Moving to Britain for a while, but never participating in any UK music festivals? You’ve already missed a lot. The UK is a dynamic country for often holding various activities, and British people are keen on music as well. Therefore, you can feel passionate interest in music if you have the chance to participate in British music festivals. Too many UK festivals to know which to participate in? Don’t be confused. Please read on to get to know some of the biggest festivals in the UK.
List of UK music festivals 2024 & 2025
Many British people show their outstanding talent in music and produce plenty of wonderful works. Therefore, the UK is home to many iconic music festivals. Thousands of music lovers from all over the world come to British to enjoy their favourite singers live and experience the music craze. Here are the top 20 UK music festivals for 2024 & 2025.
| UK Music Festivals | Location | Dates | Ticket Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glastonbury Festival | Worthy Farm, Somerset, England | 25-29 June, 2025 | £373.5 for a general admission full weekend ticket + £5 booking fee |
| Isle of Wight Festival | Seaclose Park, Newport, Wales | 19-22 June, 2025 | Weekend: £289.95 Student: £235.95 / Teen (13-17): £235.95 Older Child (9-12): £22.80 / Younger Child (3-8): £12.90 Infants (2 and under): Free |
| Glastonbudget Festival | Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold, England | 22-25 May, 2025 | Weekend: Adult Weekend: £125 face value + £7.5 booking fee Youth Weekend (13 – 17 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £100 face value + £6 booking fee Child Weekend (Under 12 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £5 face value + £0.3 booking fee Day tickets (Saturday/Sunday): Adult: £50 face value + £3 booking fee Youth (13 – 17 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £40 face value + £2.4 booking fee Child (Under 12 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £5 face value + £0.3 booking fee |
| Wireless Festival | Finsbury Park, London, England | 11-13 July, 2025 (TBC) | Three-day weekend ticket: £258.25 Two-day weekend ticket: £175.50 Friday day ticket: £94.60 Saturday day ticket: £94.60 Sunday day ticket: £94.60 |
| Download Festival | Donington Park, Derby, England | 13-15 June, 2025 | £345 |
| Parklife | Heaton Park, Manchester, England | 14-15 June, 2025 (TBC) | General admission day tickets: from £79.50, plus booking fees General admission weekend tickets: from £129.50, plus booking fees VIP day tickets: from £115, plus booking fees. VIP weekend tickets: from £169.50, plus booking fees. |
| Secret Garden Party | Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire, England | 2025 (TBC) | £245 |
| Creamfields | Daresbury, Warrington, England | 21-24 August, 2025 | Two-day standard: £240 + £20 booking fee Three-day standard: £270 + £20 booking fee Four-day standard: £290 + £20 booking fee |
| Wilderness Festival | Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 | General adult ticket (18 yrs & over): £278 each General teen ticket (13-17 yrs): £145 each General Junior ticket (6-12 yrs): £45 each General child ticket (0-5 yrs): £12 each |
| Trnsmt Festival | Glasgow Green, Glasgow, Scotland | 11-13 July, 2025 | Three-day: £205.55 each Three-day (VIP): £333.7 each Three-day (VIP +): £494.3 each |
| Lovebox | Gunnersbury Park, London, England | 13-15 June, 2025 (TBC) | Day tickets: £72.5 Two day admission: £125 Three day admission: £149.5 VIP day tickets: £125 VIP two day admission: £185 VIP three day admission: £250 |
| Latitude Festival | Henham Park, Suffolk, England | 24-27 July, 2025 | Weekend adult general camping ticket: £308 each Weekend teen general camping ticket: £190 each Weekend child general camping ticket: £28 each |
| Reading Festival | Little John’s Farm, Reading, England | 21-24 August, 2025 | Weekend ticket: £325 each |
| Leeds Festival | Bramham Park, Leeds, England | 21-24 August, 2025 | Weekend ticket: £325 each |
| The Great Escape | Brighton, England | 14-17 May, 2025 | £81.24 – £96 |
| Green Man | Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales | 14-17August, 2025 | Adult weekend: £275 Student weekend: £250 Teen Weekend: £200 Little Folk Weekend (6-12): £48 Little Folk Weekend (3-5): £36 Infant Weekend (0-2): £0 |
| Boardmasters | Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, Cornwall, England | 6-10 August, 2025 | £85 – £279 |
| Camp Bestival | Lulworth Castle, Dorset, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 | Adult: £210 Teen (13-17): £155 Child (10-12): £128 Child (5-9): £108 Kids Under 5: go Free |
| Kendal Calling | Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 | Adult weekend camping – release 4: £204.95 (£195.00 face value) Adult weekend camping – final: £228.95 (£219.00 face value) Teen weekend camping (ages 11-15): £108.95 (£99.00 face value) Child weekend camping (ages 6-10): £31.50 (£29.00 face value) Under 5 weekend camping: £11.00 (£10.00 face value) |
| Boomtown Fair | South Downs National Park, Hampshire, England | 6-10 August, 2025 | Public Transport Entry Ticket: £295 + £10 booking fee Wednesday Entry Ticket: £360 + £10 booking fee Thursday Entry Ticket: £320 + £10 booking fee |
20 music festivals in the UK [detailed]
Most UK music festivals are summer festivals. Now let’s look at some details about these music festivals.
1. Glastonbury Festival
- Location: Worthy Farm, Somerset, England
- Dates: 25-29 June, 2025
- Duration: 5 days
- Ticket Prices: £373.5 for a general admission full weekend ticket + £5 booking fee
Glastonbury Festival is a five-day contemporary performing arts festival. In addition to modern music, it also hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other artistic events. The festival is regarded as a major event in contemporary British culture, inspired by the spirit of the hippies, the counterculture of the 1960s and the free festival movement. The festival takes place on 1,500 acres of farmland and is attended by about 200,000 people. Most of the festival staff are unpaid volunteers who help the festival raise millions of pounds for charity organisations.
2. Isle of Wight Festival
- Location: Seaclose Park, Newport, Wales
- Dates: 19-22 June, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Weekend: £289.95
Student: £235.95 / Teen (13-17): £235.95
Older Child (9-12): £22.80 / Younger Child (3-8): £12.90
Infants (2 and under): Free
Isle of Wight Festival was originally a countercultural event held from 1968 to 1970. The event held in 1970 was the largest of these early festivals at that time, with an estimated attendance of over 600,000. The unexpectedly high attendance led the council to add a clause to the Isle of Wight County Councils Act in 1971, banning overnight open-air gatherings of more than 5,000 people on the island without special permission from the council. The event was revived in 2002 at Seaclose Park, and since then, it has been held annually.
3. Glastonbudget Festival
- Location: Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold, England
- Dates: 22-25 May, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
- Location: Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold, England
Weekend:
Adult Weekend: £125 face value + £7.5 booking fee
Youth Weekend (13 – 17 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £100 face value + £6 booking fee
Child Weekend (Under 12 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £5 face value + £0.3 booking fee
Day tickets (Saturday/Sunday):
Adult: £50 face value + £3 booking fee
Youth (13 – 17 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £40 face value + £2.4 booking fee
Child (Under 12 years) *must be accompanied by an adult: £5 face value + £0.3 booking fee
Glastonbudget is one of the annual British festivals held over three days at Glastonbudget Turnpost Farm in Wymeswold, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. The festival has been held since 2005. Originally, it started as a festival for tribute bands. In recent years, it has expanded to include a showcase of new acts. Since 2006, the festival has invited special guests to perform, including Ex Simple Minds (2010), Doctor and the Medics (2011) and Showaddywaddy, the Sweet, as well as the return of Chesney Hawkes in 2012.
4. Wireless Festival
- Location: Finsbury Park, London, England
- Dates: 11-13 July, 2025 (TBC)
- Duration: 3 days
- Ticket Prices:
Three-day weekend ticket: £258.25
Two-day weekend ticket: £175.50
Friday day ticket: £94.60
Saturday day ticket: £94.60
Sunday day ticket: £94.60
Wireless Festival is one of the annual rap and hip hop London festivals, owned and managed by Live Nation. The festival was held in 2005 for the first time. In its early years, it featured mostly rock and pop artists. Since the 2010s, the festival’s focus has shifted to hip-hop and other genres, such as urban contemporary music. Wireless has announced that it will return to Finsbury Park from July 12-14, 2024, with starring artists Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, J Hus, Doja Cat, etc.
5. Download Festival
- Location: Donington Park, Derby, England
- Dates: 13-15 June, 2025
- Duration: 3 days
- Ticket Prices: £345
Download Festival is a rock UK music festival created by Terrance Gough. In addition to the United Kingdom, it is also held in other countries, such as France, Australia and Germany. Download was originally a two-day event, which was expanded to three days in 2005. Download Dog is the official mascot of Download Festival and appears in various materials associated with the festival, such as tickets, stage banners, merchandise, marketing, and the official website.
6. Parklife
- Location: Heaton Park, Manchester, England
- Dates: 14-15 June, 2025 (TBC)
- Duration: 2 days
- Ticket Prices:
General admission day tickets: from £79.50, plus booking fees
General admission weekend tickets: from £129.50, plus booking fees
VIP day tickets: from £115, plus booking fees.
VIP weekend tickets: from £169.50, plus booking fees.”
Parklife is an annual two-day music festival in Manchester, England, which takes place every June. The festival features dance and electronic music as well as pop and hip hop artists. The festival is organised by several groups, including The Warehouse Project and Live Nation in Manchester. In order to increase capacity, festival moved to Heaton Park in north Manchester in 2013. By 2023, the festival will be able to accommodate 82,500 people over two days.
7. Secret Garden Party
- Location: Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire, England
- Dates: 2025 (TBC)
- Duration: TBC
- Ticket Prices: £245
Secret Garden Party is an independent arts and music festival held in Abbots Ripton. The festival is held in a part of a Georgian farmhouse with its own lake, river and landscaped gardens. The festival was started in 2004 by Fred Fellowes and James Whewell. Since its inception, the festival has grown in popularity and size, and has grown from 1 stage and 300 audience in 2002 to 15 stages and 35,000 audience in 2017. In March 2017, the Secret Garden Party announced that 2017 would be its last one. In August 2021, it was announced that the Secret Garden Party would return in the summer of 2022.
8. Creamfields
- Location: Daresbury, Warrington, England
- Dates: 21-24 August, 2025
- Duration: 3 days
- Ticket Prices:
Two-day standard: £240 + £20 booking fee
Three-day standard: £270 + £20 booking fee
Four-day standard: £290 + £20 booking fee
Creamfields is an electronic dance music festival founded and organized by Cream, a British club promoter. The music festival UK was first held in Winchester in 1998 and moved to Cream’s hometown of Liverpool the following year. Finally, it moved to its current location. Originally, the one-day event attended by 25,000 people. Now, the festival is developed into a four-day event with 70,000 campers per day. The festival is the most prestigious electronic dance music festival UK.
9. Wilderness Festival
- Location: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, England
- Dates: 31 July- 3 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
General adult ticket (18 yrs & over): £278 each
General teen ticket (13-17 yrs): £145 each
General Junior ticket (6-12 yrs): £45 each
General child ticket (0-5 yrs): £12 each
Wilderness Festival is one of the UK major festivals, known for its wide variety of music and unique long table culture. The festival takes place over several days in Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. Every year, the festival invites hundreds of musicians to participate in a variety of music styles, including punk, jazz, country, electronic, rock, R&B, hip-hop and more. Food is also a highlight of the Wilderness Festival, with a number of Michelin chefs on hand to provide visitors with an excellent culinary experience.
10. Trnsmt Festival
- Location: Glasgow Green, Glasgow, Scotland
- Dates: 11-13 July, 2025
- Duration: 3 days
- Ticket Prices:
Three-day: £205.55 each
Three-day (VIP): £333.7 each
Three-day (VIP +): £494.3 each
TRNSMT (pronounced “Transmit”) is a music festival hosted by DF Concerts at Glasgow Green in Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of the best music festivals Scotland. The festival focuses on pop, rock and electronic music. The first festival was held over three days in July 2017 and organisers said 120,000 people have attended. TRNSMT was named “Best New Festival” at the British Music Festival Awards in London in December 2017.
11. Lovebox
- Location: Gunnersbury Park, London, England
- Dates: 13-15 June, 2025 (TBC)
- Duration: 3 days
- Ticket Prices:
Day tickets: £72.5
Two day admission: £125
Three day admission: £149.5
VIP day tickets: £125
VIP two day admission: £185
VIP three day admission: £250
Lovebox is a three-day music festival. The event has been started since 2002 by DJ Groove Armada. During this time, Lovebox has also hosted events in Newcastle, Dublin and Ibiza, as well as numerous parties and club nights. In 2018, the event moved to Gunnersbury Park in London. In 2019, the event can accommodate 50,000 people. Although Lovebox started as a dance-focused festival, it has since expanded to include a variety of musical genres, including hip-hop, indie, rock, grime, world and pop, as well as circus acts, cabaret and fringe acts.
12. Latitude Festival
- Location: Henham Park, Suffolk, England
- Dates: 24-27 July, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Weekend adult general camping ticket: £308 each
Weekend teen general camping ticket: £190 each
Weekend child general camping ticket: £28 each
Latitude Music Festival is hosted by Festival Republic (formerly the Mean Fiddler Group). It is an annual music and arts festival held at Henham Park in Suffolk, England. The first festival was held in 2006 and has been held every year since (except 2020. This one of the good UK festivals was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The 18th festival took place from 25 to 28 July 2024. The main performance artists include Duran Duran, London Grammar and Keane. The next one will be held 24-27 July, 2025.
13. Reading Festival
- Location: Little John’s Farm, Reading, England
- Dates: 21-24 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Weekend ticket: £325 each
Reading and Leeds Music Festivals are two UK festivals held annually in Reading and Leeds, England. Both festivals take place simultaneously on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during banks’ August holiday. Reading Festival is the oldest of the two and the oldest popular music festival in the UK. For more than fifty years, many of the greatest British and international bands have played at the festival. Since adopting the current formt in 1999, rock, alternative, indie, punk and metal have been the main genres in the lineup. Hip-hop has been a more significant part of the festival lately.
14. Leeds Festival
- Location: Bramham Park, Leeds, England
- Dates: 21-24 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Weekend ticket: £325 each
Reading and Leeds Music Festivals are two UK festivals held annually in Reading and Leeds, England. Both festivals take place simultaneously on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during banks’ August holiday. In 1999, due to increased demand, the festival added a second venue at Temple Newsam in Leeds. After the success of its first year in Leeds, the outdoor festival became more and more popular, and even Reading Festival tickets were sold out fast every year. Affected by riots and violence, the festival moved to Bramham Park, northeast of Leeds.
15. The Great Escape
- Location: Brighton, England
- Dates: 14-17 May, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices: £81.24 – £96
The Great Escape Festival is one of the four-day England music festivals held every May in Brighton, England. It is run by MAMA Festivals and showcases new music through a variety of genres. Founded in 2006, the festival hosts about 500 bands in 30 venues across the city. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Escape is being held online in 2021.
16. Green Man
- Location: Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales
- Dates: 14-17 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Adult weekend: £275
Student weekend: £250
Teen Weekend: £200
Little Folk Weekend (6-12): £48
Little Folk Weekend (3-5): £36
Infant Weekend (0-2): £0
Green Man Festival is an independent music, science and arts festival that takes place every year in mid-August in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. The festival can accommodate up to 25,000 people and features live music (especially alternative, indie, rock, folk, dance and American). Green Man has expanded into other ventures, including setting up a charitable arm called the Green Man Trust and launching its own beer brand, the Green Man Growler.
17. Boardmasters
- Location: Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, Cornwall, England
- Dates: 6-10 August, 2025
- Duration: 5 days
- Ticket Prices: £85 – £279
Boardmasters Festival is an annual event held in Cornwall, England, usually over five days on the second weekend of August. The event is a combination of live music and surfing/skateboarding competitions in and around the town of Newquay. The festival was founded in 1981 as a surfing competition. In 2005, it expanded to include musical performances at Watergate Bay. In 2024, the official capacity of the event was increased to 58,000 people.
18. Camp Bestival
- Location: Lulworth Castle, Dorset, England
- Dates: 31 July- 3 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Adult: £210
Teen (13-17): £155
Child (10-12): £128
Child (5-9): £108
Kids Under 5: go Free
Camp Bestival is a British music festival, organised by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank. It is held every July for families with kids. In 2019, it had a capacity of 10,000 people. It won Best New Festival at the British Festival Awards in 2008 and Best Family Festival in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Camp Bestival offers a variety of activities and entertainment throughout the festival. In addition to a four-day lineup of multiple arenas, the festival offers comedy shows, literary programs, and multiple workshops.
19. Kendal Calling
- Location: Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria, England
- Dates: 31 July- 3 August, 2025
- Duration: 4 days
- Ticket Prices:
Adult weekend camping – release 4: £204.95 (£195.00 face value)
Adult weekend camping – final: £228.95 (£219.00 face value)
Teen weekend camping (ages 11-15): £108.95 (£99.00 face value)
Child weekend camping (ages 6-10): £31.50 (£29.00 face value)
Under 5 weekend camping: £11.00 (£10.00 face value)”
Kendal Calling Festival is an annual music and arts festival held at Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District of Cumbria, Northwest England. In 2006, it grew from a two-day, 900-capacity event to a four-day, 40,000-capacity music festival. In 2010, Kendal Calling Festival was awarded the “Best British Small Festival” by the public vote at the British Festival Awards. Kendal Calling also won the “Best Small Music Festival” at the 2011 LIVE UK Awards.
20. Boomtown Fair
- Location: South Downs National Park, Hampshire, England
- Dates: 6-10 August, 2025
- Duration: 5 days
- Ticket Prices:
Public Transport Entry Ticket: £295 + £10 booking fee
Wednesday Entry Ticket: £360 + £10 booking fee
Thursday Entry Ticket: £320 + £10 booking fee
Boomtown Fair was first held in 2009 and has been held at the South Downs National Park, Hampshire since 2011, taking place in the second week of August each year. The event features a diverse lineup, including live bands, electronic music DJs, MCs, and theatrical performers from multiple genres. The event of eacy year is called a “chapter” and expands on the previous year’s storyline, which is told through set design, immersive theatrical performances, and multiple forms of alternative reality play. The festival’s capacity is still limited to 66,000 people.
What should you prepare for music festivals?
Are you excited about going to fantastic UK music festivals? You may enjoy your favorite singers or bands’ live show, and enjoy your favorite music. Surrounded by fans with the same idols or interests, it is totally different as listening to music on your headphones. You must have dreamed about this scene for several years! Then, how to prepare for your adventure? Here are two guides you can follow.
Here are the steps that you should take when preparing for wonderful British music festivals.
- Know the location of the music festival you are going to and how you will get there.
- Book accommodation. You may stay there fore several days, so please do not forget to arrange your accommodation.
- Know more about food in the destination. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy the local food.
- Pick your outfit. To adapt to the music festival UK’s theme or to take more beautiful photos, you should choose nice clothes. If you plan to stay there for a few days, don’t forget to pick several outfits.
- Get all things together before your departure.
Here are some things you should take when going to best festivals UK.
- Ticket (Don’t Forget!!!)
- Money (plus hidden emergency money)
- Medication
- Mobile phone
- Power bank
- Water bottle
- A small backpack or bumbag/utility belt to carry your bits around all day and night
- A backpack to put everything in
- Hand sanitizer
- Pocket-sized tissues
- Wet wipes
- Travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste
- Dry shampoo
- Sun cream
- Water bottle
- Sun cream
- An outer waterproof warm coat (with pockets!)
- Rain boots
Final thoughts on UK music festivals
UK music festivals have always been a culture and characteristic in the British history. As an international place, Britain welcomes people from all over the world to enjoy this atmosphere, and also embraces many genres of music. This inclusive culture attracts many music lovers. They gather here only to express their enthusiasm. If you still have zero experience of participating in British festivals, don’t wait and follow the table above to choose one of the best upcoming festivals in the UK.
FAQ
The total number of UK music festivals that will take place in the next 12 months is 409. And the data is last uptaded in Autumn 2024.
By far, the biggest UK festival is Glastonbury Festival, which will be held on Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, from 25 to 29 June, 2025.
| UK Music Festivals | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Glastonbury Festival | Worthy Farm, Somerset, England | 25-29 June, 2025 |
| Isle of Wight Festival | Seaclose Park, Newport, Wales | 19-22 June, 2025 |
| Glastonbudget Festival | Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold, England | 22-25 May, 2025 |
| Wireless Festival | Finsbury Park, London, England | 11-13 July, 2025 (TBC) |
| Download Festival | Donington Park, Derby, England | 13-15 June, 2025 |
| Parklife | Heaton Park, Manchester, England | 14-15 June, 2025 (TBC) |
| Secret Garden Party | Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire, England | 2025 (TBC) |
| Creamfields | Daresbury, Warrington, England | 21-24 August, 2025 |
| Wilderness Festival | Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 |
| Trnsmt Festival | Glasgow Green, Glasgow, Scotland | 11-13 July, 2025 |
| Lovebox | Gunnersbury Park, London, England | 13-15 June, 2025 (TBC) |
| Latitude Festival | Henham Park, Suffolk, England | 24-27 July, 2025 |
| Reading Festival | Little John’s Farm, Reading, England | 21-24 August, 2025 |
| Leeds Festival | Bramham Park, Leeds, England | 21-24 August, 2025 |
| The Great Escape | Brighton, England | 14-17 May, 2025 |
| Green Man | Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales | 14-17August, 2025 |
| Boardmasters | Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, Cornwall, England | 6-10 August, 2025 |
| Camp Bestival | Lulworth Castle, Dorset, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 |
| Kendal Calling | Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria, England | 31 July- 3 August, 2025 |
| Boomtown Fair | South Downs National Park, Hampshire, England | 6-10 August, 2025 |
As one of the most international cities in the world, plenty of bands and artists are willing to come to London to act. Therefore, there are many London music festivals.
| UK Music Festivals | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless Festival | Finsbury Park, London, England | 11-13 July, 2025 (TBC) |
| Lovebox | Gunnersbury Park, London, England | 13-15 June, 2025 (TBC) |
| South Facing | Crystal Palace Bowl, London, England | August, 2025 (TBC) |
| Pitchfork Music Festival | Roundhouse, London, England | July, 2025 (TBC) |
Actually, most UK music festivals are in England. However, there are still some music festivals Scotland, such as Trnsmt Festival.
Glastonbury Festival is the most Instagrammable music festival in the UK. It is also one of the most popular summer festivals and the largest and best festivals UK.
