It might feel gloomy right now, but soon the miserable clouds will part and divine intervention will bestow upon us the biggest London festival season since, well, ever.
Missing out on Glastonbury tickets used to make you a social pariah. Now, for the same price as entry to Worthy Farm, you can hop between four or five London day festivals this summer, prompting jealous “Oohs!” and “Aahs!” from your friends and Instagram followers.
This year, more than ever, festivals are making use of London’s sprawling green spaces. The Victoria Park-based All Points East mega-show and Hyde Park’s British Summer Time pop extravaganzas may still reign supreme, with six and eight days of music respectively, but with more new festivals popping up each year in different locations, there’s never been a better time to catch your favourite artists al fresco.
It is now entirely possible to leave the house and wander to a local park for 12 hours of live music. And the best part? The short trip home to your own dry, clean, comfy bed.
1. Gala Festival
South London is fighting to snatch the day festival crown this summer with a plethora of impressive events across the summer. One of these is the independent, community-driven dance festival Gala, which returns for its ninth year in 2024. It runs across three days on bank holiday weekend this May with a variation of hosts, such as NTS radio and Adonis, the queer club night aficionados. The highlight has got to be Friday, which features Joy Orbison, DJ EZ, Novelist and Sherelle.
When? May 24 to 26
Where? Peckham Rye Park
Who’s on the line-up? John Talabot, Joy Orbison, DJ EZ, Sherelle, Horsemeat Disco, Nightmares on Wax
Tickets: From £54, ra.co
2. Field Day
East London’s electronic music heavyweight is back again, as you may have noticed from the billboards cropping up across London. This year is spearheaded by French house legends Justice, who are returning to Viccy Park after their 2019 appearance at Field Day’s sister festival All Points East. This time they’ll be on a much bigger stage, and follow in the footsteps of equally huge former headliners such as Jamie XX and Aphex Twin.
When? August 24
Where? Victoria Park
Who’s on the line-up? Justice, PinkPantheress, Charlotte de Witte, Yaeji
Tickets: From £80, axs.com
3. All Points East
To Field Day’s slightly less womp-womp sister, All Points East. This festival, also held in Victoria Park, has become a staple of the London festival calendar, with anyone who’s anyone attending at least one of the days. This summer will be no different: spanning six days, All Points East offers all kinds of varying vibes to satisfy anyone’s taste.
Rap and jazz fans will be delighted with the day Loyle Carner is headlining, which also features music from the Mercury Award-winning Ezra Collective, as well as emerging rapper ENNY. Sadder souls will be soothed by the likes of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. The cream of the crop, though, has to be Canadian DJ Kaytranada, who will bring groove to the masses alongside Grammy winner Victoria Monét and cool-kid bassist Thundercat.
When? August 16 to 25
Where? Victoria Park
Who’s on the line-up? Kaytranada, Loyle Carner, LCD Soundsystem, The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie
Tickets: From £75, allpointseastfestival.com
4. Project 6
Back south of the river there’s a handful of brilliant Brockwell Park-based festivals to pick from this summer, one of which is Project 6, returning for its second year this May. And this edition is special as it’s a collaboration in honour of the 30-year anniversary of Rinse FM, aka the London-based former pirate radio station that’s now described as the “beating heart of UK underground radio”. And there’s some of London’s most cult performers on the lineup, including AJ Tracey, ultra-secretive rapper CASISDEAD, as well as beloved Peckham-born singer songwriter Katy B.
When? May 24
Where? Brockwell Park
Who’s on the line-up? AJ Tracey, Nines, Pusha T, CASISDEAD, Shy FX, Katy B
Tickets: From £49.50, project6festival.com
5. Cross the Tracks
Also in Brockwell Park is Cross the Tracks festival, which takes place two days after from Project 6, closing out the big May bank holiday weekend. Last year’s offering saw the first of the English summer sun setting across Brixton as US rap star Anderson Paak took to the stage with NxWorries, his DJ pairing with producer Knxwledge. This year should be equally majestic, with living legend Erykah Badu set to headline, as well as a host of other big names from jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop.
This is no quickly-cobbled together festival made up of burger vans and cider cans either; with over 50 food and drink traders and a craft beer fair, Cross the Tracks is an elevated festival experience. And an ethical one: the festival maintains “proud minimum” of 50 per cent female-led acts on its line-ups.
When? May 26
Where? Brockwell Park
Who’s on the line-up? Erykah Badu, BADBADNOTGOOD, Eve, Madlib, Ama Lou
Tickets: From £69.50, xthetracks.com
6. Hospitality in the Woods
Turning to drum and bass for those who like to skank and skank to their hearts’ content, there’s Hospitality in the Woods festival in south-east London this August. Returning to the picturesque Beckenham Palace Park after a sold out event last year, DnB fans can expect to party with alongside the park’s serene lake, grand mansion, and within its ancient woodlands. It might feel slightly incongruous when set to a soundtrack of Pendulum, but that’s how the genre is enjoyed best, after all.
When? August 17
Where? Beckenham Palace Park
Who’s on the line-up? Pendulum, Flux Pavilion, Mungo’s Hi-Fi, King of the Rollers and INJA
Tickets: On sale soon at hospitalityinthewoods.com
7. Wide Awake
For the indie-heads out there, London’s biggest day festival is likely Wide Awake, which returns on the May bank holiday weekend with a bumper lineup including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Young Fathers and Slowdive. Though indie leads the way, Wide Awake also has plenty on offer besides; dance music fans can expect performances from acclaimed DJs such as Ben UFO and Helena Hauff, as well as cult PC music artist Hannah Diamond.
When? May 25
Where? Brockwell Park
Who’s on the line-up? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Young Fathers, Slowdive, Alice Glass
Tickets: From £59.50, wideawakelondon.co.uk
8. Junction 2
Hounslow hosts the unsung beauty that is Junction 2, an electronic music festival that suffered through years of postponements due to Covid and travel chaos. But now it’s back, and this time in Boston Manor Park, with the likes of Barry Can’t Swim, The Blessed Madonna, Ahadadream, Honey Dijon, Salute and so, so many more DJs gracing its stages. This one’s also in July, so you can spread your day festivals across multiple months, instead of having to choose from the busy bank holiday weekends of May and August.
When? July 26 to 28
Where? Boston Manor Park
Who’s on the line-up? Paul Kalkbrenner, Jon Hopkins, CamelPhat, Parra for Cuva, BARRY CAN'T SWIM, Honey Dijon
Tickets: From £71.25, junction2.london
9. British Summer Time
Fresh from the announcements of Stevie Nicks and SZA, BST 2024 is shaping up to be extremely exciting. Along with the witch queen of Arizona, there’s some other huge named, including Kylie, Shania Twain, Robbie Williams and, for the London-based K-pop fans, the hugely popular South Korean megastars Stray Kids. Basically, if you’re looking for an arena show for one of the biggest stars of our time, except in a far more pleasant setting, BST 2024 is exactly what you need.
When? June 30 to July 14
Where? Hyde Park.
Who’s on the line-up? Stevie Nicks, Kylie, Shania Twain, Robbie Williams, Stray Kids, Kings of Leon, Andrea Bocelli
Tickets: From £101.05, bst-hydepark.com
10. Maiden Voyage
This underground dance festival is perfect for anyone also tempted by the offerings of Junction 2 or Gala. Held in Camberwell’s Burgess Park, this is one of London’s best value festivals, with first release tickets costing around £20. The festival site used to be all the way out in Lee Valley, but dance and electronic fans can now rejoice at its far more central location. It’s also on the later end of the summer festival timetable, so for anyone in search of one last boogie, this is your place.
When? September 14
Where? Burgess Park
Who’s on the line-up? Mall Grab, Arca, Erika De Casier, Jayda G, Young Marco
Tickets: From £43.95, ra.co