The 50 best UK music festivals for summer 2023: from All Points East to Wilderness
The days are getting longer, the sun is starting to seem less like a complete stranger and more like a distant relative who has called up to announce an impending visit, and you’ve dug the SPF 50 out from the back of the bathroom cupboard. Summer is just around the corner – and, despite all of the doom and gloom in the news, you have four months of music festivals to look forward to.
If you missed out on Glastonbury tickets (along with two million others), never mind – Oxfordshire’s Wilderness remains the top choice for letting your hair down to acts including The Chemical Brothers and Christine and the Queens in a gorgeous countryside setting without the dismal food and sleeping arrangements; rather, you’ll find artisan bakes and cocktail bars, glamping options and even a bit of wild swimming.
Or hop up to Manchester to dance along to hometown heroes The 1975 at Parklife, or stay in the capital for a rockin’ day out with The Boss at BST Hyde Park. There’s something for everyone: just don’t forget your wellies. This is Britain, after all.
Best UK musical festivals for summer 2023
Belsonic, June 3-30
Belfast’s idyllic Ormeau Park hosts Northern Ireland’s premier music festival. Every year promises great craic and an even better lineup – this year’s headliners include Florence and the Machine and The Prodigy. Tickets are available here.
BST Hyde Park, June 23-July 8
You’ll be Dancing in the Dark throughout June and July in the capital, with various shows headlined by P!nk (June 24-25), Guns N’ Roses (June 30), Billy Joel (July 7) and Bruce Springsteen (July 6 and 8). Some shows are sold out, but tickets are available here.
Love Supreme, June 30-July 2
One of the country’s leading jazz festivals, Love Supreme celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023. At Glynde Place, East Sussex, you can catch Grace Jones and Mercury-winner Little Simz, as well as Thundercat, Candi Staton and Jazzmeia Horn. Tired from all the dancing? Try yoga or wild swimming. Tickets are available here.
Dog Day Afternoon, July 1
Could this new festival be the dream hurrah for retired rockers? Taking place at Crystal Palace Park, this one-day punk extravaganza will see Iggy Pop, Blondie, and Generation Sex (made up of Generation X’s Billy Idol and Tony James, and the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook) descend on south London. Don your best leathers and spiky hair. You can get tickets here.
Henley, July 5-9
One for lovers of posh tipples, fancy hats and scenic chats along the Thames. Following the Henley Royal Regatta by a week, this annual event has great claim to being Britain’s swankiest festival, complete with strict black-tie dress code and a floating main stage. This year’s musical offerings come courtesy of Rag’n’Bone Man, Westlife and Ministry of Sound Classical. Tickets are available here.
Soho House Festival, July 6&8
Kelis, Annie Mac and Pete Tong are some of the stars of the much-loved Soho House Festival 2023, which comes to Gunnersbury Park in West London for two days this July. Tickets are available to Soho House members, with the price including unlimited food and drink. Tickets for Thursday 6 are available here, and Saturday 8 here.
TRNSMT, July 7-9
Having replaced Scotland’s flagship festival T in the Park a few years back, TRNSMT consistently delivers lineups filled with indie rock’s biggest names. This year is no exception: headliners include Pulp, Sam Fender and The 1975. Located in city-centre park Glasgow Green. Tickets are available here.
Wireless, July 7-9
Wireless will once again see hip-hop and grime’s biggest stars descend on Finsbury Park. Artists confirmed include Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott and D Block Europe. Tickets are available here.
ALSO, July 14-16
With everything from comedy, discussions, great musicians and delicious food on offer, Warwickshire’s ALSO is gearing up to celebrate its 10th anniversary in style. Catch sets and talks from the likes of Sara Pascoe and Jess Phillips, in addition to plenty of lovely jazz musicians and wellness offerings. Tickets are available here.
Bluedot, July 20-23
Set atop Cheshire’s Unesco-listed Jodrell Bank Observatory, Bluedot is a fantastic amalgamation of the weird, wacky and wonderful world of art. The music alone is worth booking for: cult indie band Pavement, Young Fathers and Róisín Murphy top the bill. Tickets are available here.
Latitude, July 20-23
It’s no wonder that Latitude is so often called the UK’s most beautiful, serene festival – set within the stunning grounds of Suffolk’s Henham Park, it brings together music, artisan street food, family-friendly fun, comedy and poetry in perfect harmony. Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra head up proceedings; and you can also catch electro-poppers Metronomy and lockdown-icon Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Tickets are available here.
Standon Calling, July 20-23
Located just a short train ride away from central London, at Standon Lordship, Hertfordshire, this gem couples a cosy local atmosphere with great acts, imaginative staging and street-food options. Catch Years & Years, Self Esteem and Bloc Party doing their thing. You can get tickets here.
Secret Garden Party, July 20-23
The Libertines, Underworld, Roisin Murphy, De La Soul and Lava La Rue are just some of the many stars on the bill of the much-adored and award-winning Secret Garden Party, which returns to the gorgeous 10-acre Cambridgeshire grounds for another year of diverse and inclusive fun. Tickets are available here.
Truck, July 20-23
Indie-rock fans will find much to love at this veteran Oxfordshire festival. Backdropped by luscious green fields, you can catch sets from alt-J, Royal Blood, Self Esteem, Maisie Peters and The Bug Club. Tickets are now sold out.
Tramlines, July 21-23
Sheffield’s ode to lad rock is back with another banger – sing along to your favourite tracks from Richard Ashcroft, Kaiser Chiefs, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Blossoms, Kate Nash and more. Tickets are available here.
Belladrum, July 27-29
Held in the Scottish Highlands, Belladrum Tartan Heart has garnered a loyal following keen to experience the best indie rock, Celtic music, poetry, street theatre and food and drink festivals have to offer. Easy to reach from Inverness airport – just a 90-minute flight from London – this year’s lineup includes Travis (who hopefully won’t jinx the good weather), K T Tunstall and last year’s British Eurovision saviour, Sam Ryder. You can get tickets here.
Camp Bestival, July 27-30 (Dorset); August 17-20 (Shropshire)
The Disneyland of festivals now has two sites, meaning there’s double the opportunity for both kids and parents to have a fabulous weekend filled with face-painting, dancing to great music and tucking into delicious food. The Dorset edition will feature sets for the adults from Grace Jones, Craig David and Sam Ryder, with Mister Maker and Horrible Histories for the young ones; in Shropshire, you can catch Primal Scream, Rudimental and the Human League, along with Mr Tumble and Cosmic Kids Yoga. Tickets are available here.
Kendal Calling, July 27-30
With plenty on offer for the kids – vintage fairground rides, face-painting, an on-site cinema – this Lake District affair has deservedly earned its place in the top crop of British festivals. It’s pretty indie- rock heavy – Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and the Lathums will all perform – so if you’re a fan of thrashing guitars and angsty singalong choruses, it’s the perfect choice. Tickets are available here.
Womad, July 27-31
Swish and stylish, filled with as much yoga and pilates as rave-worthy DJ sets and guitar bands, Peter Gabriel’s celebration of world music is a delight. Cover your whole clan in glitter and get stuck into cuisines from around the world, sets from Bombay Bicycle Club and Femi Kuti & the Positive Force, and leave feeling more refreshed than you ever believed possible from a music festival (all thanks to the on-site spa). You can tickets here.
Deer Shed, July 28-31
This wonderful North Yorkshire festival is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of its larger competitors, with luscious green surroundings, family-friendly fun and independent artists, from Public Service Broadcasting to the Big Moon and Gaz Coombes. Plus, it’s easy to reach – situated only a few miles away from Thirsk, which is served by train services from Edinburgh, Leeds and London. Tickets are available here.
Rebellion, August 3-6
Another one for the old-school punks, Blackpool’s Rebellion festival hosts some of the genre’s biggest names, from the Damned to New Model Army and Steel Pulse to Descendents. Plus, there’s no need to worry about your mohawk getting ruined in the inevitable north-west rain, because it all takes place indoors, under the roof of the city’s historic Winter Gardens. Tickets are available here.
Wilderness, August 3-6
Oxfordshire’s annual party was making waves as a “boutique” musical festival before its competitors had even started to cotton on to the fact that punters wanted delicious food and comfy glamping options as much as they wanted wellies and DJs. This year’s musical offering includes the Chemical Brothers, Christine and the Queens and Sugababes, with food from Michelin-starred Adam Handling. Tickets are available here.
Boardmasters, August 9-13
It’s not hard to see why Boardmasters is heralded as the country’s most naturally stunning festival – the weekend of surf and music is set against a backdrop of rolling Cornish hills and blue seas. Liam Gallagher, Florence + the Machine and Bob Vylan will be among the artists trying to live up to the location. Its beauty makes it a popular one, meaning weekend tickets are already sold out, but you can sign up for information on day tickets here.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, August 10-12
Folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention founded this wonderful celebration of music and art in 1976, and it’s returned every year since (barring the pandemic). Held in Cropredy, in Oxfordshire, this year’s lineup features Nile Rodgers & Chic, 10cc, and a set from Fairport themselves. Tickets are available here.
We Out Here, August 10-14
This glorious ode to jazz has a new home this year: the beautiful Wimborne St Giles. It’s a buzzing cross-section of established, legacy jazz artists and bright new things. Musical delights include Ezra Collective, Nia Archives and Knucks. Tickets are available here.
Green Man, August 17-20
The Brecon Beacons make a beautiful backdrop to this long-running, family-friendly Welsh festival. It’s laid-back yet fun and the musical offering is, as ever, brilliant, with First Aid Kit, Spiritualized, Slowdive and Confidence Man. Sold out but click here for more details
All Points East, August 18-28
All Points East returns to London’s sprawling Victoria Park for another dose of the world’s best musicians, from homegrown hero Stormzy (August 18) to New York City indie pioneers the Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (August 25). All the acts are sure to be as achingly hip – and fun – as the locals who roam the site. Tickets are available here.
Stowaway, August 18-20
Yet more gorgeous surroundings courtesy of this Buckinghamshire festival, which features plenty of comedy, theatre and music (including Roy Ayers, David Rodigan, and Easy Star All-Stars). Tickets are available here.
Field Day, August 19
Fleetingly interrupting the indie-rock dominance at All Points East, its sister festival – also held in Victoria Park – Field Day consistently delivers the finest electronic line-up in the capital. This year is no different, with pioneers Aphex Twin, Bonobo and Fever Ray all guaranteed to get the crowds dancing. Tickets are available here.
Lost Village, August 24-27
The magical world of Lost Village returns to its home in Lincolnshire woodland; catch sets from Four Tet, Habibi Funk, Mr Scruff and more on the festival’s inventive stages, from battered cars to cabins hidden in the woods. Tickets are available here.
Reading and Leeds, August 25-27
Every British teen’s musical rite of passage always delivers the big names, and this year is no exception: mosh (or not) along to Billie Eilish, the Killers, Foals and more. Tickets for each festival are available here.
The Big Feastival, August 25-27
Oh, he lives in a house, a very big house… in the Cotswolds. Taking place on Blur bassist Alex James’s farm, this annual jam-packed celebration of the best food Britain has to offer is always a good option for those seeking family-friendly fun. Chefs include two Michelin-starred Nathan Outlaw, TV celeb-cook Big Zuu and TikTok star Seema Pankhania, while Sigrid, Tom Grennan and Blossoms provide the tunes. Tickets are available here.
Victorious, August 25-27
This family-friendly festival brings yet more of indie rock’s biggest names to Portsmouth’s Southsea Common. This year’s headliners are Jamiroquai, Kasabian and Mumford & Sons; they’re joined by Ben Howard, Alt-J, the Coral and more. Tickets are available here.
End of the Road, August 31-September 3
End of the Road is a magical festival. Nestled near Blandford, in Dorset, it has a genuinely buzzing yet intimate atmosphere that makes it seem like the world’s best-kept secret; it also makes it the perfect send-off to another packed summer of festivals. This year’s event will be headlined by Aussie psych-rockers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, with Future Islands and Angel Olsen also performing. Tickets are available here.
Moseley Folk & Arts, September 1-3
Close to Birmingham city centre, this one is a longstanding gem, offering up the best of contemporary folk, arts and crafts: from Wilco, Squeeze and the Proclaimers to local businesses and unsigned artists. Tickets are available here.
This article is kept updated with the latest information.
