With each passing day, the promise of a restriction free summer, and the return of our beloved music and arts festivals this year, becomes ever more likely.
Confidence amongst the dedicated organisers behind some of our most adored and greatly missed, open-air live music events continues to grow and grow, as the number of those of us vaccinated against COVID rises and the infection rate rapidly falls.
In the wake of Boris Johnson’s announcement almost three weeks ago – laying out details of the intended roadmap out of lockdown – many of those aforementioned organisers quickly scrambled to announce new festival dates and lineups, sending social media platforms and their millions of users into melt down.
From socially distanced events, boutique getaways and family-friendly gems, to some of the biggest and most in-demand music events each of the four nations has to offer – the choice and diverse range of events now available to buy tickets for is quite overwhelming (in a good way, of course).
With so many first-class, world beating events to choose from, selecting the right one can be a tricky task. So, to assist you through this brief period of option paralysis, we’ve carefully hand-picked a selection of some of the best music festivals to look forward to, in the upcoming summer of love.
Click on the event titles below for tickets and more…
Parklife
When: Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th September 2021
Where: Heaton Park, Manchester
Lineup: The lineup for this event has yet to be announced…
Manchester’s most sought-after music event and the UK’s largest metropolitan festival, Parklife returns to Heaton park on the 11th and 12th September, for a weekend jam-packed with performances from some of the biggest names in music.
Following last years forced cancellation, the team behind the popular festival have vowed to comeback with a bang in 2021, promising a specially curated lineup to welcome back live music once more.
Previous headline acts to have graced the festivals many stages include the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Liam Gallagher, Snoop Dogg, Foals, Rudimental and Disclosure to name a few.
One things for sure – you can expect a lineup that’s going to be seriously hard to top!
Creamfields
When: Thursday 26th – Sunday 29th August 2021
Where: Creamfields, Cheshire
Lineup: Charlotte De Witte, Adam Beyer, Nina Kraviz, Bicep, Eric Prydz
A British dance mecca event, known widely as one of the biggest electronic festivals in the world – Creamfields is a yearly pilgrimage for ravers both here in the UK and across the globe.
Boasting appearances from over 300 of the most influential DJs and producers operating within the dance music scene, across 30 huge stages and dance arenas, each built up of out-of-this-world production, including mind boggling visuals, over the top laser light shows and explosive pyrotechnics… it’s not that hard to see why Creamfields regularly sells out, welcoming up to 70,000 festival goers each year.
An absolute must for those who love their music with an up-tempo BPM.
Bluedot Festival
When: Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th July 2021
Where: Jodrell Bank Observatory, Macclesfield
Lineup: Bjork (UK festival exclusive), Groove Armada, Metronomy
A live music event with a truly extraordinary backdrop, Macclesfield’s Bluedot Festival combines the very best in music, art, technology and science, under the watch of the colossal Lovell telescope – the UK’s largest radio telescope – at The Jodrell Bank Observatory.
Frequently showcasing a wealth of genre-defining, musical masterminds and sonic innovators – the likes of Kraftwerk, Jean Michel-Jarre, Air, DJ Shadow and so on – this year’s comeback event shows absolutely no signs of exception being made.
Amongst the headline acts confirmed to appear this July are indietronic, nu-disco group Metronomy, legendary dance duo Groove Armada and Icelandic songstress Bjork, performing her only UK festival date in 2021 alongside a full orchestra.
Lovebox Festival
When: Friday 11th – Sunday 13th June 2021
Where: Gunnersbury Park, London
Lineup: The lineup for this event has yet to be announced…
A festival with a habit of outgrowing its capacity, Lovebox is most certainly one of London’s most popular, inner-city music events.
Now residing within the grounds of Gunnersbury Park, this three-day event, founded by Andy Cato and Tom Findlay of celebrated dance act Groove Armada, regularly features appearances from some of the biggest names in R&B, hip hop, rap, house, techno and grime.
Although the lineup has yet to be announced for this years long-awaited return event, you can trust that it will not disappointment.
With previous stand out performances coming from greats the likes of Childish Gambino, Chance The Rapper, Frank Ocean, Skepta and more, you’d be wrong to assume this year’s lineup will be anything but amazing.
Neighbourhood Weekender
When: Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th September 2021
Where: Victoria park, Warrington
Lineup: Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Wombats, Gerry Cinnamon, Miles Kane, Sam Fender
For those who love big riffs and even bigger beats, look no further… Manchester’s Neighbourhood Weekender is an annual honouring of some of the best indie-rock groups the UK has to offer.
Taking place at Warrington’s Victoria Park, situated in the suburbs of Manchester, the long weekend event will see some of the scenes most established names performing live to thousands of adoring fans, whilst also providing a platform for the next generation of stadium filling acts.
Those with tickets for this year’s event can expect to be bowled over by live performances from Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Wombats, Gerry Cinnamon, Miles Kane, Sam Fender, James, The Coral, Easy Life, Sea Girls, Sports Team, Circa Waves… the list goes on.
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
When: Thursday 29th July – Sunday 1st August 2021
Where: Belladrum Estate, Inverness
Lineup: Nile Rodgers & Chic, Van Morrison, Emeli Sande, The Fratellis, Passenger
A firm favourite amongst the Scots, the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is a culturally diverse and family-friendly celebration of music, art and more, providing an excess of exciting experiences suitable for all ages.
Situated at the stunning Belladrum House and Estate near Inverness, the annual event encourages all those who attend to relax and unwind in the breath-taking natural environment that envelopes the festival site.
In addition to a vast array of stand-out live performances, from a number of globally renowned acts and locally loved musicians, punters can also find a brilliant assortment of children’s entertainment choices, as well as street theatre and cabaret shows, cinema screenings, alternative therapy workshops, and a vast selection of food and drink choices.
Sponsored by Skiddle.
