once in your lifetime.
It’s certainly changed considerably since 1,500 people attended the first festival in the summer of 1970, where a £1 ticket bought entry to the event and free milk all weekend. Now it has exploded in popularity, and tickets for this year’s event have already sold out.
Although predominantly a music festival, there is plenty on offer at Glastonbury for all tastes, including comedy, theatre and dance. This year it is being held from June 22 to 26 and U2 are headlining.
2. Green Man, Wales
There’s a lot of talk these days about festivals going back to their roots, and Green Man in the Brecon Beacons in Wales does exactly that. Starting back in 2003 as a one-day event with a capacity of 300, it is now a three-day festival of dance, folk, indie, electro, theatre, film and comedy.
Green man prides itself on its ethical and non-corporate values, and if you visit Glanusk Park Estate from August 19 to 21 you’ll be able to take your pick from five stages showing over 100 acts, as well as art and literature tents. This year Fleet Foxes are the headline act.
3. Isle of Wight Festival
Almost as legendary as Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight Festival is another one that you should try and visit at least once. This year is the 10th anniversary of the reformed festival which started in 2002, although the history of the festival dates back to 1968.
Back in 1969 the festival became famous when Bob Dylan chose to play here instead of Woodstock despite living there at the time, and about 250,000 people turned up. However, things really took off in 1970 when an estimated 600,000 people attended to see Jimi Hendrix, The Who and The Doors amongst others.
This year the festival takes place from June 9 to 12 and Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters and Kasabian are headlining.
4. Hop Farm Festival
The Hop Farm Festival website describes it as having a ‘back to basics mentality’ and ‘returning live music to its roots’. Located in Kent, near Tonbridge, there is no sponsorship or branding, no VIPs and the only attraction is the music. It is a family-friendly festival with a fairground included, and overnight camping is on offer. Eagles and Bryan Ferry are headlining this year, and the festival takes place from July 1 to 2.
5. RockNess
Billed as the most beautiful festival in the world, RockNess takes place on the shores of the legendary Scottish loch, just a few miles up the road from Inverness, and this summer is set to be a fantastic event. From June 10 to 12 you’ll be able to see bands including Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers, Paolo Nutini, Glasvegas, The Wombats and Groove Armada performing at Clune Farm. Although it only started in 2006, it has already built a reputation as one of the best on offer.
6. Womad
Womad is a global music festival held in numerous countries around the world, with the UK festival taking place in the grounds of Charlton Park, near Malmesbury, from July 29 to 31. The first festival took place in 1982, and it has enjoyed nearly three decades of celebrating international music and dance artists. With its wellbeing section, global market, human library and ‘Taste the World’ event all included, Womad is a family-friendly festival that is well worth visiting.
7. Edinburgh Festival Fringe
From its humble beginnings back in 1947, Edinburgh Festival Fringe has become the biggest arts festival in the world. Taking place over three weeks in August, thousands of performers from big names to unknown wannabes will arrive on the streets of Edinburgh to treat spectators to a spectacle of comedy, theatre, musicals, exhibitions, dance and more. If you fancy seeing some up-and-coming stars before they make it big and want to enjoy a fantastic atmosphere, head to Edinburgh from August 5 to 29.
Get Down to a Summer Festival
Whatever your tastes, British summer festivals have something for everyone. Most people love the experience of camping out across a festival weekend, but if that’s not for you, simply click on our highlighted festival destinations above and we’ll take you to a list of accommodation options within short travelling distance of your chosen event. Visit a festival this year and enjoy a great British tradition that just seems to get better every year!
