UK music festivals are hard to rank, because there are literally dozens of UK festivals popping up each new summer alongside the veteran festivals in the UK that have been around for years. The United Kingdom has proved itself at the forefront of the Worldwide Festival scene, taking up a majority of the top spots for the most popular and best festivals in Europe.
There are UK music festivals for every imaginable genre, all over the country. From Scotland to Wales to the south coast to London, you’ll find festivals from House + Techno to EDM to Drum & Bass to Rock. These UK festivals have you covered for any need you may have – and to think that this is only the top 20 and that there are (many) more!
These UK music festivals are the highest revenue-generating festivals, so they quite literally are the ‘top 20.’ I’ll do a post eventually on more off-the-beaten-path UK festivals (Lost Village is one of my favorites), but for now, here are the bonafide 20 best festivals in the UK (plus a few bonuses) with info on any and all travel/accommodation packages you can book to save money.
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Leeds Festival
Where: Leeds
When: Late August
Genre: multi: electronic, rock, pop, indie
Leeds Festival is one of the most popular festivals in the UK. It’s actually one of the most well-known festivals not only in the UK but in Europe (and the world?) and is sort of like a rite of passage for UK festival goers – nearly all of them will have been to Leeds or its sister festival, Reading.
What began as a rock festival has expanded to nearly every genre imaginable. You’ll still see huge names in the rock and alternative scene as well as house, techno, pop, trap, hip hop… and basically everything. Some previous headliners have been Bastille, Kings of Leon, Dillon Francis, Bicep, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Muse.
There is also a great lineup of comedy and cinema for when you aren’t out chasing different artists at different stages!
Parklife
Where: Manchester
When: Mid-June
Genre: Mixed: hip hop, house, indie
Parklife has long been regarded as one of the finer UK festivals. The lineup is always mind-blowingly massive (like many festivals in the UK), but there are also funfair rides, interactive performers, busking, cabaret, and more art.
The XX, Skepta, Eric Prdydz, Jamie Jones, and A$AP Rocky have been previous headliners of this awesome two day festival. You can expect big names across all stages all day – it might be hard to decide where to go, but all options will be awesome!
Creamfields
Where: Daresbury
When: Late August
Genre: House, Techno, EDM, Grime
Creamfields is another one of the iconic UK music festivals that are well-known and well-established. Creamfields is specifically a dance music festival, and the UK’s biggest at that at 70k people.
Creamfields has different stages for the different genres under the large ‘electronic’ umbrella, and big names such as Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren, Green Velvet, Andy C, Above & Beyond, Alesso, and MK, just to name a few! You can guarantee that there will be a great lineup all weekend at each stage here.
Wireless Festival
Where: Finsbury Park, London
When: Mid-July
Genre: Hip Hop/Grime/Urban
Wireless is the UK’s most popular urban/hip hop-centered festival. With previous headliners like Post Malone, DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and Fetty Wap, it’s sure to be a shoo-in for anyone who is into that kind of music scene. It’s held just outside of London in Finsbury Park and is easily accessible.
Isle of Wight Festival
Where: Isle Of Wight, off England’s South Coast
When: Mid-June
Genre: Mixed: Indie, rock, pop
Having started FIFTY YEARS ago (you read that right), Isle of Wight is much more than a music festival. Expect games, performances, theater, cinema, comedy, and more at this 4-day family-friendly festival.
It brings in a massively diverse lineup from lots of different genres, from big names to local up-and-coming’s. To name a few, Depeche Mode, The Killers, Muse, Jessie J, Wheatus, and even Queen and Jay-Z have been to Isle of Wight.
TRNSMT Festival
Where: Glasgow, Scotland (Glasgow Green- City Center!)
When: Mid-July
Genre: Indie, Rock
TRNSMT is a festival held within walking distance of anywhere in central Glasgow, and has a great lineup of fun rock, alternative, and indie bands. TRNSMT has seen the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, London Grammar, The Kooks, Two Door Cinema Club in the heart of Scotland.
One of the cool things about TRNSMT is that most people head out to parties and bars in Glasgow afterwards to keep the party going. It’s a great way to experience great music and Glasgow in one weekend.
Reading Festival
Where: Reading, UK
When: Late-August
Genre: Multi-Genre: historically rock, now with electronic, house, hip hop, and more
Reading Festival is the equally famous sister festival to Leeds, which share the same lineup and weekend as each other. It’s up to you which location is more convenient! Obviously Reading is a bit more convenient to Londoners and Southerners, while Leeds may be easier for Northerners.
Reading has of course also seen some of the most massive names in the music sphere, from Muse, Major Lazer, Flume, Blink 182, Paramore, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Andy C, and more. If you haven’t been yet, you need to go at least once to experience it!
Download Festival
Where: Donington Park, Derby, UK
When: Mid-June
Genre: Punk, Rock, Metal
Download Festival is the UK’s quintessential rock and punk festival, for all the headbangers out there who enjoy the live bands or the screamo! This festival is definitely at the forefront of the world in terms of rock festivals as well, and can guarantee to sell out with the big names it pulls in on the racetrack each year.
It will see/has seen the likes of Def Leppard, Slipknot, Die Antwoord, Ozzy Osborne, Avenge Sevenfold, Guns N Roses, System of a Down, and Sum 41 – which anyone will agree are the most massive names in the industry, along with lots of up-and-comers. You can expect rocker-type side shows and comedy along with markets and lots of food.
Latitude Festival
Where: Henham Park, Southwold, UK
When: Mid-July
Genre: Folk, Alternative, Mixed
Latitude Festival is so much more than a festival; it’s a center for culture surrounding music, art, poetry, cabaret, theater, comedy, and wellness. Between some pretty massive headliners you can catch live art or roaming theater performances, or you can always do some yoga amongst the trees. For these reasons, Latitude os quite popular among families and can be quite laid back if that’s what you’re into.
Previous headliners have included The 1975, The Killers, Alt-J, Mumford & Sons, Jack Garratt, Milky Chance, and Glass Animals, along with an entire loineup for the theater, poetry, film, cabaret…. you get the gist!
Field Day
Where: London
When: Mid May
Genre: Mixed: Electronic, House/Techno, Hip Hop
Field Day is a two-day, well-known weekend festival now residing in North London. Going since 2007, Field Day has grown to be one of the best UK Festivals in London and pulls in a lineup to please any attendees, as well as a diverse range of workshops and activities.
Field Day has seen the likes of Four Tet, Thundercat, Helena Hauff, Denis Sulta, Fever Ray, Mount Kimbie, Zhu, Caribou, Run the Jewels, and Nicolar Jaar. Next year is sure to be even bigger and better!
Sundown Festival (Paused)
Where: Norfolk Showground, Norwich, UK
When: Late August/Early September
Genre: Pop, bass, grime
*Sundown was paused in 2025 and hasn’t announced if/when it will be back*
Sundown Festival brings in the best in pop, bass/drum & bass, and house music, with lineups ranging from Zara Larsson, Clean Bandit, and John Newman to Sigala, Sigma, and Amine Edge & Dance, to Disciples, CamelPhat, and Hannah Wants. So, there’s a bit of everything to enjoy.
When you aren’t deciding what music genre you want to experience, you can take a ride at the fairgrounds or wander through the trees finding secret stages and art installations to entertain you.
Community Festival
Where: London
When: August
Genre: Indie, Rock, Alternative
Community Festival is a one day fest in the heart of London that has grown massively in popularity. Bringing in names like The Kooks, Kate Nash, The Amazons, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Nothing But Theives, and more.
With just two stages you aren’t too spoilt for choice as to where to enjoy some great rock music in the sunny London summer – it’s very affordable, too!
Mint Festival
Where: Leeds, UK
When: Early May
Genre: Electronic, house, techno
MiNT Festival is the end-of-summer house + techno party in Leeds, held across some very industrial warehouses, hangars, and sea containers in an area of Leeds airport. Alongside some hard-hitting house and techno baselines, you’ll find a funfair, hot air balloons, and street food.
Expect names such as Adam Beyer, Moodymann, Gorgon City, Dixon, Eats Everything, Patrick Topping, and Joseph Capriati at this unique one-day celebration. It’s also much more affordable than it’s many other 3 or 4-day counterparts.
Love Supreme Jazz Festival UK
Where: Glynde Place, Lewes, UK
When: Early July
Genre: Jazz
Love Supreme is a unique 3-day jazz camping festival in a large green park in Lewes – the only one of its kind in the UK. Love Supreme combines the camping and extra-activity aspects of music festivals with jazz, funk, and soul for an all-around awesome weekend for jazz-lovers. They even have classic album playbacks along with interesting panels, dance classes, film, and even a kids area so parents can have their fun too.
The lineup has seen groups like Earth, Wind, and Fire, Tom Misch, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, PP Arnold, Portico Quartet, Orphy Robinson Allstars, Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper Experiment, and more!
Elrow Town London
Where: London, UK
When: Usually July but cirrently ad-hoc
Genre: House + Techno
If you don’t already know what Elrow is, you’d better get on your game. Starting in Barcelona, Elrow is surely the craziest party out there with the most colorful assortment of confetti, streamers, blow-up toys, crazy costumes, and actors in costume doing crazy things through the crowd (think, people in chicken suits crowd-surfing on rafts). It’s an awesome time.
Elrow lineups are always on point, with house and techno giants like Waff, Paul Kalkbrenner, Richy Ahmed, Steve Lawler, Claptione, and Fatboy Slim attending some last editions of Elrow Town London. It’s one of the most fun and unique UK music festivals for sure, so make sure to wtch for when they announce the next ones!
Blue Dot Festival
Where: Jodrell Bank Observatory Center, Macclesfield, UK
When: Currently On hold
Genre: Pop, Electronic, House
*Bluedot said it would come back in 2025, but didn’t… stay tuned if it returns again!
Bluedot Festival is a very unique arts, science and music festival at an actual science center in Macclesfield. It’s got live science experiments, discussions, debates, film screenings, panels, and fascinating workshops (think, robots, astronomy, and more) alongside am alternative/electronic lineup. How fascinating is that?! I truly haven’t seen such a unique festival experience before!
Alongside its interesting science and cosmic classes, Blue Dot has seen artists like the Chemical Brothers, Helena Hauff, Little Dragon, Future Island, and The Flaming Lips at its last few editions. If you happen to like science and music, this might be your holy grail.
Wilderness Festival
Where: Oxfordshire, UK
When: Early August
Genre: House, Electronic, Pop/Rock
Wilderness Festival is one of the most well-known UK Music festivals, and it’s famous for its nearly Alice-in-Wonderland type vibe with whimsical decorations, themes, colors, and costumes within, well, the Wilderness. Like tons of UK festivals, Wilderness has a totally immersive vibe with workshops, yoga, wellness areas, theater, art, and more scattered throughout its grounds. Oh, and they take lots of pride in their amazing food and drink as well!
Lineups for Wilderness have always been great, with a focus on more popular/indie and also electonic. It’s seen the likes of Bastille, Nile Rogers, Peggy Gou, Groove Armada, Bjork, Empire of the Sun, Damian Lazarus, Sam Smith, Two Door Cinema Club, and Bonobo.
Bonus UK Music Festivals I Couldn’t Leave Out:
Boomtown
Where: Hampshire, UK
When: Mid-August
Genre: Everything! Trance, Drum n Bass, Metal, Rock, Techno, House, Trap, Hip hop…
Boomtown Festival is another UK giant festival, which I am sure would be in the top 20 UK music festivals if they partnered with Festicket like all these other ones do! I had to add it in because it’s one of the most spectacular and diverse festivals in the country, with a massive lineup divided by about 7+ genres and all sorts of other fun things going on as well.
Along with famous headliners, there is enough to do at Boomtown Festival to keep you occupied even without music! You can find theater, circus, art, speakers, poets, a kids area, and different areas that are organized like an actual town – Boomtown, of course! The stages are often designed like a fairytale, and no detail is left out.
We Are FSTVL
Where: London, UK – new location coming
When: Late May
Genre: House, Techno, Electronic
At the very end of the eastern district line, you’ll find the wildly popular We Are FSTVL each late May. This festival brings in an absolutely massive lineup each year, and has quite a few different tents and outdoor stages with different predominant genres. It also has a massive and separate VIP area with its own stage, which is only slightly more expensive than a regular ticket and is very worth it! I’ve been twice and remember being so impressed by jacuzzi areas and special food stands in VIP each time.
Lineups at ‘We Are’ as it’s called for short have seen people like Solomun, Sam Divine, Jauz, Nina Kraviz, Eric Prydz, Jax Jones, Loco Dice, Craig David, the Black Madonna, Marco Carola, Carl Cox, and more – always stacked!
More Festivals + Festival Destinations
- Best Music Festivals in Croatia
- Boom Festival in Portugal
- Best Music Festivals in the Netherlands
- Best Festivals in Germany
- Tomorrowland Festival Review + Guide
- Sziget Festival Review + Guide
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