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Festivals are an unmissable part of the British summer calendar. And despite several cancellations caused by the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit and the after-effects of the Covid pandemic this summer sees an impressive line-up of live music in the open air. Here's our pick of the best 2024 music festivals.
Parklife, Manchester
8-9 June 2024; parklife.uk.com
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In an "industry first", ticket prices for this year's event have been cut by almost £5, said the BBC, with a Parklife spokesperson saying they hoped the price cut would be "music to everyone's ears". Headliners at the two-day event in Heaton Park include Disclosure, Becky Hill and Camelphat, making this "the festival everyone wants to be at", said Radio Times.
Download Festival, Leicestershire
14-16 June 2024; downloadfestival.co.uk
The UK's "premiere" rock and heavy metal festival takes place at Leicestershire's Donington Park, said RadioX. For 2024, Download has announced that Queens of the Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy will headline each day of the three-day event while Pantera, The Offspring, Sum 41, Corey Taylor and Royal Blood are also on the bill.
Isle of Wight Festival
20-23 June 2024; isleofwightfestival.com
The Isle of Wight Festival "sparked backlash" after announcing all-male headliners for 2024, said Isobel Lewis in The Independent. The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys and Green Day will all top the bill, but of the 16 acts playing on the main stage "only three are female". Solo artists include Swedish pop star Zara Larsson and soul singer Beverley Knight, while "Eighties rockers Simple Minds have included backing vocalist Sarah Brown and drummer Cherisse Osei since 2017".
Glastonbury Festival, Somerset
26-30 June 2024; glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
Glastonbury has become "iconic in more ways than one", said Simon Bland on Yahoo! Entertainment. Not only is it the UK's "biggest music festival", it's perhaps the "biggest celebration of contemporary performing art in the world". After Elton John's headlining show in 2023, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive over which musical acts will top the bill on the Pyramid Stage in 2024.
TRNSMT Festival, Glasgow
12-14 July 2024; trnsmtfest.com
Held in Glasgow since 2017, as a replacement for the "much-missed" T in the Park, said David Hepburn in The Scotsman, Scotland's biggest music festival TRNSMT returns to Glasgow Green in July. Liam Gallagher, Gerry Cinnamon and Calvin Harris are set to headline.
Wireless Festival, London
12-14 July 2024: wirelessfestival.co.uk
It was confirmed in July last year that an agreement had been reached for Wireless to be held in London's Finsbury Park every summer until 2027. The urban and rap festival "draws up to 50,000 people a day", said NME, and in 2024 headline acts include Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage and J Hus, with Doja Cat closing the show on Sunday.
Latitude Festival, Suffolk
25-28 July 2024; latitudefestival.com
Set in the "beautiful" Henham Park, with its "rich woodland and glistening lake", Latitude is "so much more than just a music festival", said Georgia Beech on Best of Suffolk. As well as "plenty of talented musicians to discover", the festival also offers a "diverse range of events, shows, and activities", from theatre and comedy to cabaret, poetry and literature. Kasabian, London Grammar, Keane and Duran Duran have been confirmed as headliners for 2024.
Camp Bestival, Dorset
25-28 July 2024; dorset.campbestival.net
Heading the bill at Lulworth Castle are Pete Tong: Ibiza Classics with the Essential Orchestra, Paloma Faith, McFly and Orbital: an "'out of this world' line-up", said the Bournemouth Echo. An innovation for children at the family-friendly event this year is the Explorer's Passport, which "contains illustrations, maps and information" with "space for children to add their memories, collect stamps, and stickers as they explore the grounds", said the Dorset Echo.
Wilderness, Oxfordshire
1-4 August 2024; wildernessfestival.com
This four-day festival, now in its 13th year, has been described as a "weekend of escapism, high jinks and wholesome hedonism", said the BBC. As well as music – Michael Kiwanuka, Faithless, Bicep present Chroma and Jessie Ware are the headline acts – you can also enjoy "an array of theatre, artisanship, late-night parties, outdoor pursuits and culinary experiences in the Oxfordshire countryside", said The Oxford Magazine.
All Points East, London
16-25 August 2024; allpointseastfestival.com
Taking over Victoria Park for two weekends, All Points East is "one of the finest summer events", said Secret London. The festival "never disappoints with its headlining acts", said the Hackney Gazette, and this year they are Loyle Carner and LCD Soundsystem, with a joint top-of-the-bill spot from Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service on 25 August.
Creamfields, Cheshire
22-25 August 2024: creamfields.com
With two decades "at the forefront of electronic music", said Music Festival Wizard, there are "not many festivals in the world" that can "compare to the behemoth" that is Creamfields. Featuring hundreds of artists over multiple stages, this four-day festival "unleashes a line-up that covers the full spectrum of dance music".
Reading and Leeds
23-25 August 2024; readingandleedsfestival.com
Taking place simultaneously on the August bank holiday weekend, the twin Reading and Leeds festivals have "transformed to suit an ever-younger audience in bucket hats and zany outfits", said Dave Simpson in The Guardian. They head to Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds for a "post-GCSE blowout" and "traditional rite of passage". Headlining this year are Blink-182, Fred Again, Lana del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon.
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth
23-25 August 2024; victoriousfestival.co.uk
About 170,000 music lovers flocked to Southsea Common in Portsmouth for the "seaside event" in 2023, said the BBC. This year's music headliners include Fatboy Slim and Snow Patrol, Jamie T, Courteeners, Pixies, Biffy Clyro, and from across the water (Isle of Wight), Wet Leg. Topping the comedy bill are Russell Howard, Frankie Boyle and Al Murray. And as well as those "big-name acts" and "top comedians", said Kimberley Barber in the Hampshire Chronicle, the Victorious Festival has "something for all ages", with a large kids' arena full of "free activities like bouncy castles, zip wire, crafts and much more".
