IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO DANCE IN A FIELD
So what if you missed Glastonbury and Latitude is long gone? There are still plenty of opportunities to get blissed out in a field with a load of total strangers, your ears all a-thrill with the sound of live music, cold beer or fizzy pop raised aloft. But hurry – tickets sell out fast.
Art’s House
Aug 10
Hosted by DJ Artwork this is more of an outdoor party than a festival at Three Mills Island between Bow and Stratford in London. From an intimate rave in a stranger’s front room to what is now one of the most fun-filled parties ever there are no bands, just the two leg-endary DJs, Artwork and Harvey on the decks. Let’s hope the predicted gales just don’t happen, eh? For more info https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1185477.
Tickets available here
We Out Here
Aug 15-18
This is the first year of legendary DJ Gilles Peterson’s electronica, jazz, dance and world music festival in Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire. “A worldwide family gathering”, there are loads of creative activities to entertain small people, and a host of jazz, rap, soul art-ists alongside an impressive DJ lineup.
Tickets available here
Green Man
Aug 15-18
If you like your festivals scenic and civilised, head for Green Man in the lush Brecon Bea-cons National Park. The line-up includes the fabulous Father John Misty, Idles, Sharon Van Etten and many more, with a mix of indie, classic rock, psychedelia, dub, reggae and folk – something for everyone.
Tickets available here
Creamfields
Aug 22-25
Probably the UK’s most iconic dance festival, if you love house anthems, trance, techno and drum ’n’ bass, this one’s for you. Head to Daresbury in Cheshire for a line-up that in-cludes Swedish House Mafia, Deadmau5, Chemical Brothers, Faithless and Pete Tong. Possibly not for the fainthearted.
Tickets available here
Jupiter Rising
August 23-26
Taking place in the closing weekend of Edinburgh Art Festival, this boutique art and mu-sic festival is at the 19th century A-listed Bonnington House. The line-up is described as ‘inventive and experimental’ and includes Cate Le Bon, The Vaselines and many more plus plenty of ‘live art’.
Tickets available here
Curious Arts Festival
August 23-26
A stylish and beautiful arts and music festival, held this year at the estate of Pippingford Park with sweeping views across Southern England. This year’s line-up includes The Priscillas, Don Letts, Blow Monkeys and Suggs from Madness, plus a whole ton of come-dians, talks and ‘curiosities’.
Tickets available here
Lost Village
Aug 22-25
A festival that puts music, food, theatre and wellness on an even billing, set in the Lin-colnshire woodlands of Norton Disney. This year electronic artists dominate but if you get bored with that there’s always a boozy banquet or an orgasm workshop. The line up in-cludes Maribou State, Bicep, Little Dragon and Norman Jay.
Tickets available here
South West Four
Aug 24-25
Didn’t make it to Ibiza this year? No problem. With superstar DJs from across the globe this dance music explosion at Clapham Common includes EDM, electro, techno and trance and a line-up that includes Martin Garrix, Tinie Tempah, Craig David, Plan B, Ma-bel, Wiley and more.
Tickets available here
Moovin, Greater Manchester
Aug 23-25
In Etherow country park near Manchester, Moovin is a feel-good party influenced by the 1990s rave scene. Soul II Soul, Morcheeba and Big Daddy Kane top the bill, alongside DJs playing funk, soul, house and R&B. Performance spaces include an open-sided cowshed complete with hay bales to chill-out on. Moo.
Tickets available here
End of the Road
Aug 29-Sep 1
If you’re not quite ready to give up on the summer and fancy a spot of indie and weird, head to Dorset for Metronomy, Beirut, Michael Kiwanuka, Spiritualized and Jarvis Cock-er. Also the awesome Kate Tempest and Courtney Barnett whose single Nameless, Faceless still gives us chills.
Tickets available here
Camp Wildfire
Aug-30-Sept 2
Camp Wildfire, in Sevenoaks, Kent, was created so you can do “travel into another world for a weekend where adventure is natural and abundant”, which means you get to mix flying trapeze, raft building, wood whittling and quad biking in with your revelry. All this and Craig Charles, DJ Yoda, Little Gay Brother, and more.
Tickets available here
The Long Road
September 6-8
A festival of country, americana and roots, ‘From outlaw, Americana and honky-tonk, to countrypolitan, western swing, chart-topping pop-country and beyond’. There’s a Rhinestone Stage, hot tubs, vintage funfair rides and a hot dog eating contest, as well as tons of music from the likes of Kip Moore, Josh Turner. Don your stetson and you can dream you’re in Nashville.
Tickets available here
Cerys Matthews’ The Good Life Experience
September 12-15
A celebration of artists and artisans, rock and roll revelry and heaps of culture, this festi-val is in the glorious historic setting of the Hawarden Estate against a backdrop of two castles. Expect raucous music from all over the world, mass sing-a-longs and axe throw-ing.
Tickets available here
Words: Marina Gask