Note: Glastonbury is in its fallow year and will not take place in 2026.
Festival season is almost upon us, so get the tent out of the garage and blow the dust off of your bucket hat because we’ve got a cracking lineup this year.
What's on in May?
The Great Escape
A musical scavenger hunt spread across around 500 artists playing venues throughout Brighton, The Great Escape is the go-to festival for discovering the buzziest acts in tiny venues before their careers take off.
Dates: 13–16 May, Brighton
Ticket prices: Day and weekend passes available — check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Emerging artists — first 50 announced include Girl Group, Tanzana, Annie-Dog, and Saint Clair
Neighbourhood Weekender
Warrington’s beloved festival in Victoria Park blends mainstream and emerging acts across an action-packed weekend of indie, pop and alternative music.
Dates: 23–24 May, Victoria Park, Warrington
Ticket prices: Weekend tickets available — check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Richard Ashcroft, Kaiser Chiefs, Sophie Ellis-Bextor (Saturday); Blossoms, Razorlight, Melanie C (Sunday)
Slam Dunk Festival
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Slam Dunk is the UK’s biggest independent rock festival, running simultaneously at two sites with two new side-by-side main stages for non-stop metalcore action with zero set clashes.
Dates: 23–24 May, Hatfield Park (South) and Temple Newsam, Leeds (North)
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Good Charlotte, Sublime, Knocked Loose, Taking Back Sunday
Lovebox Festival
Making a long-awaited return after its lockdown-era disappearance, Lovebox heads to Dreamland in Margate, honouring its early days with a stellar lineup of dance, electronic and feel-good acts.
Dates: 29–30 May, Dreamland, Margate
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Rudimental, Groove Armada, Scissor Sisters, Friendly Fires, Jayda G, DJ EZ
BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend
The BBC’s beloved pop extravaganza travels to a different city each year, this time landing in Sunderland at Herrington Country Park. Fifty percent of tickets are reserved for people with nearby postcodes.
Dates: 22–24 May, Herrington Country Park, Sunderland
Ticket prices: Free to apply via ballot (though highly competitive)
Headline acts: Olivia Dean is among the confirmed performers, with more still to be announced
What's on in June?
Download Festival
The legendary home of heavy music, Download unites fans from across the globe at Donington Park for an electrifying multi-day experience of world-class headliners, iconic bands, and rising acts across the rock and metal spectrum.
Dates: 10–14 June, Donington Park, Derby
Ticket prices: A five-day camping pass is available for around £365 Access Creative College
Headline acts: Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, and Guns N’ Roses
LIDO Festival
A two-day festival in Victoria Park, London, LIDO cleverly splits its programming across two distinct vibes — Friday brings indie and alternative music, while Saturday pivots to sunlit dance, giving it something of a dual personality.
Dates: 12–13 June, Victoria Park, London
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: CMAT, Father John Misty, Sharon Van Etten (Friday); Maribou State, Kelis (Saturday)
Isle of Wight Festival
One of the UK’s most historic and beloved festivals, held at the scenic Seaclose Park in Newport, the Isle of Wight Festival combines great music with the unique charm of a ferry crossing to the island — making the journey part of the experience.
Dates: 18–21 June, Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight
Ticket prices: Weekend tickets cost around £320, with day tickets starting from £125 Europa
Headline acts: Lewis Capaldi, Calvin Harris, The Cure
Parklife
Manchester’s biggest music festival, held in Heaton Park, is known for its solid blend of rap, dance, R&B and big pop names — and its legendary ability to get ravers dancing through Manchester rain.
Dates: 20–21 June, Heaton Park, Manchester
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Skepta, Sammy Virji, Nia Archives (Saturday); Zara Larsson, Calvin Harris, Chris Stussy (Sunday)
BST Hyde Park
American Express presents BST Hyde Park is a series of one-day concerts held across two weekends in London’s iconic Hyde Park, spanning genres from country to pop.
Dates: 27 June – 11 July, Hyde Park, London
Ticket prices: Individual day tickets — check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Garth Brooks (27 June, his first UK show since 1998), Duran Duran (5 July), Pitbull and Kesha (10 July), Lewis Capaldi (11 July)
Blackbird Festival
An inaugural metal festival launched and headlined by US rockers Alter Bridge at the spectacular Cardiff Castle, with the band personally handpicking the rest of the lineup.
Dates: 27 June, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Alter Bridge, Skindred, Florence Black, Cardinal Black
What's on in August?
All Points East
Victoria Park’s premier multi-week festival series returns with a kaleidoscopic lineup, presenting different genres and artists across multiple weekends — less a single festival than a whole summer of them.
Dates: Multiple dates in August, Victoria Park, London
Ticket prices: Individual day tickets — check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Lorde, Tyler the Creator (two nights), Twenty One Pilots, Jorja Smith, Deftones, and IDLES
Reading & Leeds Festival
The UK’s longest-running major music festival, running simultaneously across two sites, Reading & Leeds has evolved from its rock roots to embrace hip-hop, pop and alternative music, making it a rite of passage for music fans.
Dates: 27–30 August, Richfield Avenue, Reading / Bramham Park, Leeds
Ticket prices: Weekend camping: £325 | Weekend non-camping: £295 | Day tickets: £125 | Thursday ticket: £55
Headline acts: Charli XCX and Fontaines D.C. (Friday), RAYE and Dave (Saturday), Florence + The Machine and Chase & Status (Sunday)
Creamfields
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Creamfields is the UK’s biggest electronic music festival, promising the biggest names in dance music, next-level production, and unforgettable moments at its Daresbury home.
Dates: 27–30 August, Daresbury Estate, Cheshire
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing (weekend camping typically around £250–£300+)
Headline acts: Disclosure (Friday), Calvin Harris and Underworld (Saturday), Sonny Fodera (Sunday)
Dates still to be announced....
TRNSMT
Glasgow’s biggest outdoor music festival, set in the heart of the city at Glasgow Green, TRNSMT brings a massive multi-day lineup of indie, rock and pop to Scotland’s biggest city.
Dates: Summer 2026 (exact dates TBC), Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Ticket prices: Check the official site for current pricing
Headline acts: Two Door Cinema Club, Lewis Capaldi, Kasabian, Wolf Alice, Loyle Carner
Boomtown Fair
Boomtown is famous for its uniquely immersive festival city concept, featuring electronic music, drum & bass and incredible themed stage design that transforms the site into a fantasy world.
Dates: Summer 2026 (exact dates TBC), Winchester
Ticket prices: Standard camping tickets typically around £350 Access Creative College
Headline acts: Lineup TBC
*Ticket prices and lineups for some festivals are still being announced, and are subject to change – so it’s worth checking official websites for the most up-to-date details.
Featured image: Unsplash, Danny Howe