The sun is finally starting to come in the UK which can only mean one thing - it’s time to start planning which music festivals to head to.
Navigating your way between the tiny boutique events and giant extravaganzas which take place throughout music festival season can be a nothing short of a nightmare, so we’ve put together this handy guide to help you work out whether you should splash the cash on a ticket for Reading or Wireless (or both).
The Glastonbury line-up might still be a mystery, but when the latest announcements are finally made, you’ll be able to hear about them on our Music Festivals page.
In the meantime, here are 15 festivals which have got us seriously excited about the summer…
JUNE
When: 7 - 8 June
Where: Heaton Park, Manchester
Parklife is the baby of the music festivals scene but, despite being just four years old, it still manages to pull a few punches when it comes to fantastic bookings.
Snoop Dogg and Foals will headline the Manchester event and other live acts include Bastille, Rudimental, London Grammar and Kendrick Lamar while Maya Jane Coles, Julio Bashmore and Kerri Chandler are among the DJs appearing.
Snoop will headline at Heaton Park
When: 13 - 15 June
Where: Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle Of Wight
Variety is the order of the day at Isle Of Wight where you’ll find old favourites Inspiral Carpets and Boy George playing alongside pop newcomers Neon Jungle and Clean Bandit. Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris, Kings of Leon and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are headlining this year and tickets are still available if you fancy a jaunt across the Solent.
Kings Of Leon singer Caleb Followill
When: Donington Park, near East Midlands Airport
Where: 13 - 15 June
Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park and Aerosmith are topping the bill at Download, the UK’s biggest metal and heavy-rock festival. You can still purchase tickets for this event if you’d like to nab the chance to see Fall Out Boy, Trivium and Flogging Molly live.
Fall Out Boy will perform their hits
When: 26 - 29 June
Where: Worthy Farm, Somerset
All of the tickets for Glastonbury 2014 have now sold out and if you're one of the 180,000 people who managed to nab one then you're in for treat.
Kasabian, Metallica and Arcade Fire are headlining this year;s extravaganza and the line-up also includes Dolly Parton, Disclosure, Lily Allen, Blondie and The Black Keys - but don't forget, it's not all about the music. Make sure you head to Shangri-La to experience Glastonbury after dark and if you're feeling a little worse for wear head over to the Healing Fields.
Dolly will grace the Pyramid Stage
JULY
When: 4 - 6 July
Where: London’s Finsbury Park and Perry Park, Birmingham
Wireless has come a long way since its humble start in 2005. Now a 3-day extravaganza, Wireless is playing host to three huge US superstars by welcoming Kanye West, Drake and Bruno Mars as headliners - and the best thing is you don’t even have to camp. Londoners have already snapped up all the tickets for the Saturday at Finsbury Park but all other tickets are still available.
Kanye performing in 2011
When: 11 - 13 July
Where: Kinross, Scotland
After giving their set a few test runs at a number of European events, Arctic Monkeys will make their first appearance on the 2014 festival circuit at Scotland’s biggest festival. If their 2013 Glasto set is anything to go by, then this is one you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Scotsmen Calvin Harris and Biffy Clyro are also performing headline sets, just remember this is Scotland - don’t forget the wellies.
Brit Award winners Arctic Monkeys will give their first headline performance of the season at T
When: 17 - 20 July
Where: Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk
Glasto aside, this is the only place where you can find chart-topping music acts alongside the RSC, comedian Dara O Briain and a whole host of literary talents. There are still acts to be announced but with the likes of Damon Albarn and The Black Keys already on the bill, things certainly aren’t looking too shabby.
Blur frontman Damon will perform solo at Latitude
When: 18 - 19 July
Where: Victoria Park, London
Despite its focus on dance music and DJs, Lovebox is making room for something a little bit different this year by playing host to indie rockers The Horrors and Harlem-born rapper A$AP Rocky.
Festival organisers are also getting arty and bringing in the teams behind Secret Garden Party and US festival Burning Man to curate a series of art installations and visual displays. Headline sets will be performed by MIA and Chase & Status - check out the latest line-up info here.
MIA, seen here in Miami, is coming to Victoria Park
When: 3 - 13 July
Where:Hyde Park, London
British Summer Time Festival will see a number of huge acts perform during ten days. The Libertines (second) reunion will take place on Saturday 5 July, where they will be joined by acts including Graham Coxon, Swim Deep and the Pogues. For all the information on BST Festival click here.
Pete and Carl will reunite at Hyde Park
AUGUST
When: 7 - 10 August
Where: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
Celebrate the British summer in style, lazing around in the Oxfordshire countryside. Grab a jug of Pimms, stop by the lakeside spa and then settle down to watch a giant cricket match before checking out headliners London Grammar and Metronomy.
A number of the fancy glamping options have already sold out, so if slumming it in a tent isn’t your style, get booking now.
London Grammar will headline in Oxfordshire
When: 16 - 17 August
Where: Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire
It’s another US invasion as Justin Timberlake and The Killers jet in to headline V, the most celeb-filled event of the festival calendar. When they’re not busy on stage, you can spot the stars kicking back in the VIP areas, enjoying a cocktail and even taking a dip in a jacuzzi.
Special guests Chic feat. Nile Rodgers will make an appearance, as will ‘80s hitmakers The Human League.
JT accepts a People's Choice Award
When: 22 - 24 August
Where: Halton, Cheshire
It’s hard to think of a dance act that isn’t on the Creamfields line-up and you’ll need to a deep breath before trying to recite list of acts appearing which includes: Martin Garrix, Maya Jane Coles, Skream, Steve Angello, Hardwell, Steve Aoki and many more.
The weather hasn’t been kind to Creamfields in recent years, but (more than) a few splashes of rain has never managed to stop party-goers from enjoying themselves.
Maya Jone Coles will be on the decks at Creamfields
When: 22 - 24 August
Where: Richfield Avenue, Reading and Bramham Park, Leeds
Reading and Leeds has shed its reputation as the go-to event for indie kids in recent years and last year added a whole host of new stages including the Radio 1Xtra tent.
If you couldn't make it to bonnie Scotland to see Alex Turner and co. then fear not, the Arctic Monkeys are here too. Reading favourites Queens Of The Stone Age are back for the first time since 2008 and surprise booking Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are definitely on our list of acts to see. Recent additions to the line-up include Maverick Sabre, Tempa T and The Sunshine Underground.
QOTSA frontman Josh Homme
SEPTEMBER
When: 4 - 7 September
Where: Robin Hill Country Park, Isle Of Wight
As the final festival of the season, Bestival always feels like a bittersweet goodbye to all things Summer. On the one hand, you’re happy that you no longer have to live under a piece of canvas you bought from Argos back in June, but on the other, you know you’ll miss spending your weekends bonding with strangers next to the campfires.
The atmosphere at Bestival is truly like no other. There’s something about taking a ferry across the Solent that seems to make living in fancy dress (this year’s theme is Desert Island Disco) a completely normal activity. And who better to be marooned on the island with than Foals, Major Lazer, Disclosure and Chvrches?
Yannis Philippakis of Foals
