Best UK music festivals 2023: The essential month-by-month guide
Whether you’re looking for big bands, big ideas, a family day out, tasty food or new music, the best UK music festivals have something for you
by: Claire Biddles
8 May 2023
UK festivals 2023 Illustration: Eleanor Shakespeare
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This week’s Eurovision takeover of Liverpool kicks off a massive 2023 festival season in the UK. Whether you’re looking for big bands, big ideas, a wellness retreat, a family day out, tasty food or new music from the bleeding edge, this year’s offerings have something for you. In our guide to the best music festivals 2023, we’re taking you to all corners of the UK to make your summer a great one, whatever your budget.
Are your playlists due for a refresh? Like a seaside South by Southwest, TGE doubles as a music industry conference, so it’s the best place to discover up-and-coming bands out to impress. Previous editions have seen the likes of Adele, Vampire Weekend and The 1975 grace Brighton’s smallest stages – this year, see Debby Friday and Enumclaw before they get big. greatescapefestival.com
Get Together
May 20 Various venues, Sheffield £35
This bargain all-dayer takes place across the bars, warehouses and studios of Sheffield’s trendy Kelham Island, with a line-up including Irish alt-country star CMAT, former Klaxons member James Righton and Friendly Fires. Sets from the likes of Queer House Party will keep the vibe going into the night, fuelled by craft beer from local Kelham Island Brewery. welcometosheffield.co.uk
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Knockengorroch
May 25-28 Galloway, Scotland £159
Set in a beautiful riverside meadow, Knockengorroch is an old-school greenfield festival and the longest-running of its kind in Scotland. It celebrates celtic culture from Scotland to Chile, with families and late-night partiers equally catered for. We recommend indie folker Tennyson King, violin virtuoso Akram Abdulfattah and expert beat curator Sarra Wild. knockengorroch.org.uk
The Gloucestershire market town once again plays host to the best in UK jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop, with highlights including Manchester-based polymath Alabaster dePlume, 10-piece collective TC & The Groove Family and all-female Afro Latin ensemble COLECTIVA. There’s a strong showing of acts from the south west, including Bristol piano trio Yetii, and three ensembles of young locals. jazzstroud.org
Wide Awake
May 27 Brockwell Park, London From £69.50
There are tonnes of London park festivals to choose from, but Wide Awake may just be the best, catering to the most curious of electronic and underground music mavens. Boasting the only UK festival date for Caroline Polachek, the line-up also features Tirzah, Alex G, Gilla Band and Oneohtrix Point Never, with DJs from Rough Trade, Third Man Records, Hackney’s Moth Club and many more. wideawakelondon.co.uk
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Pink Pirate will play at Dot to Dot. Photo: PR
Dot to Dot
May 27-28 Various venues, Bristol and Nottingham From £25
Discover your favourite new band over the May bank holiday at this pair of all-dayers. Mercury-nominated Leeds upstarts Yard Act and Toronto noise rockers Alvvays are the headliners, but we’d encourage you to embrace the Dot to Dot spirit and turn up early for some of the lesser-known acts. dottodotfestival.co.uk
Slam Dunk North
May 28 Temple Newsam, Leeds £89
Taking place in the old Leeds Festival grounds, Slam Dunk admirably keeps its rock roots alive with a stacked line-up of rock, pop-punk and emo. Relive your teen angst with sets from The Offspring, Bowling for Soup, Flogging Molly and Underoath – if not for the presence of PVRIS and Creeper, you could be convinced it’s 2003 again. slamdunkfestival.com
Hidden Door
May 31-June 4 The Complex, Edinburgh From £25
In a city not exactly lacking in festivals, Hidden Door does something genuinely different – bringing a new forgotten space back to life each year with a programme of music, visual art and spoken word. This year, a former office complex is transformed, playing host to a different line-up of performers each night. Highlights include Glasgow party-starters Free Love, Irish indie darlings Pillow Queens and London alt-pop collective Nine8. hiddendoorarts.org
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The Big Retreat Festival in Wales. Pic: supplied
The best UK festivals in June 2023
The Big Retreat
June 1-4 Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire From £219
Nourishment for body and soul is the focus of this wellness-leaning long weekend, which promises to offer “whatever feel-good means to you” across a dozen festival areas. There are high-energy workouts, gong baths and wild swimming sessions, plus workshops in mental health, sleep therapy, puppet-making, juggling and whatever “energy orgasms” are. thebigretreatfestival.com
Fire in the Mountain
June 1-5 Aberystwyth, west Wales From £160
This small-scale farm festival celebrates folk and roots music of all kinds, embedded in the local community, with a full day of Welsh acts on the main stage on the Friday. Offering sliding scale ticket prices, it also has a refreshing commitment to programming with gender parity, and with a strong LGBT+ representation. fireinthemountain.co.uk
The iconic venue for the Eden Sessions
The Great Estate
June 2-4 Scorrier House, Redruth, Cornwall From £85
Branded as a “rambunctious garden fête”, this boutique family festival features motorcycle stunts, hip hop karaoke and an interactive treasure hunt alongside music from Primal Scream, The Selecter and club anthems as you’ve never heard them before from Symphonic Ibiza. The gardens themselves are pretty special too – Scorrier House is an exclusive country house set within four hundred acres of private parkland and historic gardens.
June 7-July 7 Eden Project, Cornwall Ticket prices vary
The iconic sci-fi orbs of The Eden Project provide a unique backdrop for this month-long series of big summer gigs with a guaranteed party atmosphere. With individual tickets available for each show, there’s something for everyone – whether you’re a soul sister (Lionel Richie), party animal (Pet Shop Boys) angsty teen (Yungblud) or former angsty teen (Incubus). edensessions.com
Download
June 8-11 Donington Park, Derby £325
It’s only fitting that the UK’s most famous rock festival is going even bigger for its 20th edition. Now over a mammoth four days, Download boasts double headliners Metallica, who are promising two completely unique sets over two nights. Other huge names include Bring Me The Horizon, Placebo, Parkway Drive and Architects, with a headline set from Slipknot on the final night. downloadfestival.co.uk
Gottwood
June 8-11 Carreglwyd Estate, Anglesey £190
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Taking place in a stunning woodland location, this boutique electronic festival is every raver’s dream. Where some festival line-ups feel hastily thrown-together, Gottwood’s is as finely selected as a trusted DJ’s record bag. A mix of guest curators including Nottingham label Wigflex, Manchester party Ghosts of Garage and the self-explanatory A Night of North Wales Techno ensure variety and personality across the blissed-out weekend. gottwood.co.uk
Long Division
June 9-10 Various venues, Wakefield From £1
After 12 years, Long Division is sadly coming to a close – but Yorkshire’s best city festival is going out on a high, with sets from Arab Strap, The Lovely Eggs, and local legends The Research. Tickets to the festival’s main day are priced on a sliding scale, with £1 tickets for under 18s, making this indie celebration genuinely financially accessible. longdivisionfestival.co.uk
Christine at the Queens at BBC 6 Music Festival. Photo: PR
Meltdown
June 9-18 Southbank Centre, London Ticket prices vary
The 28th edition of this vibrant artist-curated festival presents a hand-picked line-up from Christine and the Queens, including two headline shows from the French avant-pop sensation himself. Let’s Eat Grandma, serpentwithfeet, Bat For Lashes and KOKOROKO are among the performers, with special events including an “afternoon of controversy and chaos” from drag queen Katya, Man Ray films live-scored by Carter Logan and Jim Jarmusch, and an unmissable pop-up from queer club The Chateau. southbankcentre.co.uk
Parklife
June 10-11 Heaton Park, Manchester £149.50
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Handily located a short tram ride from the centre of Manchester, Parklife combines the sprawling size of a greenfield with the ease of a city festival. The line-up is always impressive and this year is no exception, from big pop names (The 1975) to dance mavens (The Blessed Madonna) and hip-hop legends (Nas). parklife.uk.com
Glasgow Jazz Festival
June 14-18 Various venues Ticket prices vary
Since its founding in 1987, this beloved city-wide festival has played host to icons including Gladys Knight and Miles Davis. This year, R&B singer Geno Washington and trombone pioneer Steve Turre are among the scene legends gracing Glasgow’s stages, alongside local favourites Andrew Wasylyk and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. There’s also late-night jam sessions, and a jazz ensemble reimagining the songs of Radiohead. jazzfest.co.uk
Camilla George. Image: Glasgow Jazz Festival
Black Deer Festival
June 16-18 Eridge Park, Kent From £194.75
Black Deer has quickly established itself as the UK home of Americana, country and roots music, and this year is a doozy – encompassing titans like Bonnie Raitt and The Pretenders, and cult favourites This is the Kit, CMAT and Kurt Vile. It also offers an immersion in American counterculture via motorcycle displays, food trucks and a stage curated by students from SupaJam, a music education programme for vulnerable young people. blackdeerfestival.com
This one needs no introduction. Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Elton John headline, with more acts including (deep breath) Lana Del Rey, Lizzo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Blondie, Kelis, The Chicks, our cover stars Måneskin and Yusuf aka Cat Stevens in the Sunday afternoon ‘legend’ slot. glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
Glastonbury crowd. Image: Andrew Allcock
Bristol Sounds
June 21-25 Bristol Harbourside From £36.40
This annual series of open-air concerts brings revellers to Bristol’s historic harbourside. Musical highlights of 2023 include Self Esteem (opposite), James, Levellers, The Selecter, Black Grape and jazz-pop star Jacob Collier. crosstownconcerts.com
Outbreak
June 23-25 Depot Mayfield, Manchester £135
Manchester’s city-centre Outbreak is consistently the best hardcore festival in the UK, and is especially good at platforming acts who traverse punk’s expansion into other genres. This year is no exception, with hip-hop leaning headliners Denzel Curry, Death Grips and Odd Future alum Earl Sweatshirt. We also recommend acclaimed three-piece Soul Glo and metal legends Converge. outbreak-fest.co.uk
June 30-July 2 Glynde Place, East Sussex From £160
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This reliably excellent jazz and soul festival celebrates its 10th edition with a stellar line-up, including Mercury winner Little Simz, funk maximalist Thundercat, Grace Jones and Candi Staton. There’s also the Jazz Lounge for talks, and a record shop with signings, courtesy of Rough Trade. lovesupremefestival.com
The best UK festivals in July 2023
2000trees
July 5-8 Upcote Farm, Gloucestershire From £190.50
2000trees is heaven for rock fans of all persuasions. Punks Soft Play (formerly known as Slaves) and Frank Turner are on headline duty alongside Welsh metallers Bullet for My Valentine, with a strong showing from emo heroes (Rival Schools, American Football) and DIY punks (Joyce Manor, Martha). 2000trees.co.uk
Rochester Castle Concerts
July 6-9 Rochester Castle, Medway, Kent From £50
Rochester’s striking 12th-century stone tower is the backdrop for a four-day extravaganza of big tunes and good vibes. Kicking off with sunshine sounds from Nile Rodgers and Chic – the hardest working man in music – the series of one-off shows also features dark pop from Soft Cell and pirate soul reggae from Fat Freddy’s Drop, before the reformed original Sugababes bring it round, round baby round, round for the final night.
This year Pulp, Sam Fender and The 1975 drop by the TRNSMT main stage, alongside former headliners Kasabian. Elsewhere there’s a somewhat odd mix of blokey rock (Royal Blood, The View) with peppy pop (Becky Hill, Niall Horan), but the city centre location lends itself to nipping in and out for your favourites. trnsmtfest.com
Camp Good Life
July 7-31 Hawarden, north-east Wales From £312.50
A unique proposition among this year’s festival offerings, Camp Good Life is a grown-up take on American summer camps, transferred to the stunning walled gardens of Hawarden Castle. Choose one of four long weekends in July and immerse yourself in a boutique experience of food, nature and culture, with activities ranging from foraging to blacksmithery. thegoodlifesociety.co.uk
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul
July 7-9 Moseley Park, Birmingham £145
Head to Moseley Park just outside Birmingham city centre for a range of acts from super-cool UK jazz quintet Ezra Collective and eclectic New Zealanders Fat Freddy’s Drop to disco hitmaking veterans KC and the Sunshine Band. DJ sets from Craig Charles and Mancunian multi-hyphenate Mr Scruff guarantee a party. mostlyjazz.co.uk
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Lady Nade plays Timber Festival 2023. Image: Alec Bowman Clarke
Timber Festival
July 7-9 Feanedock, National Forest, Midlands From £105
The woodland location leads the programming at Timber, a gathering in the midst of the Midlands’ National Forest that invites us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. The weekend includes discussions, workshops and guided walks responding to the environment, alongside music by The Go! Team and spoken word from Simon Armitage and Raymond Antrobus. timberfestival.org.uk
Kubix
July 15 and 22 Herrington Park, Sunderland From £33
Across two Saturdays, Kubix provides a nostalgic party atmosphere at a reasonable price. The first day boasts pop and dance faves, including perennial chart botherers Sugababes, 90s pop icon Betty Boo, N-Trance and Blue. Squeeze, Marc Almond, Heaven 17 and Madchester vets Inspiral Carpets lead the rock-leaning day two. kubixfestival.com
Roisin Murphy plays Bluedot in 2023. Image: Bluedot
Bluedot
July 20-23 Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire £209
The home of the University of Manchester’s radio telescopes is the suitably cosmic setting for this festival of music, arts and science. It boasts the only UK show this year from indie legends Pavement, along with performances from Max Richter and Róisín Murphy. discoverthebluedot.com
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Latitude
July 20-23 Henham Park, Suffolk £286.45
One of the first UK festivals to focus on comedy and spoken word, this year’s Latitude stars Sara Pascoe and Romesh Ranganathan, as well as an IRL listening party with Tim Burgess and James Acaster. Pulp headline on Friday, but otherwise the best music is lower down the bill – Gwenno, Young Fathers and goth icon Siouxsie Sioux. latitudefestival.com
Rewind
July 21-23 Scone Palace, Perth From £118.80
Scotland’s premier nostalgia experience offers three days of partying with the best (and often cheesiest) of the ’80s and ’90s, from Andy Bell of Erasure, ABC and Squeeze to the Lighthouse Family. rewindfestival.com
WOMAD
July 27-30 Charlton Park, Wiltshire £260
Founded by Peter Gabriel, this long-running celebration of world music features artists from more than 50 countries. Headliners include jazz trio The Comet Is Coming, Afrobeat prince Femi Kuti and reggae legend Horace Andy – but the defining WOMAD experience is making genuine discoveries, in genres you may never have heard of before. womad.co.uk
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Camp Bestival
July 27-30 and August 17-20 Dorset and Shropshire From £180
The ultimate family festival celebrates its 15th birthday with two distinct festivals at two different sites. Kids are kept entertained by circus shows, Horrible Histories live, dressing up tents, and the world’s biggest bouncy castle. The line-up is a party playlist come to life, with Grace Jones, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Groove Armada and loads more. campbestival.net
Deer Shed
July 28-31 Baldersby Park, North Yorkshire From £190
Festival goers of all ages can take part in science workshops in synth-building and forensics, see solar-powered installations and dance performances, or even join a pop-up choir. Our music picks include dancehall-punk trailblazer Grove, buzzy Leeds quartet English Teacher, and a new project from James Yorkston and Cardigans singer Nina Persson. deershedfestival.com
Dig out your dog collar and head to the seaside for the largest independent punk festival in the UK. Boasting more than 300 acts over six stages, the line-up includes a mind-boggling number of scene legends, from Henry Rollins to The Damned. We’ll be down the front for all-female Ramones tribute act The Ramonas. rebellionfestivals.com
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Howlin’ Fling. Image: Jassy Earl
Howlin’ Fling
August 4-5 Ceilidh Hall, Isle of Eigg £155
Taking place on the remote Scottish island of Eigg – population c.100 – Howling Fling is the brainchild of Lost Map Records founder and Eigg resident Pictish Trail. This year’s line-up is currently under wraps, but what’s guaranteed is a community party in a stunning setting, powered entirely by the island’s own renewable energy. howlinfling.com
Boardmasters
August 9-13 Newquay, Cornwall £249
Held at two seafront locations in Newquay, Boardmasters combines live music with surfing – from pro competitions to lessons for newbies. The line-up is seriously impressive too: Lorde, Florence + the Machine, Little Simz and Liam Gallagher are just the tip of the iceberg. Gnarly, dude! boardmasters.com
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention
August 10-12 Cropredy, Oxfordshire £175
This Oxfordshire gathering is the annual reunion of folk giants Fairpoint Convention, who share the bill with the likes of 10cc, Nile Rodgers and beloved husband and wife duo Toyah and Robert Fripp. fairportconvention.com
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We Out Here
August 10-14 Wimborne St Giles, Dorset From £210
We Out Here is founded and curated by DJ Gilles Peterson, with a line-up reflecting his eclectic tastes across jazz, hip-hop, dub, techno and electronic music – from black midi to the Sun Ra Arkestra. The festival also offers loads of activities for kids, and a wellness programme. weoutherefestival.com
August 17-20 Bannau Brycheiniog, South Wales From £235
Located within the stunning Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Green Man showcases the very best in indie and alternative, with a tidy line-up featuring Spiritualized, clipping., Confidence Man, First Aid Kit, Devo and The Walkmen. It’s another festival where the music is just part of the fun, with a vibrant programme of talks, visual arts, comedy, a vintage bazaar and even a festival pub. greenman.net
Core.
August 18-20 Various venues, Glasgow From £105
Brand new for 2023, Core. is a city festival of heavy music, headlined by two of the buzziest US bands on the scene right now: post-metallers Deafheaven, and sludgy noise rockers Chat Pile, in their Scottish live debut. The line-up is bolstered by local bands like death metal Fifers Party Cannon and Glasgow hardcore two-piece Moni Jitchell. corethefestival.com
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Just So
August 18-20 Rode Hall, Cheshire £175
Arguably the most family-focused festival in this guide, Just So models itself on dream-like childhood adventures – think Where the Wild Things Are relocated to Cheshire. Families are invited to dress up for an animal carnival, take part in a campfire singalong, and even bring a cake to compete in a festival bake-off. justsofestival.org.uk
Stormzy plays All Points East. Photo: PR
All Points East
August 18-28 Victoria Park, London Ticket prices vary
An enviable international line-up graces Victoria Park for six all-day shows over two weekends. There’s a carefully curated day for everyone, be it Stormzy, Kehlani and Sampha, or Haim, Tove Lo and Snail Mail. We recommend Aphex Twin, Arca, Fever Ray and Kelela at the festival-within-a-festival Field Day. allpointseastfestival.com
Greenbelt
August 24-27 Boughton House, Kettering From £150
Now in its 50th year, Greenbelt models itself as a utopian community where musicians and activists come together to envision a better world. Where else could Laura Mvula and Indigo Girls share a line-up with queer spiritual practitioner Beloved Sara Zaltash? The festival puts its values into practice by offering tickets on a sliding price scale. greenbelt.org.uk
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Gone Wild
August 24-27 Powderham Castle, Devon £200
Put the kids through their paces at this activity-packed adventure festival, hosted by – who else? – Bear Grylls. All members of the family are encouraged to try out a multitude of survival skills, from foraging and trap setting to wild swimming and climbing. More civilised activities include interactive science talks, DJ workshops and live music. gonewildfestival.com
Reading and Leeds
August 25-27 Richfield Avenue and Bramham Park £265
These twin bank holiday weekenders remain admirably down and dirty – although the line-ups have diversified from the original focus on rock and metal, you still know you’re going for cider and mud, not yoga and yurts. The Killers, Billie Eilish and Sam Fender headline, with Wet Leg, Rina Sawayama, Steve Lacy, Foals and Lewis Capaldi among the other highlights. readingfestival.com / leedsfestival.com
Connect
August 25-27 Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh £169
Located on the outskirts of Edinburgh, this great value weekend is packed with the best Scottish and international acts. Big names include Franz Ferdinand, Young Fathers, Future Islands, MUNA and Primal Scream. Optimo (Espacio) and TAAHLIAH lead a cohort of Scottish club talent. Sunday’s headliners boygenius are arguably the biggest coup – it’s the only Scottish stop for the supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. connectmusicfestival.com
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Between the Trees
August 25-27 Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve, South Wales £135
Founded in 2014 with a focus on nature and science, Between the Trees aims to reconnect people with the natural world via art, spoken word, music and an idyllic woodland environment. Indie folksters including Seth Lakeman and Firewoodisland provide the tunes, alongside a performance from Ballet Cymru, a packed programme of talks, and loads of opportunities to get involved – from open mic sessions to permaculture workshops. betweenthetrees.co.uk
Shrewsbury Folk Festival
August 25-28 West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury From £176
This family-friendly festival prioritises comfort, inclusion and fun, welcoming both newbies and experienced folkies to watch greats like Billy Bragg and N’Faly Kouyaté alongside up-and-coming acts, ceilidh bands and morris dancing troupes. Visitors can choose to camp or stay in more robust accommodation in the town, and there’s dedicated areas for both young kids and older teenagers, making it ideal for all kinds of families. shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk
A mainstay of the August bank holiday weekend since the mid-1960s, Towersey is a folk festival for those who prefer an expansive interpretation of the genre. Big hitters include Sunshine on Leith legends The Proclaimers, bluegrass mainstays Nickel Creek and punk troubadour Frank Turner, but there are intriguing acts all the way down the line-up – don’t miss exceptional Welsh guitarist Gwenifer Raymond. towerseyfestival.com
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End of the Road
August 31-September 3 Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset £235
This seasonal stalwart offers the best alternative music of all stripes, alongside a thoughtful line-up of comedy, film, literature and workshops. Catch indie rock favourites Ezra Furman, Angel Olsen and Wilco, hip-hop innovators MC Yallah and They Hate Change, experimental metallers BIG|BRAVE and tonnes more. endoftheroadfestival.com
The best UK festivals in September 2023
Forwards
September 1-2 Clifton Downs, Bristol From £114.34
In its second year, Forwards already has the clout to deliver an enviable line-up, reflecting Bristol’s reputation as a ground-breaking music city. Headlined by neo-soul legend Erykah Badu, influential beatmaker Bonobo and idiosyncratic producer Aphex Twin, they also welcome upcoming acts including Amyl and the Sniffers, Jockstrap and Arlo Parks. forwardsbristol.co.uk
TiffCuff
September 2 Roundhouse, London £38.50 – £42.50
TiffCuff is a brand-new one-day music festival that’s sure to appeal to all you indie rockers. This inaugural year will feature The Cribs, Spector, The Pale White, Wings Of Desire and more. tiffcuff.com
September 8-9 Reading Abbey Ruins, Berkshire £45.15
As far as we know, this bargain two-day festival is the only one in the UK to be held in the ruins of a 12th century abbey – correct us if we’re wrong. The line-up includes American songwriter BC Camplight, London rock grrls Los Bitchos and electronic jazz trio The Comet Is Coming, with more to be announced. Expect an eclectic weekend. downattheabbey.co.uk
Hidden Notes
September 23-24 Various venues, Stroud £70
Founded by Stroud-based culture magazine Good On Paper, Hidden Notes platforms cutting-edge work from contemporary classical and avant-garde musicians, including Japanese composer Midori Takada, drone choir NYX and pianist Sarah Nicolls. Plus film screenings, talks, installations, and a Manchester Collective performance of Steve Reich’s Different Trains. hiddennotes.co.uk
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