With the festival season beginning again in the coming months, we thought it might be useful to pick out a few that are worth checking out. Tickets for some of these might be in short supply so it might be a good idea to start planning soon.
Isle of Wight Festival
11th June – 14 June 2020
Newport, Isle of Wight
The first Isle of Wight Festival was in 1968, however it was the unexpected popularity of the 1970 festival that has meant it has gone down in folklore. 600,000 people attended and this led to the UK Parliament adding a section to the Wight County Council Act 1971 preventing overnight open air gatherings of more than 5,000 people on the Island without a special licence from the Council. The 1970 festival had a pretty cool line up in its day with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Jethro Tull.
The festival was resurrected in 2002 and has gone from strength to strength attracting top class acts. The 2020 lineup includes Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol and The Chemical Brothers.
https://isleofwightfestival.com/
Download
12th -14th June 2020
Donnington Park
If you are into Heavy Metal and Hard Rock then Download is one for your diary. This genre is too often overlooked at festivals but has a massive following and if this is your thing you will feel quite at home here. This year’s line-up includes KISS, Iron Maiden and System of A Down. This looks like being Heavy Rock heaven.
https://downloadfestival.co.uk/
Glastonbury
24th-28th June 2020
Pilton, Somerset
A visit to Glasto at least once in your life is pretty much on every festival goer’s bucket list. First started in 1970, it has become the holy grail of festivals worldwide. This year’s acts include Taylor Swift, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney and countless others. As its official title is 2020 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, you can be sure to have an extensive range of differing music and art forms to enjoy. This year is the 50th Anniversary so big things are expected! Glastonbury is always good for broadening the mind!
https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/
Trnsmt
10th – 12th July 2020
Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Trnsmt came about following the demise of T in the Park. It is held on Glasgow Green close to the city centre. There is no overnight camping so budget accommodation may be in short supply. It is close enough to enjoy all of Glasgow’s bustling nightlife and culture. This year’s line-up includes Courteeners, Ian Brown, Sam Fender and Blossoms who are guaranteed to really get the crowd going.
https://trnsmtfest.com/
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
17th – 26th July 2020
Edinburgh
This Jazz and Blues festival is probably one of the best in Europe, which runs through July and precedes the Fringe, which starts on 2nd August. 140 concerts over 11 venues gives you a chance to experience Blues and Jazz veterans along with some extremely talented newcomers, some of whom may well become household names in the coming years.
https://www.edinburghjazzfestival.com/
Latitude
16th – 19th July 2020
Southwold, Suffolk
Sitting amongst the beautiful Suffolk countryside, Latitude is probably more family friendly than most with a range of activities to suit different age groups. This would be a good place to introduce your kids to festival life. Music will be supplied by Haim, The Chemical Brothers and Liam Gallagher. Bill Bailey will be one of the comedy headliners this year. With theatre and crafts and a ‘healing area’ there is plenty to keep you occupied over the festival.
https://www.latitudefestival.com/
Cambridge Folk Festival
30th July – 2nd August 2020
There has been a reawakening of folk music in the last decade, some even say it’s the new rock and roll. Every year the Cambridge Folk Festival attracts a plethora of highly talented musicians from around the world to play to an audience that appreciates good musicianship, good story telling, and good company. Folk music has a much broader appeal now attracting a more diverse and younger audience than ever before, and that is demonstrated in the list of acts performing.
https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival
Green Man
20th-23rd August 2020
Brecon Beacons
Set against a stunning backdrop of the Brecon Beacons, Green Man takes on a slightly folkier stance. Like some other festivals you will find a range of other things to keep you occupied from comedy, performing arts, literature, film, science and stuff for kids and teens. There are upwards of 90 singers and bands and hundreds of other performers.
https://www.greenman.net/
Creamfields
29th- 30th August 2020
Daresbury, Warrington
The Creamfields dance phenomenon continues to pull in the crowds and this August Bank Holiday looks set to carry on the trend. An impressive list of artists includes Camelphat, The Chemical Brothers, Pendulum, Annie Mac and Tiesto. You can pretty much guarantee a stunning lighting and pyrotechnic back drop to all the acts.
https://www.creamfields.com/
Reading and Leeds Festival
28th – 30th August 2020
Reading and Leeds
These festivals have become something of a right of passage for those leaving school and entering the wider world as well as die-hard festival veterans. This year you can see Liam Gallagher, the Foo Fighters and a host of others. Many great memories have been created at Reading and Leeds over the years.
https://www.readingandleedsfestival.com/