Boomtown, Winchester
This is the second summer my partner and I, and several friends, attended Boomtown festival. We took in all sorts musically, from brass bands to techno. Being a bit of an old reggae fan my personal highlights included the awesome Toots and the Maytals, U Roy and Big Youth, as well as headliners and Two Tone legends the Specials. We also explored the nooks, crannies, alleyways, streets and squares in the various districts, which were populated with costumed actors and actresses; some of the structures, such as the Bang Hai Towers in the downtown area, were just stunning. Another highlight was the procession on the Sunday led by samba percussion group Batala and a cyberpunk truck. It was varied, stimulating and we will definitely be returning. Jon Neil
WeWork Summer Camp, Tunbridge Wells
The magnificent Florence & the Machine headlined this festival for employees and members of the workspace company WeWork, along with Two Door Cinema Club and Galantis – and camping, eating, meeting, playing and dancing in the great outdoors. DJ EZ was also on top form. The roller disco was good fun, but there were definitely some bruised legs on Monday morning. James Griffin
Edinburgh fringe and Edinburgh jazz festival carnival
It was via taking photos at the Edinburgh fringe that I got back into photography, street photography specifically, having left it behind for nearly a decade. I have heard actors, comedians, performers generally say that the fringe is a great training ground for them, and it has been for me too. There are so many colours, strange characters and interesting moments all around you. This year I took my nine-year-old daughter to take pictures with me and she really enjoyed it, but did complain about the weight of the camera after a while. The highlight this year was Japanese dance duo RedRibbon. I usually only get to see street performers on the Royal Mile, and they were a stand out, with lots of dramatic movement and style.
The jazz festival carnival is like the starting gun for the whole festival season in Edinburgh. The procession, which begins at the top of the Mound and winds its way down to Princes Street and on into the gardens, is very colourful and energetic. It’s great that Princes Street is closed off while the parade goes by, packed full of dancers, painted bodies and the odd Chinese dragon or two. It’s like a suspension of normal reality, like the fringe two weeks later, and always great fun. Alan Gardner
Bristol Sounds
I go to this festival every June. It’s held right in the city centre, and with the building behind being one big curve, the acoustics are amazing. I photograph the event for local media, so usually end up in the pit with all the other photographers. The Manic Street Preachers were amazing, but my favourite act this year was Bonobo. I had the new album on loop in the car and his sound is so infectious and soulful. Colin Moody
Glastonbury
This was only our second year at Glastonbury and following 2016’s mudbath this was a sunny, dry, delightfully relaxed experience. As a teacher I can’t go until Friday after school is finished, and I also need to leave on Sunday to be ready for Monday morning. But it truly felt like entering a completely unique bubble for 48 hours. And that was perfectly summed up by Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. Gary Futcher
Rhythmtree, Isle of Wight
I actually prefer this festival to the big Isle of Wight festival. Maybe it’s because I prefer the music – world and folk – and plenty of interesting original acts that I haven’t seen. It’s also so uncrowded and laid back, with no queuing for anything. Of all the festivals I’ve been to, Rhythmtree is up there with Womad and the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. I go with the group I play with – the Brighstone Barnacles. We do about 30 gigs a year locally and we were invited to play the woodland stage at Rhythmtree. We get a very friendly audience, and it was a thrill last year to have one of my heroes, Robyn Hitchcock, watch us, have a chat and later dedicate one of his songs to us.
Highlights this year included the London African Gospel Choir performing Graceland. On occasions there was a lack of atmosphere, with great artists trying to whip up a sparse crowd basking in the sunshine, but then that gave this little girl the room to stand at the front playing her guitar! Crispin Keith
V, Hylands Park; Glastonbury; BST Hyde Park
I shoot for a photography agency and have been working at festivals for about six years. I’ve been to Glastonbury 11 times, but this was the first one I got to shoot. I always enjoy catching up with other photographers who I’ve seen at previous shows and festivals.
Getting to see the Killers do a secret set at Glastonbury was a personal highlight. After seeing and photographing Jain at the Troubadour in Los Angeles I was really excited to photograph her live, and Nadia Rose is also definitely a name to look out for. She really got the crowd going. Robin Pope
Pennfest, Buckinghamshire
This is a relatively new summer festival, and I’ve been lucky enough to go to it since it started. I gets bigger and better every year, they have a knack of getting great bands to sign up for it. This year my favourites were the Charlatans and EMF. I’m hoping they ask Arrested Development to join the line up next year, but one thing is for sure – I’ll be back. Ben Jackson
Latitude, Suffolk
My children are now 28, 20 and 16, and this was our eighth year of all going to Latitude. It’s only half an hour away from where we live, but we would travel many more miles to go there – it’s an amazing, varied experience, and the way it’s laid out is very beautiful. It’s very safe and the organisers do a fantastic job. Over the years we’ve seen so many memorable acts. This year, for me, the highlight was seeing Fatboy Slim – the children, of course, had completely different ones. There is a real sense of community and no divide between ages; people just come together and have fun. No one even laughed at me dancing in the mosh pit with a crowd of teenagers. Lizzie Falconer
Glastonbury
I’ve been going to Glastonbury since 1997. The only two I’ve missed in that time were when I was expecting my children. For the past few years I’ve also worked there for the charity Festival Medical Services, which has been amazing. I usually go with my husband, and our children who are now three and five also come along. It’s a bit challenging at times, and you don’t get to see as many bands as you once did, but they love it as much as we do.
The highlights this year were seeing Radiohead 20 years on, as they were headliners at our first Glastonbury; true to Radiohead fashion they played what they wanted to play, but some anthems at the end made the set. Also watching the Foo Fighters, who I don’t profess to know many tunes of, was just awesome. Glastonbury never fails. We’ll be ready for it again in 2019! Jacqueline Jones
