Pink sheep, a literature tent, family-pleasing headliners, charming woods and a lake: Latitude once again proves itself the perfect family festival. There’s really not much about it that could offend anyone – which could be good if you’re in need of a festival to attend with the in-laws.
For the 40,000 people assembling from across the country in this little microcosm of England’s landscape – lakeside woods and green (ish) pastures of Suffolk – this year’s headliners were crowd-pleasing and cross generational; think Sting, Fatboy Slim and Snow Patrol. The rest of the line up featured a mix of pop and rock, plus a stand out menu of comedy.
Easing you in with a gentle start (how very Latitude), the music typically doesn’t begin until Friday. Kicking things off was English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, whose attempted political discourse on trans rights weirdly flopped with the audience, before the acrobatic antics of Basement Jaxx warmed up the main stage – for, uh, Sting, who was a slightly different vibe. He did his best and wisely leaned into The Police’s extensive back catalogue.
If that wasn’t edgy enough for indie fans, there was always Dublin’s heavy rockers SPRINTS, who whipped up a satisfying mosh pit. Also on Saturday, genre-melting Londoners Sorry were mesmerising in their dreamy blend of trip hop and shoegaze, performing under a slogan reading ‘you were empty enough to be filled with myth’ – which is about as heavy metal as this festival can get. The Second Stage, an iconic red and blue stripey tent, was the perfect home for both these sets.
Meanwhile, eclectic favourites Public Service Broadcasting drew a loyal crowd for a tight set, combining cinematic samples with krautrock precision. And on Sunday, the Lambrini Girls’ set sat should to shoulder with that hero of the noughties Mika. He graced the main stage with panache, flouncing through a joyous set of big hits complete with four costume changes, one of which saw him dressed as a giant angel.
For those not staggering out of their tents hungover at midday – and to be fair this is Latitude, so that’s most people – the more mellow Listening Post didn’t disappoint. Saturday highlights included The Poetry Exchange, a lovely, lazy listen with a panel exchanging favourite poems. Later, Booker Prize judge Chris Power spoke candidly about the highs and lows of reading 135 novels in seven months – and what it was like working alongside Sarah Jessica Parker (more importantly – SJ was unfortunately not present).
And for people even more determined not to overdo the fun, you could mosey on down to hear a talk on everything from Brexit to The UK’s Public Finances on Sunday. The panel featured the (brilliant) Jim Pickard of the FT, the BBC’s Nick Robinson (who it must be said dominated the conversation just a little too much) and Times Radio’s John Pienaar.
If you couldn’t rave to dirty techno, at least you could pee in relative peace
Sadly the late-night music remains very hit and miss – unless you like karaoke (which I’m happy to say I do). Latitude isn’t a festival for serious dance or electronic heads. Beyond families, the festival remains a haven for first-time revellers – mainly 17-year-olds (this was me, back in the day) – who swarm the Trailer Park en masse by nightfall to have a grand old time.
But hey, if you couldn’t rave to dirty techno, at least you could pee in relative peace. The toilets were notably excellent – which as we all know is no mean feat. Five stars for these shiny facilities.
In terms of timetabling, it pays to download the Latitude app as that’s the only way to get updates on set changes. I turned up for “TBC” only to find nothing on – and the same happened with The Wytches.
More scintillating was Fatboy Slim’s epic two-hour headline set on Saturday. Complete with fireworks, literal fire, barrels of yellow confetti and the confidence to mix Wonderwall with a techno beat (as bad as it sounds), he had total command of the crowd. Vague political messages added a sort of airy fairy feel-good factor: “drop acid, not bombs” with a hundred yellow smiley faces. He stopped short of suggesting where exactly we drop them. Other acts were braver, revealing Palestine flags – but for the most part Latitude was apolitical.
Unless you count nationalism! Under a darkening sky, thousands gathered to cheer on the Lionesses in the Women’s World Cup final. From singing the anthem beforehand to hugging strangers after that final penalty, it was a pretty mega moment lifting the final night of the festival.
The final night’s main stage lineup was a suitably soporific sequence: Elbow followed by Snow Patrol. Cue babies smiling sleepily from their little wagons.
Latitude Festival will return for 2026; latitudefestival.com
