The Top British Music Festivals to Attend in 2024

After winter's lingering presence in Britain this year, summer has finally made its entrance. Gather your friends and pack your bags for a weekend filled with live music, creative costumes, fairground rides, performance poetry, global cuisine, and even pop-up hot tubs – UK music festivals are worth planning your holiday around.

Tickets for the world-famous Glastonbury sell out almost instantly, but this summer offers a festival for every preference (and budget) throughout the country. However, not all is well in the festival scene, as some notable events won’t take place in 2024 due to economic challenges. Many major festivals depend on corporate sponsorship, while smaller independents heavily rely on ticket sales.

Here’s a rundown of the top music festivals to watch for in 2024. Consider adding a weekend of distinctively British festival magic to your summer plans.

1. Glastonbury

Dates: June 26-30, 2024 at Worthy Farm, Somerset Tickets: Sold out

Glastonbury needs no introduction; securing a ticket feels like hitting the jackpot these days. It’s the world’s largest green field performing arts festival, founded by farmer Michael Eavis in 1970 on a 900-acre dairy farm in Somerset. The festival reaches millions worldwide through live broadcasts on the BBC and online. In 2024, headliners include Dua Lipa and SZA alongside Coldplay, with an impressive lineup featuring P J Harvey, Michael Kiwanuka, LCD Soundsystem, Idles, and The National, among others. For those who missed ticket sales back in November, volunteering on-site is an option, though those positions are highly sought after too. Be sure to check the website for details.

A helpful guide to Glastonbury: insider tips from an experienced attendee

2. Latitude

Dates: July 25-28, 2024 at Henham Park, Suffolk Tickets: latitudefestival.com

The 2024 Latitude festival has announced headliners including Duran Duran, Kasabian, London Grammar, and Keane. The comedy lineup features a strong female presence with Jo Brand, Sara Pascoe, Joanne McNally, and Judi Love headlining the Comedy Arena. In addition to music, expect a variety of poetry, podcasting, and paddleboarding (don’t forget your swimsuit for some lake fun and book your paddleboarding session early). Food will also be a highlight with cooking demos and a pre-bookable restaurant experience. Bringing the family? Visit the festival website for great tips on enjoying Latitude with kids in tow.

3. WOMAD

Dates: July 25-28, 2024 at Malmesbury, Wiltshire Tickets: womad.co.uk

Founded by Peter Gabriel, the inaugural WOMAD took place in England's fields in 1982. Now hosted annually in locations as diverse as Australia and Chile, this year’s UK festival boasts a lineup featuring world music artists such as Young Fathers, Sampa the Great, Amadou & Mariam, and Alison Goldfrapp. The community spirit at WOMAD is palpable. In addition to an array of top-tier 'world music' acts, attendees can engage in discussions led by notable thinkers, participate in workshops for all ages, enjoy a spoken word stage, and savor international cuisine at Taste the World. For those seeking a touch of indulgence, consider booking the Womad Spa, featuring wood-fired hot tubs, all-day yoga, and a bar offering alcohol-free cocktails and tonics.

Your ultimate packing checklist for music festivals

4. Download

Dates: June 14-16, 2024 at Donington Park, Leicestershire Tickets: downloadfestival.co.uk

Download Festival, hailed as 'the greatest rock and metal festival of all time,' returns to Donington Park this year. While it may not feature the iconic names of previous years (like 2023’s Metallica performances), the 2024 lineup caters to a younger audience with headliners including Queens of the Stone Age, Enter Shikari, and Avenged Sevenfold. The American rock band Fall Out Boy will close the Apex stage on Saturday, much to the surprise of some metal fans, indicating Download’s desire to broaden its appeal. As always, Big Green Coaches provides carbon-neutral transportation directly to the festival from various UK locations. Are you ready to rock?

5. Isle of Wight Festival

Dates: June 20-23, 2024 at Seaclose Park, Newport Tickets: isleofwightfestival.com

Often dubbed Europe’s answer to Woodstock since its inception in 1968, the Isle of Wight Festival boasts a stellar lineup for 2024, featuring artists that span four decades of music. Headlining this year is Green Day (a UK festival exclusive), alongside The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys, and Simple Minds, not to mention legendary acts like The Pretenders, Suede, Natalie Imbruglia, and McFly. Families will also find plenty to enjoy, with a Kids' Zone and a dedicated family campsite, making it a great choice for festival-goers with children.

6. Camp Bestival

Dates: July 25-28, 2024 at Lulworth Castle, Dorset; and August 15-18, 2024 in Weston Park, Shropshire Tickets: campbestival.net

Designed with families in mind, this award-winning festival offers two opportunities to experience Camp Bestival this summer. Set in picturesque locations in Dorset on the coast and Shropshire in the countryside, both festivals feature bell tents, fancy-dress parades, Cosmic Kids yoga, sound meditation, and invigorating ice baths. Alongside an impressive musical lineup including Paloma Faith, The Darkness, and Rick Astley, attendees can enjoy comedy, theater, talks, and a variety of activities. Kids will love the specially curated entertainment, which includes The World's Biggest Bouncy Castle, a pirate-themed sandpit, junkyard-robot crafting, and a dazzling fireworks show. For those unable to attend, Josie and Rob Da Bank have also released a Camp Bestival at Home activities book this summer.

7. Boomtown Fair

Dates: August 7-11, 2024 at Matterley Estate, Hampshire Tickets: boomtownfair.co.uk

Founded by a passionate group of young revelers, Boomtown Fair aims to showcase the essence of underground music, art, and theatrical culture. The 2024 theme, 'Chapter 3: Revolution of Imagination,' weaves an ongoing narrative filled with a multitude of characters navigating attendees through a maze of exciting adventures. This immersive festival creates a temporary city, featuring wandering performers such as contortionists, mime artists, and buskers, along with diverse dance floors and pop-up sound systems playing genres from reggae and folk to ska, metal, punk, and gabber.

8. End of the Road

Dates: August 29-September 1, 2024 Tickets: endoftheroadfestival.com

Around 13,500 attendees gather at Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset for the End of the Road festival, celebrating its 18th year. This event caters to fans of indie rock, folk, and alternative music, renowned for its friendly atmosphere and diverse offerings of music, comedy, and literature. The 2024 lineup features Idles, Slowdive, Fever Ray, and the contemporary Irish folk band Lankum. The comedy stage will showcase popular acts like Lebanese-American comedian Janine Harouni, London’s Stewart Lee, and Scotland’s Fern Brady, known from Taskmaster. Esteemed authors, including cultural historian Richard King and environmentalist Lucy Jones, will also present talks. If you're looking to catch a festival before autumn sets in, be sure to secure your tickets soon!

9. Secret Garden Party(ies)

Dates: July 25-28 and August 5-12, 2024 at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Tickets: secretgardenparty.com

This charming boutique music festival is making its return to the beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens of Cambridgeshire, with some exciting updates for 2024. The festival has been restructured into three distinct events. 'SGP: Roots' is the original gathering, brimming with the whimsical and immersive experiences that Secret Garden Party is known for. In August, a family-friendly festival named 'The Wild Meadows' will embody the same creative energy but cater to children. Lastly, 'Mistress Mary' will be an exclusive event for SGP members only. While some artists have been announced (such as Unkle), organizers emphasize that the lineup will remain dynamic, blending live performances with wild swimming, workshops, and a strong sense of community.

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10. Cambridge Club Festival

Dates: June 7-9, 2024 at Childerley Orchard, Cambridge Tickets: thecambridgeclub.co

Cambridge Club is set to deliver a vibrant weekend filled with soul, funk, and disco, returning to Childerley's picturesque apple orchard this summer. The 2024 lineup features beloved artists such as Chaka Khan, Soul 2 Soul, Sister Sledge, and British pop sensation Jessie Ware. Festival-goers can groove to the beats of DJs like Fat Tony, Norman Jay, and German producer Mousse T. Families are invited to the Imagination Station, where children can enjoy a variety of entertainment including theater, games, arts and crafts, storytelling, and sing-alongs to keep them engaged.

11. Green Gathering

Dates: August 1-4, 2024 in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales Tickets: greengathering.org.uk

A non-profit, low-impact festival, Green Gathering is fueled by solar power, wind, community spirit, and a desire for change. Spanning four days in Piercefield Park, Chepstow—just a 30-minute drive from Bristol or Cardiff—you'll find around 100 local acts ranging from solo singer-songwriters to edgy punk bands, along with folk, swing, dance, ska, reggae, cabaret, and poetry. One of the festival's highlights is its focus on sharing knowledge about low-impact and off-grid living, featuring workshops on solar energy, traditional Greek windmills, health, healing, and permaculture. In addition to music and workshops, there are plenty of activities for children like face painting, hula-hooping, upcycled crazy golf, and forest school activities. Unlike many family-friendly festivals, this one caters to teens with workshops for ages 11-17, plus music-making, trapeze, juggling, and creative crafts.

But that's not all…

12. Black Deer festival in Eridge Park, Kent, this June 2024 will showcase Americana legends like Joe Bonamassa, Sheryl Crow, and Rufus Wainwright. Expect camping, smokehouse dining, vintage motorcycles, and special activities for the younger crowd, making for a distinctive festival experience.

13. Love Supreme is a three-day event held at Glynde Place in East Sussex from July 5 to 7, featuring rising star Olivia Dean alongside established global soul, jazz, and R&B icons like Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, and Kool & the Gang.

14. Wilderness promises a weekend of unadulterated hedonism at Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire, taking place from August 1 to 4, 2024, with headliners Faithless, Michael Kiwanuka, and Jessie Ware.

15. The debut of Wild Fields is set to take place at Earlham Park, adjacent to the University of East Anglia in Norwich. This socially-aware festival aims to 'amplify the voices of green industry leaders and climate activists' and will feature food, discussions, and performances from artists like Ezra Collective and Kae Tempest.

16. Parklife Festival will unfold in the expansive Heaton Park, one of Europe's largest municipal parks, located in Manchester, on June 8 to 9, 2024. The lineup is headlined by Doja Cat, Disclosure, J-Hus, and Becky Hill​.

17. The Reading and Leeds festivals, running from August 21 to 25, have always drawn a youthful crowd (ages over 16, as younger kids are discouraged). Headliners for 2024 will include Blink-182, Fred Again, Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, and Catfish.

18. While the Connect festival in Edinburgh takes a break in 2024, TRNSMT Festival will be happening in Glasgow Green from July 12 to 14, featuring Liam Gallagher, Gerry Cinnamon, Calvin Harris, and Garbage​. If you're in Edinburgh this summer, don't miss the city's Summer Sessions concerts instead.

19. We Out Here will celebrate British club culture in Dorset from August 15 to 18, showcasing a diverse lineup curated by BBC Radio 6’s Gilles Peterson. It's a fusion of the best of clubbing set against a countryside backdrop.

20. British Summer Time (BST) takes place in London’s Hyde Park across various dates in June and July, featuring headliners like Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks, Kings of Leon, and Kylie in 2024.

Advice to steer clear of festival ticket scams

Unfortunately, scam websites are prevalent in 2024. To ensure you're purchasing festival tickets from a legitimate seller, look for a physical address instead of a PO box; carefully review the terms and conditions, including resale policies; use a credit card for added protection; and confirm that payment pages are secure by checking for a padlock symbol in the address bar.

If you're considering volunteering at any of these festivals, including Glastonbury, be cautious: reports have surfaced about fraudulent schemes where companies claim to recruit for festival volunteer teams, only to ask for a deposit for a non-existent spot. It's wise to contact festival organizers directly to confirm you're signing up for a legitimate opportunity and not falling victim to a scam.