A curated guide to the defining festivals of Britain’s cultural summer.
1. Film & Screen Culture Festivals
Bold voices, cinematic storytelling, and cultural resonance.
- BFI Film on Film Festival – 12–15 June, London
- London Indian Film Festival – July (TBC), UK-wide
- S.O.U.L Fest – August, London
- UK Asian Film Festival – May–June, UK-wide
- Sheffield DocFest – 4–9 June, Sheffield
- Queer East Festival – April–May, UK-wide
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe – 1–25 August, Edinburgh (cross-arts)
2. Major Music Festivals
Iconic stages, legendary artists, and high-voltage summer experiences.
- Glastonbury Festival – 25–29 June, Worthy Farm, Somerset
- Download Festival – 13–15 June, Donington Park, Derbyshire
- Isle of Wight Festival – 18–22 June, Newport, Isle of Wight
- Reading & Leeds Festival – 26–28 August, Reading and Leeds
- Wireless Festival – 28 June – 1 August, London
- BST Hyde Park – From 28 June, London
- Latitude Festival – 24–27 July, Henham Park, Suffolk
- Kendal Calling – 25–28 July, Cumbria
- Truck Festival – 25–28 July, Oxfordshire
- Boomtown Fair – 11–14 July, Winchester
- Creamfields – 12–14 September, Daresbury, Cheshire
- Love Supreme – 4–7 July, Glynde Place, East Sussex
- Bearded Theory – 21–25 May, Derbyshire
- Shindig Festival – 22–25 May, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
- Field Day – 24–25 May, London
- GALA Festival – 23–25 May, London
- The Great Escape – 14–17 May, Brighton
- LIDO Festival – From 7 June, London
- Parklife – 13–14 June, Manchester
- Bloodstock Open Air – 21–24 August, Catton Park, Derbyshire
- TRNSMT Festival – 11–13 July, Glasgow
- 2000 Trees Festival – 9–12 July, Cotswolds
- Maverick Festival – 4–6 July, Gloucestershire
- All Points East – Late August (TBC), Victoria Park, London
- Green Man Festival – 14–17 August, Brecon Beacons, Wales
- WOMAD – 24–27 July, Charlton Park, Wiltshire
3. Arts, Literature & Multi-Disciplinary Festivals
Creativity across formats—where performance, storytelling, and innovation collide.
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe – 1–25 August, Edinburgh
- Manchester International Festival – July (TBC), Manchester
- Hay Festival – May–June, Hay-on-Wye
- Shambala Festival – Late August (TBC), Northamptonshire
- Wilderness Festival – Early August, Oxfordshire
For tickets, full line-ups, and updates, visit each festival’s official website.
