The A-list headliners
Download
13 to 15 June; Donington, Leicestershire
All eyes will be on masked metallers Sleep Token as they gatecrash the cosy world of veteran rock headliners, joining Green Day and Korn atop a bill studded with barbed delights, from Svalbard’s grandiose hardcore to Loathe’s dreamily atmospheric post-metal. Huw Baines
BST Hyde Park
27 June to 13 July; London
While it’s bad news for fans of Hugh Jackman – the Greatest Showman cancelled his headline performance due to scheduling conflicts – there are still plenty of big names spread across this central London day festival’s eight dates. Rock legend Neil Young has just been announced, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo bring the bops, while Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan offer rugged country-tinged singalongs. Michael Cragg
TRNSMT
11 to 13 July; Glasgow Green
If anyone knows how to party, it’s the Glaswegians – and if anyone knows how to get them going, it’s the bookers at TRNSMT, who’ve somehow wrangled 50 “Go shawty it’s your birthday” Cent alongside the tender rock of Biffy Clyro and the, well, tender rock of Snow Patrol. Check down the bill for rowdy gold: Fontaines DC, Kneecap and Confidence Man. Kate Solomon
Reading and Leeds festivals
21 to 24 August
It’s become cultural canon for millennials to grumble over the Reading and Leeds lineup, but you cannot claim that they’re not paying their due diligence to gen Z. Headlining first-timers Chappell Roan and Hozier are granted space to build on their viral successes, while Bring Me the Horizon and Travis Scott (a European exclusive) offer just the right amount of countercultural allure. Jenessa Williams
Creamfields
21 to 24 August; Cheshire
The ravecentric weekender is about as close as it’s possible to get to Ibizan excess in the fields of Cheshire. Taking place on the Daresbury estate, the longrunning, 70,000-capacity event features thumping soundsystems and immersive audiovisual stages such as the arachnoid Halo arena, playing host in 2025 to minimal techno juggernaut Anyma and Scottish star Ewan McVicar. Ammar Kalia
Perfect places
Gottwood
12 to 15 June; Anglesey
Taking place at the Carreglwyd Estate on Anglesey, Gottwood’s ethos balances out-there dance music and the desire to get back to nature, with this year’s programme situating Ogazón’s crate-digging techno and Yu Su’s exploratory electronica amid a woodland that encircles a sweeping lake vista. Vibey and pretty in equal measure. HB
Isle of Wight festival
19 to 22 June; Newport
A music festival on an island feels like a proper escape from real life. The famous Isle of Wight festival is set in the verdant Seaclose Park and is at least a ferry ride away for most of us. Though it hasn’t quite got the prestige acts of its heyday, you can catch Sting and Stereophonics alongside man of the woods Justin Timberlake. KS
Belladrum Tartan Heart
31 July to 2 August; Inverness
Set in the rural village of Kiltarlity near Inverness, with the main stage perched in front of a dense forest, the Belladrum Tartan Heart festival mixes music (Texas, Supergrass and Paul Heaton headline) with an overarching theme – this year it’s movies; with a prize for the best-dressed, make sure to pack your Spandex. MC
Wilderness
31 July to 3 August; Oxfordshire
The beauty of Wilderness has always been how it takes the hallmarks of your typical boutique festival – music, lavish outdoor dining, arts and wellness talks – and plonks them right among the kind of rolling hills that make you feel proud to be British. This year’s lineup marks the triumphant return of indie pop wunderkinds Wet Leg, as well as appearances from Basement Jaxx, Mary in the Junkyard and former Guardian writer Yomi Adegoke. JW
Boomtown
6 to 10 August; South Downs national park
Billed as more than a festival, the hedonistic Boomtown is a “living city” in which various “storylines” are unravelled by its audience as the weekend unfolds. If that all sounds a bit much, you could just marvel at the beautiful surroundings of the working dairy farm and zone out to the likes of Maribou State, Honey Dijon and the Blessed Madonna. MC
City slickers
The Great Escape
14 to 17 May; Brighton
If you’re looking for new music and undiscovered talent, Brighton’s Great Escape is a must. Each May, the festival takes over the seaside city’s pubs and small clubs to put on more than 100 sets from the nation’s rising stars. Previous performers have included a pre-fame Ed Sheeran and Stormzy. AK
AVA festival
30 to 31 May; Belfast
A conference-cum-festival might not sound like the most exciting prospect but Belfast’s AVA has been instrumental in cementing the city’s identity as an electronic music hub since its founding in 2015. Industry panels take place in the day, while stages on the banks of the River Lagan play host this year to the likes of 90s ravers Underworld. AK
Mighty Hoopla
31 May to 1 June; London
The gay Glastonbury returns with a typically eye-catching lineup, headlined by R&B superstar Ciara and pop rebel Kesha. Expect other big pop moments from erstwhile Little Mixer Jade, double Eurovision winner Loreen and Allie X’s gothic symphonies. Nostalgia fans should head down the front for Daphne and Celeste and Daniel Bedingfield. MC
Lido
6 to 15 June; London
All Points East may have the late summer all sewn up in east London, but the same team have cooked up some June treats for us with newcomer Lido. It’s party time with Charli xcx, Jamie xx and some acts without Xs in their names (Massive Attack, London Grammar). One day of the festival is also dedicated to the rockers as Outbreak comes to London for the first time – Outbreak also has a two-day Manchester fest the same weekend, with Knocked Loose replacing London headliners Turnstile. KS
Parklife
14 to 15 June; Manchester
Brat Summer lives on for another year as Manchester’s Parklife offers the crowning slot to Ms xcx at an event that always manages to split an efficient difference between dance, hip-hop and R&B. From Rudimental and Jorja Smith to 50 Cent and Flo, you’ll want to get your party hotel booked in early. JW
Avant garde innovators
Cheltenham jazz festival
30 April to 5 May
Not just a highbrow excursion for aficionados, Cheltenham jazz festival is the perfect stomping ground for newcomers and enthusiasts alike. Jazz-adjacent big names such as Corinne Bailey Rae and Amadou & Mariam headline this year, while drummer Billy Cobham fills the legends slot and instrumentalists such as James Brandon Lewis push the avant garde. AK
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Cross the Tracks
25 May; Brockwell Park, London
Marred by the last-minute cancellation of headliner Erykah Badu last year, the 2025 edition of London day festival Cross the Tracks returns with a stacked lineup. Vying for top billing are Mercury prize-winning jazz outfit Ezra Collective and soul revivalist Michael Kiwanuka, while global sounds come courtesy of saxophonist Seun Kuti and the Channel One Sound System. AK
2000 Trees
9 to 12 July; Gloucestershire
Year on year, 2000 Trees splits the difference between forward-thinking rock and abrasive post-hardcore. Among 2025’s headliners you’ll find emo veterans Taking Back Sunday, prog lifers Coheed and Cambria, and Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, while further down the bill expect chaos from exciting hardcore upstarts Gel, Spaced and Pest Control. HB
Noisily festival
10 to 13 July; Leicestershire
A three-day retreat into the Leicestershire woodlands, Noisily aims to deliver electronic music with a side of holistic wellness, “cultivating understanding in the collective”. With an intimate 5,000-person capacity, you can nip between DJ sets and rejuvenating ice baths with ease, making new friends of all ages and backgrounds along the way. JW
Supersonic
29 to 31 August; Birmingham
This convivial Digbeth fest has become a haven for those chasing esoteric sounds both heavy and blissful. Recent editions have served up hulking slices of doom metal next to spidery folk and meditative krautrock, with time also carved out for workshops, talks and exhibitions focused on all things outsider art. HB
Indie icons
Bearded Theory
21 to 25 May; Derbyshire
Old heads and family clans head to Catton Park for a yearly knees-up at Bearded Theory; it’s got the laid-back, escape-from-reality vibe of Glastonbury without the punishing step-count. With loads to keep kids happy and an eclectic lineup of old (Iggy Pop, Manics) and new (Nova Twins, CMAT), you’ll be booking for next year before this year is even over. KS
Knockengorroch
22 to 25 May; Galloway
A dollop of miniature magic awaits in south-west Scotland. Bijou but bursting with life, Knockengorroch has all the good-natured, limb-flinging spirit of a ceilidh, celebrating roots and music of Celtic origin. Set by the glistening Water of Deugh and in the shadows of mountains that create a natural amphitheatre, it’s small but perfectly formed. KS
Balter festival
22 to 25 May; Chepstow
Launched in 2014 with just 800 in attendance, Balter’s “beautiful chaotic utopia” is closing its doors after this year’s final blowout. Housed on Chepstow racecourse, it’s still a relatively intimate affair, allowing just enough space for flailing arms as rave and drum’n’bass DJs are joined by kitsch headliners Boney M. MC
Houghton
7 to 10 August; Norfolk
With a 24-hour music licence, DJ Craig Richards’s intimate fest is one for the hedonists and the diggers. Nestled in the woodlands of Houghton Hall, small stages play host to longform, journeying sets from the likes of Bristol producer Batu and Detroit techno luminary Richie Hawtin. AK
Krankenhaus
22 to 24 August; Cumbria
Helmed by the band Sea Power at Muncaster Castle in the Lake District, Krankenhaus is part indie getaway and part celebration of a landscape that’s both inviting and challenging. Expect the lineup, which in the past has featured Nadine Shah, Gwenno and Bo Ningen, to walk a similar tightrope. HB
A hit with the kids
Latitude
24 to 27 July; Suffolk
Getting through the school holidays can be tough (and expensive), but there’s plenty at Latitude for kids of all ages to blow off steam. This year’s headline choices trend heavily towards nostalgia (Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow, Fatboy Slim, Snow Patrol), but the ever-impressive comedy lineup is diverse, with rising stars such as Sophie Duker, Alana Jackson and Amy Gledhill. JW
Deer Shed
25 to 28 July; North Yorkshire
Set to be headlined by Kae Tempest, Wunderhorse and the Big Moon, Deer Shed’s 15th-anniversary bash will take over Baldersby Park near Thirsk, with pastoral surroundings feeding into a family-oriented take on festival season combining music, art, literature and comedy with pro-wrestling and a Nerf arena. HB
Camp Bestival
31 July to 3 August; Dorset
The UK’s oldest family-centric festival enters its 17th year down in Dorset, making tween dreams come true with sets from Horrible Histories, Dick and Dom and Miss Americana: A Tribute to Taylor Swift. Fear the kids are slacking off? Put them to work at the brand new areas of Tinkertown and The Earth’s Crust Bread School. JW
Shambala
21 to 24 August; Northamptonshire
Shambala feels like a big village fair that you happen to camp at. With poetry, puppetry, art installations, craft lessons, kids’ fields, healing stalls, yoga, fancy dress and even a festival-specific Olympics on offer, will you even find time to drag the kids over to Asian Dub Foundation and Moonchild Sanelly? KS
End of the Road
28 to 31 August; Wiltshire
As well as a stellar musical lineup – Self Esteem and Caribou among myriad more – the peacock-dotted festival also caters for the younger cultural connoisseur, with a family area full of workshops. There’s also a woodland arcade featuring Boomerang Bowling and an intriguing Ping Pong Thunderdome. MC
