Struggling to pick your go-to summer festival for 2018? That’s fine, we’ve pieced together a load of top picks. Whether you want to head abroad or bring the family, there’s a festival to make you smile.
All Points East, London
If you’re looking for an up-and-comer rather than an established favourite, you couldn’t go too far wrong with All Points East, especially since it’s conveniently located right in the capital. It’s also seriously star-studded, especially for a new fest. Confirmed acts include The xx, LCD Soundsystem, Beck, Björk, Lorde, and Glass Animals, plus Nick Cave as a UK festival exclusive. Tickets are already available – what are you waiting for?
Mad Cool Festival, Madrid
So, UK festivals are always a bit of a crap shoot when it comes to weather. Even the height of summer can betray us with unwelcome downpours. So, why not go abroad? There are plenty of great options, but our personal pick is Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival. And Mad Cool it is – just check out a few favourites from the line-up: Queens Of The Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Rag’n’Bone Man, Kasabian, MGMT, Massive Attack, and Sampha.
The Biggest Weekend
This is only going to be happening next year, so better get involved. The biggest artists from across the world will be coming to all parts of the UK across the May bank holiday weekend (25-28th May). A whopping 175,000 tickets will be made available.
Download Festival, Leicestershire
It’s billed as the world’s most prestigious rock festival, and you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a competitor. After all, confirmed acts already include Sevenfold, Guns N’ Roses, and Ozzy Osbourne to headline. Parkway Drive, Bullet for my Valentine, Rise Against, Babymetal, The Hives, and Marilyn Manson will also be there.
Boomtown
Headlined in 2017 by The Specials, M.I.A., and Cypress Hill, Boomtown has quickly, well … boomed. It’s a thriving festival that combines fantasy and escapism with one of the most diverse line-ups on the scene. There are several different districts with their own emphasis and backstory, so you can feel energised by drum and base one minute and then find yourself chilling to folk music the next.
Latitude Festival
Latitude earns its reputation as a festival that’s just as fun for families as it is for those in their roaring teens and twenties. In fact, you’ll find an onsite cinema, theatre, dance troupes, children’s play areas, and even clowns across the idyllic English countryside of Southwold. But don’t assume there won’t also be a fantastic set of acts to take in – this is still, first and foremost, one of the country’s top music festivals.