Who needs Worthy Farm? From woodland raves and psych freakouts to fell walks and barbecue hoedowns, there’s a festival for everyone this summer,And some of them don’t even require a tentDownload10 to 14 June, Donington, Leicestershire If you needed another reminder of the cultural capital currently wielded by the sounds and styles of the early 2000s, witness nu-metal veterans Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park headlining the UK’s biggest rock festival alongside Guns N’ Roses, who continue to fly the flag for Donington’s Monsters of Rock heritage,Further down the poster you’ll find the really adrenalised stuff: Blood Incantation’s cosmic death metal; Drain’s febrile hardcore; and Die Spitz’s peerlessly cool doom-punk hybrid,Huw BainesIsle of Wight18 to 21 June, Newport Headliner-wise, Isle of Wight offers the perfect arc for a festival weekend,Friday is all about hugging your mates while enjoying emotive, singalong bops with Lewis Capaldi; then on Saturday, with energy levels still high, Calvin Harris brings frenetic, star-studded bangers; while Sunday’s possibly dark-hued comedown is perfectly soundtracked by enduring goth titans the Cure.

Inbetween, there’s the likes of everyone from Wet Leg to Rick Astley, via Teddy Swims and, why not aye, Five,Michael CraggTRNSMT19 to 21 June, Glasgow Since stepping into the hole left by the defunct T in the Park in 2017, TRNSMT has found a winning formula, packing 50,000 festival-goers each day into an urban park compact enough to get around in,This year aims to please another high-spirited multitude with Richard Ashcroft, Wolf Alice, Nile Rodgers & Chic, CMAT and a generous helping of Scottish talent including Lewis Capaldi and Amy Macdonald,Dave SimpsonState Fayre26 to 28 June, Chelmsford This new Essex-based festival, celebrating rock, Americana and country, promises “good times, good music and good food”,The music part is solid, with headliners including formerly hirsute family band Kings of Leon and “stomp clap hey” pioneers the Lumineers.

Sandwiched between is the still hugely influential Alanis Morissette (stepping in after the withdrawal of Neil Young), whose Jagged Little Pill-heavy set should go down a storm.The food aspect comes thanks to award-winning onsite barbecue merchants, who alongside the music should indeed equal “good times”.MCCreamfields27 to 30 August, Daresbury, Cheshire If your heart belongs to dance music, Creamfields is the place to be for August bank holiday.Celebrating 20 years at its Daresbury site, the festival has gone all out with Sonny Fodera, Disclosure and every DJ who’s ever had a Radio 1 residency in the lineup, plus hundreds more from under the umbrella of dance: hard techno, drum’n’bass, trance, tech house, you name it.Amid the mud and blown pupils you’ll find Apex, a 30,000-capacity rave barn that will make your tent feel like the world’s smallest hobbit hole.

Kate SolomonReading/Leeds festivals27 to 30 August The former rock festival’s gradual metamorphosis into an annual post-GCSE results blowout with a younger audience has been reflected in its gentle shift towards more pop-oriented lineups.This year’s offerings are probably their most diverse yet.Headliners Charli xcx, Chase & Status, Florence + the Machine, Fontaines DC, Dave and Raye compete for the attentions of the mostly under-25s and a smattering of those old enough to be their parents.DSEnd of the Road3 to 6 September, Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire End of the Road has consistently managed to book stellar acts over the past two decades, and its 20th-anniversary celebration is no different.Headliners include Pulp, Super Furry Animals and the ubiquitous CMAT, but further down the bill are headline-worthy artists Ty Segall, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Copeland, and Lucinda Williams.

Like any major British festival there’s so much more to dip your ears into.Naomi Larsson PiñedaBearded Theory 20 to 24 May, Catton Park, Derbyshire Set in the heart of the National Forest, music and performing arts festival Bearded Theory features its own school programme, which allows children to enrol in a learning timetable during the Friday of the festival and avoid being fined for missing a day’s school.Lessons include everything from mindfulness to slime-making and healthy eating, while parents can enjoy music from the likes of Pixies and Skunk Anansie.An ingenious solution to term-time fun.Ammar KaliaKnockengorroch21 to 24 May, Dumfries and Galloway Set among the Carsphairn Hills in south-west Scotland, this intimate festival celebrates the roots of Celtic music – though this year they’re bringing artists from farther afield in the form of South African funk collective BCUC.

Its small size and idyllic riverside location is ideal for a weekend with kids.The children’s tent is open all day with various free workshops and games and, of course, there’s a quieter area for families to camp upriver.NLPWomad Glasgow/Womad3 to 4 July, Glasgow; 23 to 26 July, Neston Park, Wiltshire Peter Gabriel’s long-running global music-focused festival returns with a new Wiltshire home for its flagship weekender after a 2025 hiatus.Located a stone’s throw from Gabriel’s label HQ Real World Studios, the lineup includes Jamaican reggae vocalist Barrington Levy, Palestinian rapper Tamer Nafar and Malian singer Oumou Sangaré, plus a dedicated kids’ area.A debut Scottish Womad edition also takes place in Glasgow, featuring homegrown folk sounds courtesy of a collaboration with local promoter Celtic Connections.

AKLatitude23 to 26 July, Henham Park, Suffolk Musically, Latitude has been a bit middle-of-the-road in recent years but the 20th-anniversary lineup is a great mix of nostalgia (Billy Ocean) and new sounds (Alessi Rose), crowd-pleasing singer-songwriters (Tom Odell) and David Byrne, who is all and none of those things at once.The comics are a mix of big hitters and up’n’comers, plus there’s food to die for, Margate’s iconic Crab Museum, wild swimming, three smashing kids’ areas and, as ever, bright pink sheep.KSTruck festival23 to 26 July, Steventon, Oxfordshire Described by organisers as “the UK’s most warped village fete”, Truck leans into the idea of adults and kids having an equally good time.Headliners the Maccabees, Two Door Cinema Club and the Wombats boast plenty of indie disco cred, while Thursday bill-topper CMAT will bring effortlessly witty alt-pop to the party.Youngsters, meanwhile, are invited to pile into scavenger hunts, storytime and a wide range of free workshops, from screen printing to circus skills.

HBCamp Bestival30 July to 2 August, East Lulworth, Dorset Set by the sea in Dorset, DJ Rob da Bank’s well-established event is a four-day family-centric festi-holiday for teens, preteens and their parents.Brand new kids’ activities for 2026 such as gardening workshops and bee-keeping join regular favourites Mr Tumble, skateboard ramp lessons, bread-making, morris dancing and trampolining, with music from Self Esteem, Bastille, Example, Fatboy Slim, Black Grape, De La Soul and many more.DSBig Feastival28 to 30 August, Chipping Norton Alongside the music – Basement Jaxx, the Streets and erstwhile Little Mixer Perrie, among others – and the comedy, which includes Harriet Kemsley and Shaparak Khorsandi, professional cheesemonger Alex James’s food-abundant festival also has a lot for the kids.As well as a woodland play area and an opportunity to bottle feed some lambs, there’s also an interactive Tales of Beatrix Potter adventure.If all that fails, everyone can enjoy some Barrioke, AKA singing along with Barry from EastEnders.

MCGala 22 to 24 May, London Peckham’s annual rave in the park is entering its 10th year and adding a third day to its celebration of club culture,From Friday’s rap and grime focus (featuring Giggs’s homecoming show) to Saturday’s all-out high-energy club classics to Sunday’s chiller take on house and disco (with Seth Troxler and Todd Terje, among others) it’s a thoughtfully curated weekend,It’s also fully independent – as is sister festival Rally, later in the summer, with Blood Orange, Smerz and Daniel Avery catering to the hipster within,KSLove Saves the Day 23 to 24 May, Bristol Bristol’s city-centre day festival is a raver’s paradise powered by ground-shaking sound systems,The 2026 edition features UK garage crossover star Sammy Virji alongside drum’n’bass DJ Sub Focus and Australian party-starting duo Confidence Man.

Over by Bristol’s suspension bridge there is also Forwards (29 to 30 August), which features big-name pop headliner Lorde, and for more dance action, across the country in Margate, one of London’s oldest one-day dance festivals, Lovebox (29 to 30 May), returns with headline sets from Scissor Sisters and Rudimental,AKSlam Dunk festival23 May, Hatfield; 24 May, Leeds Slam Dunk’s 20th-anniversary bill offers a neat summation of its enduring appeal,Taking place over consecutive days in the south and the north, with the lineup replicated at both venues, it offers high-gloss pop-punk from Boston Manor, State Champs and headliners Good Charlotte, alongside a slew of the heavier stuff as hardcore titans Knocked Loose pause their tour opening for Metallica to throw down in the company of Malevolence, Comeback Kid and Angel Du$t,HBMighty Hoopla30 to 31 May, London South London’s Brockwell Park has become the venue for festivals that do away with annoyances such as tents, sleeping bags and a chronic lack of hygiene,Not only does it house Field Day’s cutting-edge soundscapes, plus jazz celebration Cross the Tracks, and reggae and Afrobeats hothouse City Splash, but it’s also home to the gloriously queer pop fest Mighty Hoopla.

This year’s lineup includes the extremely busy Scissor Sisters, Jessie J and Lily Allen, performing her infidelity drama West End Girl.MCParklife20 to 21 June, Manchester Not for the faint-hearted, Manchester’s Parklife is full of post-exam teenagers with a lust for life that can only be sated by copious warm lagers and Calvin Harris, Sammy Virji and Skepta in a park.Although Zara Larsson will be flying the pop flag, this year’s lineup moves further in the direction of the rave – the underbill is stacked with drum’n’bass and dance acts who will keep the crowd vibrating for two head-spinning days.KSReggae Land31 July to 2 August, Milton Keynes When it comes to reggae, most people might not immediately think of Buckinghamshire’s Milton Keynes, but since 2021 the city’s 65,000-capacity Bowl has been home to the UK’s largest day festival centred on the genre.This year’s edition encompasses the chart-topping Afrobeats sound of Burna Boy as well as legacy Jamaican acts such as Beenie Man, Shaggy and Vybz Kartel, and upstarts such as singer Sheensea.

UK soundsystems come courtesy of Channel One, Trojan and Aba Shanti-I,AKAll Points East21-23 and 28-30 August, London The likes of Lorde (with support from PinkPantheress), Tyler, the Creator (headlining two days) and Jorja Smith (with Ayra Starr) descend on east London (not at the same time) for this six-day city festival,Alt-metal behemoths Deftones also headline as part of Outbreak festival, with its Manchester iteration taking place in June and featuring the Front Bottoms, Alexisonfire and Basement,In June, Victoria Park also plays host to the three-day Lido festival, featuring headliners CMAT, Maribou State and Bombay Bicycle Club,MCEden festival11 to 14 June, Dumfries and Galloway Taking place in the wooded grounds of Raehill’s Estate, just outside the town of Moffat in Scotland’s southern uplands, Eden is a not-for-profit gathering hosted by people from the local area.

Its community-focused approach extends from a Rabbie Burns-themed pub to a cycle-powered reggae stage and swimming in the river that runs alongside the arena,This year, music will come from Julian Marley, Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na and Malian guitar master Vieux Farka Touré,HBGottwood11 to 14 June, Anglesey Among various small-to-medium-sized rural dance festivals, including Beat-Herder in Lancashire and Houghton in Norfolk, the 5,000-ish capacity Gottwood on Anglesey’s Carreglwyd Estate celebrates its 15th year of presenting esoteric international dance music in a beautiful natural environment,Expect the likes of top Japanese turntablists DJ Masda and Fumiya Tanaka and live acts including Mathew Jonson and Enzo Leep, all set among glorious greenery, waters and woodland,DSDeer Shed24 to 26 July, North Yorkshire Set in the lush pastures of Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, Deer Shed is a family-oriented festival in its 16th year with something for all ages.

This year’s event hosts kids’ activities, comedy, literary and spoken word, and an eclectic bill including Everything Everything and the Twilight Sad.Hearing protection for kiddies will be essential if they’re still awake for sweary headliners Sleaford Mods.DSWilderness30 July to 2 August, Charlbury, Oxfordshire Situated amid the lush greenery of Oxfordshire, Wilderness has a reputation as one of the poshest festivals out there, the besequined middle class decamping to the country for Michelin-starred feasting and general debauchery.But it’s basically whatever festival you want it to be: you could spend all weekend dancing to the sounds of Scissor Sisters, the Last Dinner Party and Carl Cox, or letting loose at yoga, sound baths and massages.Or you could streak at the annual comedy cricket match if that appeals: it’s really what you make it.

KSBoardmasters5 to 9 August, Watergate Bay & Fistral Beach, Newquay Located along Cornwall’s spectacular coastline, Boardmasters is possibly the only festival in the UK where surfing rivals the musical acts when it comes to grabbing people’s attention.Thankfully, the lineup this year is on a par with any bottom turn or cutback, ranging from excellent dance-pop newcomers such as Chloe Qisha and Rose Gray to more established acts Loyle Carner, the Darkness and professional party-starter Fatboy Slim.MCKrankenhaus28 to 30 August, Muncaster Castle, Cumbria Krankenhaus feels like a festival made with love, helped by its gorgeous setting in the grounds of the Lakes’ Muncaster Castle.The lineup – featuring Stereolab, Bill Ryder-Jones and Sea Power, who helm the festival – is ideal for any indie lover, but there’s so much more on offer.It takes full advantage of its stunning surroundings with guided fell walks, raptor displays and steam train rides.

NLPVictorious28 to 30 August, Southsea Now in its 12th year on Southsea seafront (after being in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard for the first two years), Victorious prides itself on its picturesque beachfront location.Ten stages on the 70,000-ish capacity Common and Castle Field offer “something for everyone” headliners Kasabian, the Black Keys, Scissor Sisters, Richard Ashcroft, the Streets and Basement Jaxx alongside a lower-bill dollop of old school indie including Reef and Sleeper.DSCheltenham jazz festival29 April to 4 May, various venues Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Cheltenham jazz festival has a genre-hopping lineup that ranges far beyond the confines of improvised music.Glitzy, pop-adjacent names come courtesy of top headliners such as Jessie J and Joss Stone, while jazz aficionados have plenty to enjoy, from Chicago drummer Makaya McCraven to British producer Emma-Jean Thackray and saxophonist Joshua Redman.Farther afield, Tuareg rock group Tinariwen make their debut.

AKAVA 29 to 30 May, Belfast; 24 to 26 September, LondonLaunched in 2015, AVA spotlights cutting-edge electronic music, with previous iterations featuring Bicep, Mura Masa and Sherelle.This year’s Belfast lineup – the London spin-off’s acts are TBC – is just as impressive, with sets from Beyoncé’s favourite DJ/producer, Honey Dijon, plus local heroes Kneecap.MCLove Supreme jazz festival 3 to 5 July, Glynde Place, East Sussex Billed as Europe’s largest outdoor summer jazz festival, the Sussex-based camping weekender widens its scope in 2026.Social consciousness rappers Loyle Carner and De La Soul provide the big-name headliners, while Mercury prize-winning British group Ezra Collective curate their own stage of jazz-adjacent acts such as drummer Moses Boyd and singer Durand Bernarr.Taking the jazz remit even further is DJ Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here (20 to 23 August, Dorset), which features Miles Davis collaborator Gary Bartz alongside the likes of 90s Anglo-French duo Stereolab.

AKCambridge folk festival1 & 2 August, Cherry Hinton Hall The historic festival has been running since the 60s and has always worked to expand what we understand folk music to be.Veteran neo-folk artist Suzanne Vega is headlining this year alongside punk singer-songwriter Frank Turner and English folk legend Richard Thompson, while further down the bill are Pakistani instrumentalist Ustad Noor Bakhsh and genre-busting Scottish accordion player RuMac.NLPArcTanGent19 to 22 August, Bristol Heavy music fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals, but ArcTanGent is a perennial standout.While its sister event 2000trees skews punk and Bloodstock celebrates all things extreme, ArcTanGent is defined by a spirit of proggy adventure.This year, djent pioneers Sikth and art-rockers Cardiacs headline the opening night, followed by Primus’s bass-driven mayhem, majestic goth-rock from Chelsea Wolfe and post-metal bliss courtesy of Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas’s Mariner collaboration.

HBThe Long Road festival27 to 30 August, Stanford Hall, Leicestershire This countryside festival has been building up its prominence over the past decade and this year has secured two country legends Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle to go alongside Saturday headliner Bailey Zimmerman.It is a weekend of solely country and Americana, but thankfully there’s a mix of the UK’s take on the genre with extra lashings of indie-folk and psychedelia.NLPShambala 27 to 30 August, Northampton Independent stalwart Shambala is a must for music lovers looking to discover lesser-known acts before their commercial come-up.This year’s ones to watch include UK soul singer Madeleine, trumpeter for jazz juggernauts Ezra Collective Ife Ogunjobi, percussionist Sarathy Korwar and folk(ish) trio Calliope.The festival also features a thought-provoking poetry and performance strand, including British artist Sam Browne, poet and singer Joshua Idehen, poet and producer Nadeem Din-Gabisi and Chicago’s multi-disciplinary artist Sophia Lucia.

AKFocus Wales7 to 9 May, Wrexham Active since 2011, Focus Wales is a music and arts industry showcase festival held across various city centre spaces, which platforms emerging Welsh talent alongside international artists and film-makers,Alongside screenings and conferences, there are established acts including Idlewild and Fat Dog, with more esoteric offerings from Wrexham post-rockers Endura and South Korean psychedelic supergroup Wah Wah Wah,DSThe Great Escape13 to 16 May, Brighton If you want to catch the best and buzziest new bands, the Great Escape is the place to be,Or places, given that it ripples out across Brighton in every pub, hall, courtyard and beach available,The most hyped acts can command huge queues, so it’s worth planning ahead, but wandering in and out of venues randomly can also yield brag-worthy results, given that previous years have featured the pre-fame Lola Young, Charli xcx, the 1975, Ed Sheeran and Vampire Weekend.

KSHighways15 to 17 May, Royal Albert Hall, London Highways brings a taste of country and western to one of the UK’s most prestigious venues,It may not feel like a honkytonk in London’s Albert Hall, but this festival is only for those who can stand “three chords and the truth”,Nashville artist Jon Pardi headlines the Friday night, while Kentucky singer Carly Pearce leads the Saturday,The highlight will undoubtedly be Emmylou Harris, currently in the middle of a European farewell tour,NLPDot to Dot23 May, Bristol; 24 May, Nottingham Another great place to catch bands before they become huge, Dot to Dot happens in Bristol on the Saturday and Nottingham on the Sunday, taking over venues in each city to host the newest and most exciting acts.

The crowd leans young and energetic, and this year’s festival features experimental noise-makers Mandy, Indiana, dance-pop masters and soon-to-be Harry Styles tour support Fcukers, and the hotly tipped Adult DVD plus an absolute smorgasbord of new, genre-spanning music.KSManchester Psych Fest5 September With venues ranging from theatres and skateparks to Irish pubs, Psych Fest is both a mind-expanding artistic proposition and a chance to get your steps in amid the hubbub of one of the world’s great music cities.Headline sets from the Beta Band and Stereolab promise to blur the line between spaciness and melody, while Model/Actriz, Ty Segall and Lael Neale will deliver industrial-tinged noise-rock carnage, garage-rock fuzz and lo-fi indie pop respectively.HB