Best of the Festivals
It might not feel like it, but apparently summer is coming, and with it comes the need to spend a significant amount of time in a field with a cider. With so many festivals appearing on the scene, it’s going to be difficult to decide how to fill that Glastonbury void this year. Here’s just a few of the best ones out there, each sure to give you your fair share of drink, sunburn and dancing.
Best for … all the arts
Everything about Latitude embodies the carefree, creative festival spirit. Whilst loads of festivals try to include other forms of entertainment, Latitude has the best of it all, in a fantastic woodland setting. This year music includes Bon Iver, Laura Marling and Ben Howard, and big comedy names in Jack Dee and Tim Minchin. With a literary, poetry and caberet arenas too, this is so much more than just lots of bands and lots of beer.
Latitude
12th-15th July
Southwold
Suffolk
Best for… price
Truck festival started small and stuck that way, providing a fantastic festival atmosphere for just £70. It has a really friendly feel, with food provided by the local rotary club, so is guaranteed to be cheap, wholesome and a bit like your Mum's cooking, but without the judgement for your all day drinking. The mainstage is on, you guessed it, a truck, and will be graced by the likes of Temper Trap and Mystery Jets this year. Other stages include the Barn, which is similarly literal and even has the authentic smells you’d expect, so make sure to be on the cider before visiting that one..
Truck
20th-21st July
Steventon
Oxford
Best for…staying up all night
Glade is an alternative dance festival that has a license until 8am, ensuring that there is not a quiet moment for the duration of the weekend. With a massive number of stages and a line up including Foreign Beggars, Rusko and Pretty Lights, and there’s also psychedelic art installations, a 30ft deep ‘crater’ stage and the badger disco in the middle of the woods, to keep you very much occupied in the early hours.
Glade
14th-17th June
Houghton Hall
Norfolk
Best for… sun
Benicassim festival has the incredible, diverse acts of the biggest UK festivals without the inevitable rain and cold. This year the headline acts are Florence and the Machine, Bob Dylan, The Stone Roses and David Guetta. With 8 days of camping near a fantastic beach and 4 days and nights of music, this has to be one of the best festivals in Europe. Combining holiday and festival atmosphere in this way is bound to be almost dangerously good…
Benicassim
12-15th July
Castellón
Spain
Best for… avoiding the mud
Dot to Dot is a festival that breaks all of the festival rules, but does it very well. Ignoring tents and fields, it covers three cities, 16 venues and does not include camping, unless you fancy the pavement. It prides itself on unveiling bands such as the XX, Florence and the Machine and Mumford and Sons, so you’re guaranteed to witness some up and coming talent, even if you don’t know who it is yet. The line up includes The Drums and Pulled Apart By Horses, so if you already know some of the bands, you’re treated to a pretty intimate show in one of the tiny venues.
Dot to Dot
2nd-4th June
Bristol, Nottingham, Manchester
