After winter made a couple of extra encores in Britain this year, summer has finally arrived. It's time to book some friends and pack your bags for a weekend of unbridled joy, with live music, dress-ups and fairground rides, plus performance poets, world food and pop-up hot-tubs – the UK’s music festivals are worth planning a holiday around.
Tickets to the internationally renowned Glastonbury get snapped up the moment they go on sale, but there is a festival for every taste (and budget) across the country this summer. However, things are not all rosy for Britain’s music festivals with a few notable events not running in 2024 due to economic pressures. Corporate sponsors keep many major festivals afloat while smaller independent ones are hugely reliant on ticket sales.
Here are the top music festivals to look out for in 2024. Why not add a weekend of uniquely British festival magic to your summer vacation.
Dates: June 26-30, 2024 at Worthy Farm, Somerset Tickets: Sold out
It needs no introduction and scoring a ticket to Glastonbury feels like winning the life lottery these days. Glastonbury is the world’s largest green field performing arts festival in the world. Founded by farmer Michael Eavis in 1970, the festival is held on a 900-acre working dairy farm in Somerset, but it also reaches a worldwide audience in the millions with a live broadcast on the BBC and online. In 2024, Dua Lipa and SZA are joining Coldplay as headliners, but the list of major artists continues with P J Harvey, Michael Kiwanuka, LCD Soundsystem, Idles, and The National (to name just a few). For those who are desperate to attend but missed out on tickets when they were snapped up back in November, there is the option to volunteer on site (although these roles are equally as popular). Check the website for more.
A handy guide to Glastonbury: survival tips from someone who's done it
Dates: July 25-28, 2024 at Henham Park, Suffolk Tickets: latitudefestival.com
So far the headliners announced for the 2024 Latitude festival include Duran Duran, Kasabian, London Grammar, and Keane. The comedy lineup is dominated by women with Jo Brand, Sara Pascoe, Joanne McNally and Judi Love taking the main billing for the Comedy Arena. As always, there will also be plenty of poetry, podcasting and paddleboarding (pack your swimsuit for some lake swimming and book your paddleboarding spot before they sell out). Food also plays a prominent part of the festivities with cooking demonstrations and a pre-bookable festival restaurant experience. Taking the whole family? Head to the festival website for some excellent tips on how to enjoy Latitude with kids in tow.
Dates: July 25-28, 2024 at Malmesbury, Wiltshire Tickets: womad.co.uk
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Tenerife, the largest and most diverse of Spain’s Canary Islands, has lined up an exciting calendar of diverse music concerts that visitors should not miss this summer. From Ed Sheeran to reggaeton and bachata, visitors to the island these warm months will have the opportunity to dance the night away with the best music and with the island’s magical sunsets as backdrop.
One of Europe’s most glamorous, star-studded corners, the sun-kissed Côte d’Azur can take a toll on your wallet. Yet there are many ways to enjoy its largest city, Nice, without having to spend all your euros.
British Airways introduces its first-ever flight to Tromsø, Norway, offering a unique opportunity to witness the northern lights and engage in Arctic winter sports, starting December 2024.
Normandy is renowned worldwide for its culture, cuisine, and outstanding natural beauty, but for over a millennium its history has shaped not only France, but also the world. It was the seat of kings, France’s gateway to the New World, and the first step on the road to a liberated Europe during the Second World War. This summer, sail to Normandy with DFDS and discover the region’s unparalleled historical and cultural contributions at some of its best historic festivals.
Photographer Martin Parr’s 1999 film Think of England captures the nostalgic appeal of Weymouth: roast dinners at seafront B&Bs, pensioners with cones of Mr Whippy, the carousel whirling to the familiar tune of the funfair organ. “It’s not a resort that needs a lot of razzmatazz,” says the man sitting in front of a “Sorry, No Vacancies” sign.
Dog-friendly year-round but with an on-leads rule between 1 April and 31 August to protect ground-nesting birds, Holkham beach is a brilliant family destination. The walk down to the golden sand is enchanting – along boardwalks and through pine forest – and there’s a cafe serving homemade sandwiches and cakes. Lots of great local walks too. Stay pet-friendly Sueda Cottage, with its own walled garden, is a minute’s walk from the harbour and pub. From £89a night (sleeps 4, plus two dogs)