Being deep into January now, with an unmistakable winter chill gripping the air, it’s the perfect time to dream of next summer’s musical escapades. With line-ups starting to roll in, now’s your chance to plan for those sun-drenched festival days ahead.
Whether you’re a die-hard rocker, an electronic music enthusiast, or someone seeking a mellower vibe, the UK’s 2024 festival roster has something for everyone.
In our comprehensive guide, complete with the latest artist announcements and ticket information, you’ll find there’s something for everyone and all the info you need to plan your musical getaways this summer.
Country 2 Country (C2C)
Kicking off our festival journey is C2C, a must-visit destination for country music aficionados. The three-day event brings the genre’s biggest names to the heart of London.
When? March 8-10
Where? The O2, London
Who’s on the line-up? Kane Brown, Brad Paisley, Old Dominion and many more acts announced.
Tickets: from £90; c2c-countrytocountry.com
The Great Escape
Brighton’s The Great Escape is a treasure trove of new and emerging talent. It’s the go-to festival for discovering the next big thing in music.
When? May 15-18
Where? Brighton Beach, Brighton and Hove
Who’s on the line-up? BabyMorocco, Cardinals, Darren Kiely, Eaves Wilder, Gia Ford, LVRA, No Windows, and Picture Parlour are among the first fifty acts that have been announced so far.
Tickets: From £100 (full festival ticket); greatescapefestival.com
Bearded Theory
For a family-friendly experience, head to Bearded Theory in Derbyshire. This four-day festival, held in the sprawling Catton Park estate, promises a lineup that will have everyone jumping for joy.
When? May 23-26
Where? Catton Hall, Walton-on-Trent
Who’s on the line-up? Jane’s Addiction, Amyl and the Sniffers, Future Islands, Sleaford Mods, Orbital and many more to be announced.
Tickets: From £220; beardedtheory.co.uk
Wide Awake
Wide Awake in London is an indie haven, spotlighting the best up-and-coming talents alongside festival circuit favourites. Expect a diverse lineup spanning rock and dance.
When? May 25
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Young Fathers, Alice Glass, Ben UFO, Helena Hauff, Squid, Crumb, Eartheater and many more acts to be announced.
Tickets: From £54.50; wideawakelondon.co.uk
Cross The Tracks
Cross The Tracks is a one-day festival in London focusing on jazz, soul, R&B, and hip-hop. It’s a blend of fresh talent and familiar faces.
When? May 26
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? BADBADNOTGOOD, En Vogue, Eve, Ama Lou, Jalen Ngonda, The Cavemen, Giles Peterson, Channel One and many more acts are to be announced.
Tickets: From £54.50; xthetracks.com
Forbidden Forest
Dance in nature’s embrace at Forbidden Forest, a three-day rave set in a picturesque forest. With its growing popularity, expect a stellar lineup of dance music’s finest.
When? May 31 – June 2
Where? Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Who’s on the line-up? Andy C, Dennis Cruz, East End Dubs, Eats Everything, Gorgon City, Hybrid Minds, Max Dean, Seth Troxler, Shy FX, Wilkinson and many more to be announced.
Tickets: From £75 (day tickets), £160 (weekend camping); forbidden-forest.co.uk
Parklife
Manchester’s Parklife is a genre-spanning extravaganza, featuring a diverse lineup including Fisher and Chris Lake, with more acts to be announced.
When? June 8-9
Where? Heaton Park, Manchester
Who’s on the line-up? Fisher and Chris Lake, plus a full line-up to follow in January
Tickets: From £125. Pre-sale kicks off on Dec 6, with a general sale to follow on Dec 8. Payment plans are available; parklife.uk.com
Download
Rock lovers, head to Download at Donington Park. But you already know that. The UK’s major metal and hard rock festival continues to go from strength to strength.
When? June 14-16
Where? Donington Park, Leicestershire
Who’s on the line-up? Queens of the Stone Age, Limp Bizkit, Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Royal Blood, The Offspring, Sum 41, Bowling For Soup and many more acts to be announced.
Tickets: From £275 (weekend camping); downloadfestival.co.uk
Gottwood
Experience the mystical vibes of Gottwood in a North Wales forest, offering four days of underground electronic music.
When? June 13-16
Where? Carreglwyd Estate, Anglesey
Who’s on the line-up? Crazy P Soundsystem, Malika, Ruf Dug, Sweet Mess (live), KT, Papa Nugs and more.
Tickets: £TBA; gottwood.co.uk
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight Festival is a ferry ride away to a weekend filled with music and fun.
When? June 20-23
Where? Seaclose Park, Isle of Wight
Who’s on the line-up? The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys, Green Day, The Streets, Keane, Blossoms, Zara Laarson, Scouting for Girls, Nothing But Thieves and many more announced.
Tickets: Weekend tickets from £270; isleofwightfestival.com
Glastonbury
Glastonbury, the crown jewel of UK festivals, returns to Worthy Farm for a diverse five-day extravaganza, with surprises in every corner.
When? June 26-30
Where? Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset
Who’s on the line-up? TBC
Tickets: Tickets are now sold out. Find out more about the other (legal) ways of getting into the festival here; glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
READ MORE: How to get Glastonbury tickets | 2024 details announced
Big Smoke Festival
Skepta’s inaugural Big Smoke Festival in Crystal Palace Park is his only live UK show of 2024, and now also features a blockbuster lineup that includes The Streets, Mahalia, JME and more.
When? July 6
Where? Crystal Palace Park
Who’s on the line-up? Skepta, Más Tiempo, many more TBA
Tickets: £72.80; buy tickets here
Junction 2
London’s Junction 2 promises a dance-filled weekend under the viaduct, featuring Paul Kalkbrenner, Jeff Mills, and more.
When? July (dates TBA)
Where? Boston Manor Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? Paul Kalkbrenner, Jeff Mills, Daniel Avery, VTSS, Honey Dijon, The Blessed Madonna and many more.
Tickets: Tier one tickets now sold out, tier two to be released in January; junction2.london
Secret Garden Party: Roots
Returning to its roots, Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire is a festival circuit highlight, promising “fresh frivolity and new collectives.”
When? July 25-28
Where? Abbots Ripon, Cambridgeshire
Who’s on the line-up? To be announced in January
Tickets: £230; secretgardenparty.com
Wireless
Wireless in London is the hip-hop hotspot of the summer, featuring the best in Rap, R&B, and Afrobeats.
When? July 12-14
Where? Finsbury Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: from £95.60; wirelessfestival.co.uk
Tramlines
Sheffield’s Tramlines offers a stacked lineup and great value in the heart of the city.
When? July 26-28
Where? Hillsborough Park, Sheffield
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: Weekend tickets from £130, tramlines.org.uk
WOMAD
WOMAD celebrates international music, having previously featured Abel Selacoe and Bombay Bicycle Club.
When? July 25-28
Where? Charlton Park, Wiltshire
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: £TBA, womad.co.uk
READ MORE: ★★★★☆ My Big Day review | Bombay Bicycle Club breach new frontiers
Kendal Calling
Kendal Calling in the Lake District is a crowd-pleaser with a mix of headliners.
When? August 1-4
Where? Lowther Deer Park, Lake District
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: Weekend tickets from £179 (weekend camping); kendalcalling.co.uk
Wilderness
Wilderness in Oxfordshire is a four-day escape offering a party like no other.
When? August 1-4
Where? Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: Weekend tickets from £220; wildernessfestival.com
In The Park
Liverpool’s In The Park takes over Sefton Park with Jamie Webster headlining a memorable weekender.
When? July 12-14
Where? Sefton Park, Liverpool
Who’s on the line-up? Jamie Webster, Cream Classical
Tickets: From £49.50; visitliverpool.com
Boardmasters
Boardmasters in Newquay is a beach bash with big names like Stormzy and Bicep.
When? August 7-11
Where? Newquay, Cornwall
Who’s on the line-up? Stormzy, Chase & Status, Becky Hill, Bicep, Nia Archives, Kenya Grace, Tom Odell and many more.
Tickets: From £259; boardmasters.com
Boomtown
Experience the surreal Boomtown in Winchester, a five-day drum and bass and techno extravaganza.
When? August 7-11
Where? Winchester, Hampshire
Who’s on the line-up? TBC
Tickets: Weekend tickets from £315, boomtownfair.co.uk
We Out Here
Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here in Dorset features a packed roster of live music and DJs, plus family-friendly activities.
When? August 15-18
Where? Wimborne St Giles, Dorset
Who’s on the line-up? Floating Points, Mount Kimbie, Mansur Brown, Yaya Bey, Lonnie Holley, aja monet, CASISDEAD and Asha Puthli (all live).
Tickets: From £199, weoutherefestival.com
Green Man
Green Man in South Wales is a top festival pick, spanning multiple genres and experiences.
When? August 15-18
Where? Crickhowell, South Wales
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: Sold out, but keep an eye on resales, greenman.net
All Points East
All Points East in London’s Victoria Park showcases some of the biggest names in music.
When? August 17, August 23, August 25
Where? Victoria Park, London
Who’s on the line-up?
August 17: Loyle Carner, Nas, Ezra Collective, Sainté, Joe James, ENNY, Navy Blue.
August 23: LCD Soundsystem, Jai Paul, Floating Points, Jockstrap, Pixies, Nation of Language, Eyedress, Vagabon, Sofia Kourtesis
August 25: Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie
Tickets: From £65, on sale now, allpointseastfestival.com
Lost Village
Lost Village in Lincolnshire is a woodland expedition with breathtaking stage design and unmissable acts.
When? August 22-25
Where? Norton Disney, Lincolnshire
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: £TBA, lostvillagefestival.com
Creamfields
Creamfields in Cheshire is a dance music staple, featuring a new 30,000-capacity indoor stage called APEX.
When? August 22-25
Where? Daresbury, Cheshire
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: Sold out, but there’s a resale on November 24, creamfields.com
Rally
RALLY in London’s Southwark Park focuses on left-field choices and acts with underground credentials.
When? August 24
Where? Southwark Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? TBC
Tickets: The festival presale is open now, with a limited number of £30 tickets. General sale to follow https://rallyrallyrally.co.uk/
We Are FSTVL
London’s We Are FSTVL brings global DJs together for its 10th birthday bash.
When? May 24-26
Where? Upminster, London
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: £TBA, wearefstvl.com
Reading and Leeds
A rite of passage for festival-goers, Reading and Leeds feature Blink-182, Liam Gallagher, and more.
When? August 21-25
Where? Bramham Park, Wetherby (Leeds Festival), Little John’s Farm, Reading (Reading Festival)
Who’s on the line-up?
Reading:
Friday: Blink-182, Gerry Cinnamon, Spiritbox
Saturday: Fred Again.., Lana Del Rey, Raye, Digga D
Sunday: Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Skrillex
Leeds:
Friday: Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Skrillex
Saturday: Blink-182, Gerry Cinnamon, Spiritbox
Sunday: Fred Again.., Lana Del Rey, Raye, Digga D
Tickets: from £292 (weekend camping), readingandleedsfestival.com
Victorious
Portsmouth’s Victorious festival draws in big names in rock, Britpop, and indie.
When? August 23-25
Where? Southsea, Portsmouth
Who’s on the line-up? Fatboy Slim, Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro and Jamie T headline next year’s festival. Wet Leg, Yard Act, Arlo Parks, Louis Tomlinson, and Holly Humberstone also play.
Tickets: from £65 (day tickets), £180 (weekend camping), victoriousfestival.co.uk
Maiden Voyage
Maiden Voyage in London, run by Jazz Cafe, offers an eclectic lineup.
When? September 14
Where? London (site TBC)
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: £TBA, maiden-voyage.co.uk
Forwards Festival
Bristol’s Forwards Festival hosts major international acts and thought-provoking discussions.
When? September (dates TBA)
Where? Bristol (site TBC)
Who’s on the line-up? TBA
Tickets: £TBA, forwardsbristol.co.uk
Lytham Festival
Lytham Festival has grown into a five-day extravaganza with over 100,000 visitors each summer.
And so there you have it, a pretty extensive roundup offering just a taste of the UK’s vibrant 2024 festival scene.
Whether you’re after a weekend of dance, rock, or eclectic sounds, there’s something for everyone in this summer’s lineup.
Keep up to date with the best in UK music by following us on Instagram: @whynowworld and on Twitter/X: @whynowworld
