FESTIVAL GUIDE 2017: DJ Mag names Britain's top 35 festivals
With the festival phenomenon showing no signs of slowing down, there’s something on offer for everyone in the UK this season...
Festival season is here once again, so our crack team of writers have been chained to their keyboards to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Over the following pages you’ll find listings for all the best fests across the world. We’ll reveal the No.1 festival in the world, as voted for by you! And we catch up with the team behind Southport Weekender as they celebrate 30 years of top-notch parties. So grab your sunnies and glitter (and your wellies just in case), and prepare for the most wonderful time of the year...
SHINDIG WEEKENDER
Somerset's boutique bonanza returns for another year of funky vibes and family-friendly fun. Don’t forget to check out DJ Mag’s disco and house takeover, with Todd Terry, Greg Wilson and our very own editorial double-act, Carl Loben and Adam Saville!
WHEN? 26th - 28th May
WHERE? Gilcombe Farm, Somerset
PRICE? £99 - £155
HIGHLIGHTS: Dub Pistols, The Sugarhill Gang, Slipmatt, Shades Of Rhythm, Fabio & Grooverider, DJ Marky, LTJ Bukem, Todd Terry, Greg Wilson
shindig-events.co.uk
WE ARE FSTVL
One of the season’s earliest doses of big name bookings, We Are FSTVL returns to Upminster to celebrate five years at the top of the UK festival game.
WHEN? 26th - 28th May
WHERE? Upminster, Greater London
PRICE? £67.50 - £189.50
HIGHLIGHTS: Carl Cox, Maya Jane Coles, Dizzee Rascal, Basement Jaxx, Dixon, KiNK, Ricardo Villalobos, Hannah Wants, Sven Väth
wearefstvl.com
COMMON PEOPLE
Rob Da Bank’s OTHER festival — or festivals, we should say — brings top talent from across the musical spectrum, plus tasty treats and oodles of fun to Oxford and Southampton.
WHEN? 27th - 28th May
WHERE? Southampton Common, Southampton/South Park, Oxford
PRICE? £33+
HIGHLIGHTS: Goldie, Midland, Moxie, Joy O, Kornél Kovács, Or:la, Novelist, Redlight, My Nu Leng
commonpeople.net
LOVE SAVES THE DAY
Bristol has long been a hub for forward-thinking UK dance music and soundsystem culture, and nowhere is that clearer than the Love Saves The Day line-up. There’s plenty of top international talent too, but, for us, this is all about the local heroes!
WHEN? 27th - 28th May
WHERE? Eastville Park, Bristol
PRICE? £39.50 - £95
HIGHLIGHTS: Ricardo Villalobos, Bicep, Sherwood & Pinch, Craig Richards, Peverelist & Hodge, Fatima Yamaha, Move D, BadBadNotGood
lovesavestheday.org
RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL
It's no secret that Glaswegians love techno, which is exactly why Riverside Festival boasts some of the best acts the genre has to offer (and a healthy helping of top house acts too).
WHEN? 27th - 28th May
WHERE? Riverside Museum, Glasgow
PRICE? £45 - £80
HIGHLIGHTS: Slam, Scuba b2b George FitzGerald, Detroit Swindle, Nina Kraviz, DJ Koze, Paula Temple, Jackmaster, Alan Fitzpatrick, Surgeon (live modular set)
riversidefestivalglasgow.com
AVA FESTIVAL
Northern Ireland’s Audio Visual Arts Festival and Conference returns to present shows and talks, with a selection of the finest acts dance music has to offer.
WHEN? 2nd - 3rd June
WHERE? T13, Belfast
PRICE? £35 - £60
HIGHLIGHTS: Rebekah (hybrid set), Fatima Yamaha (live), Jeff Mills & Guillaume Marmin (Close Encounters Of The Fourth Kind collab), Ben UFO, Bicep, Job Jobse, Denis Sulta, Ejeca
avafestival.com
FIELD DAY
Now in its 11th year, Field Day is packing serious heat — like, seriously. With a focus on forward-thinking hip-hop and electronic music, the bill isn’t just one of the best in London this year, but the whole of the UK.
WHEN? 3rd June
WHERE? Victoria Park, London
PRICE? £64.50
HIGHLIGHTS: Aphex Twin, ABRA, Flying Lotus, Death Grips, Fatima Yamaha (live), Nina Kraviz, S U R V I V E, Overmono, Nicolas Jaar, Lady Leshurr
fielddayfestivals.com
DEMON DAYZ
If Gorillaz’s return hasn’t been the most hotlyanticipated musical event so far this year, we don’t know what has. And not only are they now officially back, but they’ve brought a festival with them too!
WHEN? 10th June
WHERE? Dreamland, Margate
PRICE? £60
HIGHLIGHTS: Gorillaz, more TBA
demondayzfestival.com
JUNCTION 2
Junction 2 returns for year number two, jamming what seems like half the world’s big name techno acts under the M4 motorway for a good ol’ fashioned, thumping knees-up — see you at the front!
WHEN? 10th June
WHERE? Boston Manor Park, London
PRICE? £49.50
HIGHLIGHTS: Ben Klock, Adam Beyer, Ida Engberg, Recondite (live), DJ Tennis, DJ Koze, Daniel Avery, Planetary Assault Systems (live)
junction2.london
SOUTHPORT WEEKENDER
The legendary Southport Weekender makes a grand return after saying goodbye back in 2015, this time reimagined as a one-day event in London’s Finsbury Park, but still packing serious heat on the line-up.
WHEN? 10th June
WHERE? Finsbury Park, London
PRICE? £40
HIGHLIGHTS: Kerri Chandler, Detroit Swindle, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Roger Sanchez b2b David Morales, Derrick Carter, Joey Negro, Culoe De Song
southportweekenderfestival.com
PARKLIFE
Now pulling in around 75,000 revellers each day, Manchester’s Parklife has become nothing short of epic since setting up shop in 2010, and with consistently impressive line-ups, shows no sign of stopping.
WHEN? 10th - 11th June
WHERE? Heaton Park, Manchester
PRICE? £59.50 - £119
HIGHLIGHTS: A Tribe Called Quest, Flying Lotus, Midland, Seth Troxler, The Martinez Brothers, Wiley, Sampha, Moodymann, The Black Madonna
parklife.uk.com
STRAWBERRIES AND CREEM FESTIVAL
Proof of what you can do with love of music and a spot of elbow grease, S&C’s team of passionate, young promoters bring the best of London’s thriving grime scene to the quaint, university city of Cambridge.
WHEN? 17th June
WHERE? Haggis Farm, Cambridge
PRICE? £40
HIGHLIGHTS: Wiley, Shaggy, AJ Tracey, Dimitri From Paris, Mike Skinner, J Hus, P Money, Logan Sama b2b Sir Spyro
strawberriesandcreem.com
GLASTONBURY
The Mac Daddy of UK festivals is back! What can we say about Glasto that hasn’t been said 1000 times already? If you didn’t get tickets, you’ll have to wait until 2019 for another chance, as 2018 will be a fallow year to allow the site to recover.
WHEN? 21st - 25th June
WHERE? Worthy Farm, Somerset
PRICE? SOLD OUT
HIGHLIGHTS: Moderat, Stormzy, Goldfrapp, Noisia, Sasha & Digweed, Run The Jewels
glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
NOISILY FESTIVAL
Forget your standard mainstage fodder, Noisily Festival is all about keeping it underground music-wise, with an extra emphasis on art, spiritualism and well-being too. Good for the mind, body and soul!
WHEN? 6th - 9th July
WHERE? Noseley Hall, Leicestershire
PRICE? £95 - £155
HIGHLIGHTS: Michael Mayer, Beardyman, LTJ Bukem, Congo Natty, Acid Pauli, The Prototypes
noisilyfestival.com
BLUEDOT
Science and raving go hand-in-hand at Bluedot festival. Located at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, the event offers an eclectic lineup, plus activities such as stargazing, films, a planetarium, and talks from experts in tech, physics and more.
WHEN? 7th July
WHERE? Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire
PRICE? £40 - £75
HIGHLIGHTS: Orbital, Andrew Weatherall, Mr Scruff, Vitalic, DJ Yoda (History Of Gaming set), Kelly Lee Owens, Factory Floor, Rival Consoles
discoverthebluedot.com
COCOON IN THE PARK
Sven Väth’s Cocoon brand returns to Leeds for a ninth year, bringing techno titans from across Europe and local heroes alike.
WHEN? 8th July
WHERE? Temple Newsham, Leeds
PRICE? £59 - £184
HIGHLIGHTS: Sven Väth, Adam Beyer, Richy Ahmed, Joseph Capriati, Annie Errez
cocooninthepark.com
FARR FESTIVAL
A discerning selection of house and techno in a hidden forest in Hertfordshire — how could we possibly resist? The simple answer is, we can’t.
WHEN? 13th - 15th July
WHERE? Bygrave Woods, Hertfordshire
PRICE? £40 - £99
HIGHLIGHTS: Todd Terje, Helena Hauff, Booka Shade, NAO, Omar-S, Red Axes (live), Honey Dijon, Mr. G (live), Submotion Orchestra
farrfestival.co.uk
BEAT-HERDER
Tucked away in the Lancastrian countryside, Beat-Herder boasts weird and wonderful in equal supply. A regular haunt for festival dons, Dub Pistols (they’re back again this year), is proof enough of the quality on offer.
WHEN? 14th - 16th July
WHERE? Ribble Valley, Lancashire
PRICE? £137.50 - £150
HIGHLIGHTS: Trentemøller, David Rodigan, Adrian Sherwood, Factory Floor, Jon Hopkins (DJ set), Jackmaster, Slam, Richy Ahmed
beatherder.co.uk
SECRET GARDEN PARTY
ONE of the UK’s best-loved festivals, Secret Garden Party waves farewell in 2017, so expect it to go out with a bang! Oooh, there seems to be something in our eye...
WHEN? 20th - 23rd July
WHERE? Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire
PRICE? £190
HIGHLIGHTS: Eats Everything, Jackmaster, Craig Richards, Honey Soundsystem, House Husband
secretgardenparty.com
LIVERPOOL DISCO FESTIVAL
30 YEARS OF SOUTHPORT WEEKENDER
After a fantastic debut last year, a cluster of warehouses just outside Liverpool city centre once again plays home to a plethora of globally renowned disco and house acts — this year additionally celebrating Southport Weekender’s 30th birthday!
WHEN? 21st - 23rd July
WHERE? The Baltic Triangle venues, Liverpool
PRICE? £45 - £55
HIGHLIGHTS: D-Train (live), Ultra Naté (live), David Morales, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Tony Humphries, Joey Negro, Jellybean Benitez, Nicky Siano
liverpooldiscofestival.com
NOZSTOCK
With a vibe a bit like a hippy commune, Nozstock combines rolling English countryside, charming hand-crafted production, and reggae, hip-hop, drum & bass, ska, psy-trance and the like. Look out for DJ Mag Bunker-hosted sets at the fest this year!
WHEN? 21st - 23rd July
WHERE? Rowden Paddocks, Herefordshire
PRICE? £115 - £125
HIGHLIGHTS: Happy Mondays, Uncle Dugs, Ivy Lab, Ocean Wisdom, Billy Bunter, Levelz
nozstock.com
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
We could all probably do with a few more reasons to be cheerful right now, but thankfully those folks down in Jersey have us covered — top stuff, as per!
WHEN? 29th July
WHERE? Coronation Park, St. Helier, Jersey
PRICE? £49 - £59
HIGHLIGHTS: Jenna & The Gs, Denis Sulta, Mungo’s Hi-Fi, Mollie Collins, Solardo
eventbrite.co.uk
51ST STATE
Having sold out every year since debuting in 2015, and looking likely to again this year, it’s safe to say 51st State has nailed the London festival game. Although it’s unsurprising really, considering how many undisputed legends of house and disco are playing.
WHEN? 5th August
WHERE? Trent Park, London
PRICE? £40 - £75
HIGHLIGHTS: Masters At Work, Dimitri From Paris, Mad Professor, DJ Sneak, Kenny Dope
51ststatefestival.com
EASTERN ELECTRICS
Relocating to London for 2017, EE boasts stages from Knee Deep In Sound, Skreamism, Defected, Rinse and more, but we’re secretly most excited to see Seth Troxler’s latest promo vid...
WHEN? 5th August
WHERE? Secret location, London
PRICE? £35
HIGHLIGHTS: Line-up TBA
easternelectrics.co.uk
VISIONS
Offering a bill of super-cool, highly individual acts you’d seriously struggle to find elsewhere, Visions brings together music, art, food and even a dog show, building a creative hub in the capital’s buzzing London Fields area.
WHEN? 5th August
WHERE? Multiple venues, London Fields, London
PRICE? £40 - £75
HIGHLIGHTS: Sophie, Jenny Hval, Blanck Mass, Liars, Zebra Katz
visionsfestival.com
BOOMTOWN
We struggle to think of any festival that goes quite as far as Boomtown to create a completely immersive experience — come on, they literally build a friggin’ town! Oh, and all that reggae, drum & bass, house and techno isn’t too bad either...
WHEN? 10th - 13th August
WHERE? Matterley Estate, Winchester
PRICE? £195
HIGHLIGHTS: Dub Phizix & Strategy, Loefah, Ben UFO & Mr Scruff & Joy Orbison, Booka Shade, AJ Tracey, Ziggy Marley, Dusky
boomtownfair.co.uk
GOTTWOOD
Welsh woodland and a dedication to building a fun, friendly, family-like vibe keeps Gottwood rammed year after year, and earned the event Best Boutique Festival at last year’s DJ Mag Best Of British Awards.
WHEN? 11th - 13th August
WHERE? Houghton Hall, Norfolk
PRICE? £140 - £150
HIGHLIGHTS: The Black Madonna, Mathew Jonson (live), Levelz, Ross From Friends (live), Scuba, Helena Hauff, Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda, Move D, Red Axes (live)
gottwood.co.uk
HOUGHTON
A music and art festival, set deep in the heart of the stunning Norfolk countryside, and curated by Fabric resident and Musical Director Craig Richards? Yes, yes, yes... take our money!
WHEN? 11th - 13th August
WHERE? Houghton Hall, Norfolk
PRICE? £140 - £150
HIGHLIGHTS: Ricardo Villalobos, Craig Richards, Nicolas Jaar (DJ set), Sonja Moonear, Andrew Weatherall, Radioactive Man (live), Calibre
houghtonfestival.co.uk
BOARDMASTERS
There's few places in the UK more beautiful than the Cornish coast, and coupling that with a wide range of big name DJs and MCs, and a chance to ride the country’s best breakers, makes Boardmasters practically impossible to resist.
WHEN? 12th August
WHERE? Watergate Bay/Fistral Beach, Cornwall
PRICE? £59 - £184
HIGHLIGHTS: Stormzy, DJ Shadow, Armand Van Helden, Andy C, Patrick Topping, Hannah Wants, Netsky, Solardo, Theo Kottis, Kurupt FM
boardmasters.co.uk
SUNFALL
Returning for a second year, Sunfall once again splits an unbelievable line-up over a daytime fest in Brockwell Park and night-time parties at a host of London’s best venues. Decisions, decisions...
WHEN? 12th August
WHERE? Brockwell Park/multiple venues, London
PRICE? £50 - £65
HIGHLIGHTS: Helena Hauff, Ben UFO, Peggy Gou, Romare, Move D, Floating Points, Yussef Kamaal, Konstantin, The Black Madonna, Madlib
sunfall.co.uk
ELROW TOWN LONDON
Barcelona's beloved party brand Elrow hits the UK capital for an open-air one-dayer. Expect top quality house and techno, more confetti than a Vegas chapel and all the colours. Seriously, all of them.
WHEN? 19th August
WHERE? Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
PRICE? £TBA
HIGHLIGHTS: Line-up TBA
elrowtownlondon.com
CREAMFIELDS
Celebrating 20 years in 2017, Creamfields is nothing short of legendary in the UK festival scene. This year’s line-up is as epic as ever (five pages long, in fact), offering EDM superstars and big name DJs from across the dance spectrum.
WHEN? 24th - 27th August
WHERE? Daresbury, Cheshire
PRICE? £85 - £220
HIGHLIGHTS: Deadmau5 & Eric Prydz (exclusive live show), Dusky, Armin van Buuren, Laidback Luke, Andy C, Axwell & Ingrosso, Martin Garrix, Diplo
creamfields.com
LOST VILLAGE
A host of underground dance music’s best and brightest, well-being workshops and top-notch comedy acts, all set in a secluded woodland location decked out in weird and wonderful production? Don’t mind if we do!
WHEN? 24th - 27th August
WHERE? Private woodland, Lincolnshire
PRICE? £160
HIGHLIGHTS: Moderat, Nina Kraviz, De La Soul, The Black Madonna, Ben UFO, Midland, Fatima Yamaha, Leon Vynehall, Call Super, Avalon Emerson
lostvillagefestival.com
SHAMBALA
Packing a titillating array of funk, jazz, Afrobeat, reggae, drum & bass and other dance, hippy fest Shambala is all about positive vibes, well-being and dancing ‘til you drop. Spread the love, people!
WHEN? 24th - 27th August
WHERE? Secret country estate, Northamptonshire
PRICE? £179
HIGHLIGHTS: Clap! Clap!, DJ Storm, DJ Barely Legal, Soccer96, Oumou Sangare, Zed Bias, Vaudou Game, Speech Debelle, Kimyan Law, Foreign Beggars
shamabalafestival.org
SOUTH WEST FOUR
A staple of the London festival calendar, SW4 pulls in the biggest names in mainstream dance like no other UK event, and packs a healthy helping of underground talent too.
WHEN? 26th - 27th August
WHERE? Clapham Common, London
PRICE? £55 - £105
HIGHLIGHTS: Maya Jane Coles vs Heidi, Pendulum, Deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Solomun, High Contrast, Dusky (live), Fabio & Grooverider b2b DJ Marky
southwestfour.com
BESTIVAL
It's all change for one of the nation’s best-loved fests this year, as the Isle Of Wight’s Bestival goes back to its roots design-wise and relocates to a castle in Dorset. Plus, Rob Da Bank’s taste in acts is still as impeccable as ever.
WHEN? 7th - 10th September
WHERE? Lulworth Estate, Dorset
PRICE? £170+
HIGHLIGHTS: The xx, A Tribe Called Quest, Justice, Dizzee Rascal, Little Dragon, Wiley, DJ Shadow, Andy C, Dusky, Solardo
bestival.net
HOSPITALITY IN THE PARK
After a cracking first year, Hospitality returns to Finsbury Park bigger and better, this year teaming up with Fabriclive, Let It Roll, Deep Medi and more.
WHEN? 23rd September
WHERE? Finsbury Park, London
PRICE? £33 - £43
HIGHLIGHTS: London Elektricity Big Band, Mala, Mist:I:Cal (Marcus Intalex b2b ST. Files b2b Calibre), My Nu Leng, Benton, Guv, Khan & Neek, S.P.Y, Swindle
hospitalityinthepark.london
MINT FESTIVAL
With Mint Club, Mint Warehouse and Mint Festival, there’s no doubt they like to keep things fresh up in Leeds (sorry, couldn’t resist!), and consistently solid line-ups suggest 2017 will be no different.
WHEN? 23rd September
WHERE? The Tetley, Leeds
PRICE? £TBA
HIGHLIGHTS: Line-up TBA
mintfestival.co.uk
THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL
No details for this one yet, but having scooped Best Festival at our 2016 Best Of British Awards, it’s safe to say Nic Fanciulli’s The Social Festival guarantees a good time.
WHEN? 29th - 30th September
WHERE? Kent County Showground, Maidstone
PRICE? £45 - £90
HIGHLIGHTS: Line-up TBA
thesocialfestival.com