Bank holiday virtual music festivals: Reading, Leeds, Creamfields and more

If you thought the August bank holiday weekend was going to be a quiet one then think again.

Music fans are unable to attend festivals this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that isn’t stopping event organisers from putting on a virtual show.

So forget muddy fields, lukewarm drinks and dodgy loos, the best parties will be at home this long weekend, with the choice of entertainment ranging from epic sets from Creamfields to re-runs of legendary performances at Leeds and Reading.

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Reading & Leeds Festivals BBC Weekend

28-30 August 2020; readingfestival.com The Reading and Leeds festivals are partnering with BBC Music over the bank holiday weekend to look back at some of the classic performances from years gone by. Between midday and midnight, Friday to Sunday, BBC iPlayer will have a pop-up channel streaming live sets from acts including Billie Eilish, Radiohead and The 1975. A rerun of last year’s Reading headline set by the Foo Fighters will also be screened on BBC Four from midnight on Friday.

South West Four Live

28-30 August; southwestfour.com Filmed at the Electric Brixton, #SW4Live2020 will be streamed online throughout the long weekend, with more than 30 hours of exclusive sets from acts including Holy Goof, Dash Berlin, Eli & Fur, Macky Gee, Skepsis and IndiKa. The event is in a good cause too, with donations raising through the live streams to go to mental health charity Mind.

Virtually Shrewsbury Folk Festival

29-30 August; shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk Organisers of the Shrewsbury Folk Festival are throwing a two-day virtual event with a long line-up of musical acts performing on the Bellstone stage. Events for kids include lantern making and singing, while adults can take part in workshops ranging from yoga and body percussion to ukulele playing.

Creamfields House Party

29-30 August; creamfields.com Dance the weekend away at the Creamfields House Party. Taking place from 2pm on Saturday until 2am on Sunday, and then 12pm until 11pm on Sunday, the two-day festival will feature some of the very best sets from Creamfields over the last few years. Fans can watch online or via YouTube, Twitch and Beatport.

Notting Hill Digital Carnival

29-31 August; nhcarnival.org History is being made with the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival. Fans can register for free to enjoy the three-day extravaganza, plus enjoy exclusive access to Culture, Parade, Sounds Systems and the Main Stage.

Odyssey by 21CPH

30-31 August; facebook.com/21CProgressiveHouse This 36-hour, non-stop virtual music festival is being organised by the 21CPH platform and will feature 26 of the world’s best progressive house DJs. Robert Babicz, Emi Galvan and GMJ are just three of the acts confirmed for the digital line-up.

The ReGeneration Festival

26-29 August; newgenerationfestival.org The ReGen Festival is a four-day programme of concerts and productions taking place at Boboli Gardens in Florence, Italy. Streamed lived for free, the festival’s highlights include a full production of Rossini’s adaptation of Charles Perrault’s Cinderella fairy tale - La Cenerentola.