The Classics
Let’s cut to the chase: festival season’s top dog is Glastonbury (26-30 June).
It’s not just about the music, but the atmosphere; a collective, happy smugness at somehow scoring tickets. Be assured that this year’s line-up is as good as ever, with Stormzy and Billie Eilish among performers. If you missed out, London staple British Summer Time (5-14 July) will cheer you up with an old-school tour-de-force including Céline Dion, Robbie Williams and Barbra Streisand.
The Eco-friendlies
Nothing says post-festival downer more than a rubbish-strewn quagmire. Happily, Manchester’s Parklife (8-9 June) has banned plastic straws and polystyrene cups, and Wheels & Fins (7-8 September) in Kent has an on-site can crusher to recycle your tinnies. Meanwhile, Shambala (22-25 August) in Northamptonshire is entirely powered by renewable energy. Our pick? Green Man (15-18 August) in Brecon Beacons, which reminds us that its reusable stacking cups enable one to carry ‘five pints at once’. Priorities.
The Alternatives
Looking for something a bit different from the usual beer-and-wellies fare? We get it. Kew Gardens’ Kew the Music (9-14 July) is the perfect level of sedate if the idea of no shower for three days is pure hell: Rick Astley’s playing, so chances to dad-dance will abound. If line dancing is more your bag, look no further than The Long Road (6-8 September) in Leicestershire, where country music acts run the gamut from Suzanne Santo to actress Jessie Buckley, who recently starred as a country singer in Wild Rose.
The Foodies
If you spend most of the time near the food stalls, try one of these. Mark Hix hosts Food Rocks (7-8 September) in Lyme Regis, with supper clubs and demonstrations. Hot on his heels is Tom Kerridge, whose travelling Pub in the Park (31 May to 15 September) features guest chefs from Rick Stein to Jason Atherton. Our pick? Cotswolds’ Big Feastival (23-25 August) — catch Raymond Blanc rubbing shoulders with Jess Glynn.
The Insta-favourites
If you haven’t splashed pics all over Instagram, were you even there? Some festivals are just begging for a filter. Latitude’s pink sheep are fail-safe like-generators (18-21 July), while London’s Lovebox (12-13 July) is a riot of colour. If you’re going for a more #NaturalLook, check out Boardmasters (7-11 August) in Cornwall; a seaside shot never fails. And it has a Ferris wheel, for the Coachella effect.
