Yahoo Finance UK festival line-ups 2022: The best music events, from Boomtown to Overflo
There were times when it didn’t look like it would happen, but the UK’s festival summer finally arrived in 2021 — and what a blast it was.
Now, festival-goers’ eyes are fixed firmly on the upcoming summer, which, all being well, should see a return to a full calendar of music.
Here, we’ve rounded up the major UK festivals to have confirmed their dates for this year, split into those with line-ups already announced, and those who are still yet to unveil the acts. Prices are for the cheapest adult weekend tickets, with camping included, if available.
Confirmed line-ups
Country to Country
Europe’s biggest celebration of country music returns to the O2 with some of the biggest names in the genre from both sides of the Atlantic, spread across three venues in the UK and Ireland.
When? March 11-13, 2022
Where? The O2, London / 3Arena, Dublin / The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Who’s on the line-up? Luke Combs, Darius Rucker, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Brett Young and more.
Tickets: from £45, c2c-countrytocountry.com
The Great Escape
The place to go to catch a glimpse of the most exciting up-and-comers, spread across various venues on the south coast.
Where? Brighton, East Sussex,
When? May 11-14, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Enny, KAM-BU, Mysie, Priya Ragu, Wu-Lu and more.
Tickets: from £70, greatescapefestival.com
The Cause Seaside Beano
The Cause nightclub, which said goodbye to its Tottenham home at the end of last year, is keeping the party going with this Pontins-based weekender, promising three days and nights of non-stop dance music.
Where? Camber Sands, East Sussex
When? May 20-23, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Helena Hauff, Objekt, Goldie, DJ Bone, Or:la and more.
Tickets: from £132 (including accomodation), supportthecause.co.uk/seasidebeano
Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering
A family-orientated festival, but with a multi-genre line-up certain to keep the adults enthralled.
Where? Catton Hall, Derbyshire
When? May 26-29, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Placebo, The Flaming Lips, Patti Smith, Peter Hook and the Light, Amy Macdonald and more.
Tickets: from £144, beardedtheory.co.uk
Wide Awake
A new festival that made its debut on the London festival scene in 2021, this festival returns with an expanded two-day line-up blend of cutting-edge sounds from leftfield indie to jazz.
When? May 27-28, 2022
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s playing? Bicep, Primal Scream, Caribou, Floating Points, Working Men’s Club and more.
Tickets: from £37, wideawakelondon.co.uk
Radio 1’s Big Weekend
This BBC weekender moves to a different UK city each year, but it always manages to bring some of the biggest names in pop music with it.
When? May 27-29, 2022
Where? War Memorial Park, Coventry
Who’s playing? Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris, Aitch, AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie and more.
Tickets: from £12.50, bbc.com
City Splash
Dedicated to reggae, afrobeats and dancehall, this Brixton festival will be spread across six stages.
When? May 29, 2022
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s playing? Mr Eazi, Barrington Levy, Protoje, Kranium, Stonebwoy and more.
Tickets: from £25, city-splash.com
BST Hyde Park
Always a nailed-on for the big names, this concert series runs more like a series of mini day festivals, with a headline act and a whole host of support acts.
Where? Hyde Park, London
When? Various dates, June and July 2022
Who’s playing? The Rolling Stones, Adele, Elton John, Pearl Jam, Pixies, Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers & Chic, and more.
Tickets: Various prices, bst-hydepark.com
Gala
It’s always nothing but good vibes at this south London festival, with a broad spectrum of dance music and sprinkling of live acts keeping the party going.
Where? Peckham Rye Park, London
When? June 2-4, 2022
Who’s playing? Jeremy Underground, Shanti Celeste, Move D, Bradley Zero, Horse Meat Disco and more.
Tickets: from £40, thisisgala.co.uk
Creamfields South
A new, 50,000-capacity sister event to the big-hitting dance music festival that will take place up north later in the summer, this one has an unsurprisingly starry line-up.
Where? Hylands Park, Chelmsford
When? June 2-4, 2022
Who’s playing? David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Amelie Lens and more.
Tickets: from £220, creamfieldschelmsford.com
The Great Estate
Spread out across the Jubilee bank holiday, this family-friendly festival has enough to keep the both little ones and grown-ups entertained.
Where? Redruth, Cornwall
When? June 2-5, 2022
Who’s playing? Manic Street Preachers, Craig Charles, DJ Yoda, The Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Melle Mel’s Furious 5 and Scorpio, and more.
Tickets: from £85, greatestatefestival.co.uk
Junction 2
London’s best festival dedicated to techno and house returns to an as yet unnamed location somewhere in the capital.
Where? Trent Park, London
When? June 3-4, 2022
Who’s playing? Four Tet, Honey Dijon, Jon Hopkins, Amelie Lens, Nina Kraviz and more.
Tickets: from £45, junction2.london/festival
Mighty Hoopla
The LGBTQ-friendly festival always has one of the best vibes in London with a line-up that never takes itself too seriously.
When? June 3-4, 2022
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s playing? Sugababes, Steps, Anastacia, Jessie Ware, Cascada and more.
Tickets: from £59.50, mightyhoopla.com
Cross The Tracks
Taking us on a journey through jazz, soul, funk and beyond, the line-up here usually consists of legacy favourites and newer acts.
When? June 5, 2022
Where? Brockwell Park, London
Who’s playing? Khruangbin, Joy Crookes, Patrice Rushen, Sampa The Great, Mereba and more.
Tickets: from £29.50, xthetracks.com
Download
Its 2021 edition was resurrected in the form of a Government-backed pilot event, but the UK’s biggest festival for all things head-banging will return in its unadulterated form for 2022.
Where? Donington Park, Derby
When? June 10-12, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? KISS, Iron Maiden, Biffy Clyro, A Day To Remember, Deftones, Korn and more.
Tickets: from £243, downloadfestival.co.uk
Cambridge Club
Make sure you bring along your dancing shoes to this festival, which brings together big names from across disco, soul, pop, funk and beyond.
Where? Childerley Orchard, Cambridge
When? 10-12 June, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Level 42, Corinne Bailey Rae and more.
Tickets: from £56, thecambridgeclub.co
Kite
A brand-new festival for 2022, it aims to be a blend of “music and ideas”, with musicians, comedians, artists, writers, activists and thinkers appearing across seven stages.
Where? Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire
When? 10-12 June, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Grace Jones, Mavis Staples, Tom Misch, This Is The Kit, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and more.
Tickets: from £45, kitefestival.co.uk
Parklife
Early bird tickets for Manchester’s biggest festival sold out in record time — keep an eye out for the next batch, which will no doubt be snapped up swiftly as well.
Where? Heaton Park, Manchester
When? June 11-12, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Tyler, The Creator, 50 Cent, Megan Thee Stallion, Lewis Capaldi, Chase & Status and more.
Tickets: from£129, parklife.uk.com
Isle of Wight
Always among the first major festivals of the season, with a line-up of chart-toppers and legacy favourites.
When? June 16-19, 2022
Where? Newport, Isle of Wight
Who’s playing? Lewis Capaldi, Lionel Richie, Kasabian, Pete Tong, Muse and more.
Tickets: from £160, isleofwightfestival.com
Strawberries & Creem
Covering everything from grime and reggae, to house and drum’n’bass, to reggae and soca, this festival will host Lil Wayne’s first UK performance in 14 years, and has also secured a 60 per cent female line-up.
Where? Childerley Orchard, Cambridge
When? June 18-19, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Lil Wayne, Ella Mai, Mabel, Tems, Tion Wayne and more.
Tickets: £TBC, strawberriesandcreem.com
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is unquestionably good in normal times, let alone with the pent up emotion of two cancellations and a 50th anniversary to celebrate. If you were one of the lucky ones to nab a ticket back in October 2019 and have rolled it over to 2022, know that you’re in possession of solid gold.
When? June 22-26, 2022
Where? Worthy Farm, Somerset
Who’s on the line-up? Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar, Diana Ross, Olivia Rodrigo and more.
Tickets: Sold out (resale launches March 24 for coach tickets, March 27 for general sale), glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
Leisure
Billed as a day of music and rides down by the Kent seaside, this new festival will land in Margate’s Dreamland.
When? June 24, 2022
Where? Margate, Kent
Who’s on the line-up? Mitski, Soccer Mommy, Nilüfer Yanya, Sorry, L’Rain and more.
Tickets: £44, dreamland.co.uk
El Dorado
The music policy is broad here - everything from rap to funk to drum’n’bass - and you’d expect so from a festival that boasts no less than 21 stages.
When? June 30-July 3, 2022
Where? Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire
Who’s on the line-up? Groove Armada, Earth, Wind and Fire Experience feat. Al McKay, Kojey Radical, Shy FX, Enny, and more.
Tickets: £TBC, eldoradofestival.com
Wireless
Expanding in 2022 to be spread across three events in two weekends, with two in London (Crystal Palace Park and Finsbury Park) and one in Birmingham, Wireless is back with a bang.
When? July 1-3 and 8-10, 2022
Where? Crystal Palace Park, London (July 1-3), NEC outdoors, Birmingham (July 8-10) and Finsbury Park, London (8-10)
Who’s on the line-up? A$AP Rocky, Dave, Cardi B, SZA, Nicki Minaj and more.
Tickets: £TBC, wirelessfestival.co.uk
Love Supreme
An ode to jazz, with a healthy lot of jazz, soul, funk and more. Expect a mix of genre icons and new innovators on the line-up.
Where? Glynde Place, East Sussex
When? July 1-3, 2022
Who’s playing? Erykah Badu, TLC, Tom Misch, Lianne La Havas, Ezra Collective, Sister Sledge and more.
Tickets: from£148.50, lovesupremefestival.com
Rochester Castle Concerts
Set amid the spectacular backdrop of Rochester Castle, this four-day concert series welcomes some big names down to Kent.
When? July 6-9, 2022
Where? Rochester Castle, Kent
Who’s playing? The Human League, James Blunt, The Specials, Cameo and more to be announced.
Tickets: from £50, rochestercastleconcerts.com
2000Trees
Dealing in all things hard, fast and loud, this festival always promises a raucous time.
When? July 7-9, 2022
Where? Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Who’s playing? Idles, Jimmy Eat World, Thrice, Pup, Rolo Tomassi and more.
Tickets: from £37.80, twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk
Somerset House Summer Series
Set within the grand surroundings of Somerset House by the banks of the Thames, this open-air concert series spans 11 nights of music.
When? July 7-17, 2022
Where? Somerset House, London
Who’s playing? Arlo Parks, John Legend, Carly Rae Jepsen, Squid, SG Lewis and more.
Tickets: Various prices, somersethouse.org.uk
TRNSMT
This Glasgow festival is always one of the liveliest music events north of the border, with a guitar-heavy line-up.
When? July 8-10, 2022
Where? Glasgow, Scotland
Who’s on the line-up? Paolo Nutini, The Strokes, Lewis Capaldi, Beabadoobee, Fontaines D.C. and more.
Tickets: from £155, trnsmtfest.com
Community
Back for the first time since 2019, this is a great, big indie rock day out.
When? July 16, 2022
Where? Finsbury Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, Circa Waves, Pale Waves and more.
Tickets: from£45, communityfestival.london
Bluedot
Not many festivals can claim to be held upon a UNESCO World Heritage site, but that’s the case at this festival mixing music, science and wider culture.
When? July 21-24, 2022
Where? Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire
Who’s on the line-up? Björk with the Hallé Orchestra, plus more to be confirmed.
Tickets: from £178.75, discoverthebluedot.com
Standon Calling
After returning for its 15th edition in 2021, this crowd-pleasing festival for all the family is making plans for 2022, with what will surely be a wide-ranging line-up and plenty to keep the kids entertained too.
When? July 21-24, 2022
Where? Standon, Hertfordshire
Who’s playing? Madness, Gabrielle, The Subways, The Skints, Nadia Rose for the Thursday line-up, with other days announced soon.
Tickets: from £139, standon-calling.com
Latitude
This idyllic countryside retreat prides itself on being more than just a music festival — previous editions have brought in everything from comedy to stand-up paddleboarding.
When? July 21-24, 2022
Where? Henham Park, Suffolk
Who’s on the line-up? Lewis Capaldi, Foals, Snow Patrol, Phoebe Bridgers, Groove Armada and more.
Tickets: £TBC, latitudefestival.com
Tramlines
Sheffield’s biggest city-based music festival is always a popular one, thanks both to its stacked line-ups and decent value tickets.
When? July 22-24, 2022
Where? Hillsborough Park, Sheffield
Who’s playing? Sam Fender, Kasabian, Madness, James, The Wombats and more.
Tickets: from £120, tramlines.org.uk
PennFest
Dance, rock, hip-hop and more come together at this two-dayer.
When? July 22-23, 2022
Where? The Big Park, Buckinghamshire
Who’s playing? Clean Bandit, Rudimental, Feeder, Arrested Development, The Hoosiers and more.
Tickets: from £91, pennfest.net
Kaleidoscope
This multi-arts one-dayer is blessed with one of the best festival sites in London, set within the grounds of Alexandra Palace and offering panoramic views of the capital.
When? July 23, 2022
Where? Alexandra Palace, London
Who’s on the line-up? Orbital, Happy Mondays, Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon, The Magic Numbers, House Gospel Choir and more.
Tickets: £51, kaleidoscope-festival.com
Higher Ground
A new festival for 2022, taking over the lovely grounds of Ally Pally for a day of live music, DJ sets, talks, readings and more.
When? July 24, 2022
Where? Alexandra Palace, London
Who’s on the line-up? Patti Smith, Nadine Shah, Spelling, Connie Constance, Nabihah Iqbal and more.
Tickets: from £40, higherground.london
Kendal Calling
Back for the first time in three years, this Lake District favourite returns its typical mix of crowd-pleasing headliners.
When? July 28-31, 2022
Where? Lowther Deer Park, Lake District
Who’s playing? Supergrass, Stereophonics, The Streets, Hacienda Classical, The Wombats and more.
Tickets: from £178, kendalcalling.co.uk
WOMAD
A festival that prides itself on an international line-up, and all the vibrancy that such a thing brings with it.
When? July 28-31, 2022
Where? Charlton Park, Wiltshire
Who’s on the line-up? Fatoumata Diawara, Angelique Kidjo, Kae Tempest, Fantastic Negrito, The Flaming Lips and more.
Tickets: from £205, womad.co.uk
Camp Bestival
One for the family-sized festival-goers, this one caters to all ages with a programme of events to keep the kids occupied, as well as the adults. A new sister event will launch in 2022 to run in Shropshire, in addition to the existing Dorset festival.
When? July 28-31, 2022 (Dorset), August 18-21, 2022 (Shropshire)
Where? Lulworth Castle, Dorset/Weston Park, Shropshire
Who’s on the line-up? Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Rudimental, Sister Sledge, Kool and the Gang, Earth Wind and Fire Experience feat. Al McKay, and more (Dorset) / Fatboy Slim, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Becky Hill, Example, Mae Muller and more (Shropshire)
Tickets: from £180, campbestival.net
Y Not
Returning to the bucolic surroundings of the Peak District for its 15th edition, this festival promises some of the best-known guitar bands in the UK, with plenty of emerging acts too.
When? July 29-31, 2022
Where? Pikehall, Derbyshire
Who’s on the line-up? Stereophonics, Courteeners, Blossoms, Manic Street Preachers, Nothing But Thieves and more.
Tickets: £119.50, ynotfestival.com
South Facing
After a successful launch in 2021 at the Crystal Palace Bowl, this open-air concert series returns for a second run.
Where? Crystal Palace Bowl, London
When? July 29-August 21, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? London Grammar, Bombay Bicycle Club, Becky Hill, Kamasi Washington, Jungle and more.
Tickets: various prices, southfacingfestival.com
We Are FSTVL
One of London’s biggest dance music festivals, always with a reliably huge line-up of global DJs.
Where? Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Upminster
When? August 6-7, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? Andy C, Craig David presents TS5, Rudimental, Jamie Jones, Armand Van Helden and more.
Tickets: from £52.50, wearefstvl.com
Boardmasters
Sun (possibly), surfing and good music (almost definitely) are among the offerings at this beach-side festival.
Where? Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, Cornwall
When? August 10-14, 2022
Who’s playing? George Ezra, Disclosure, Kings of Leon, Damian Marley, Bastille and more.
Tickets: from£214, boardmasters.com
Houghton
Cancelled in 2019, 2020 and 2021, Houghton is finally on track to make its long-awaited return, with its around-the-clock programme of dance music hedonism.
Where? Houghton Hall, Norfolk
When? August 11-14, 2022
Who’s playing? Call Super, Gerd Janson, Helena Hauff, Move D, Peach and more.
Tickets: from £245, houghtonfestival.co.uk
Green Man
A real gem of a festival, whose line-up spans multiple genres and whose programme covers everything from comedy to science, returns for its 20th anniversary edition.
When? August 18-21, 2022
Where? Brecon Beacons, Wales
Who’s on the line-up? Michael Kiwanuka, with more to be announced.
Tickets: from £195, greenman.net
All Points East
One of the London’s biggest festivals returns to its two-weekend, multi-genre spread of acts.
When? August 19-28, 2022
Where? Victoria Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? Tame Impala, The National, Gorillaz, Disclosure, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and more.
Tickets: Various prices, allpointseastfestival.com
Field Day
Sandwiched in between All Points East, and moving back to its spiritual home of Victoria Park, Field Day continues with its dance-focused line-up.
When? August 20, 2022
Where? Victoria Park, London
Who’s on the line-up? Kraftwerk, The Chemical Brothers, Cici, Daniel Avery, Eliza Rose, and more.
Tickets: from £79.50, fielddayfestivals.com
Reading and Leeds
A rite of passage for British festival-goers, these dual-running events are always among the biggest on the UK calendar.
When? August 25-28, 2022
Where? Reading, Berkshire / Leeds, West Yorkshire
Who’s playing? Dave, Arctic Monkeys, Rage Against The Machine, Little Simz, Halsey and more.
Tickets: from £232, readingfestival.com / leedsfestival.com
Creamfields North
Always one of the biggest dance music festivals on the calendar, Creamfields is a sure-fire gathering of some of the best-known DJs on the world circuit. It celebrates turning 25 in 2022.
When? August 25-28, 2022
Where? Daresbury, Cheshire
Who’s on the line-up? David Guetta, Nina Kraviz, Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Camelphat and more.
Tickets: Sold out, creamfields.com
We Out Here
Gilles Peterson’s new festival, which landed back in 2019, returns with another line-up broadly split exploring the through-lines connecting jazz, club culture and more.
When? August 25-28, 2022
Where? Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire
Who’s on the line-up? Pharaoh Sanders, Masters at Work, KOKOROKO, The Comet Is Coming, Jamz Supernova and more.
Tickets: from £180, weoutherefestival.com
Victorious
Down on the south coast, this Portsmouth festival always draws in some big names, covering rock, britpop, indie rock, and more.
When? August 26-28, 2022
Where? Southsea, Portsmouth
Who’s on the line-up? Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini, Sam Fender, Anne-Marie, Bastille and more.
Tickets: from £40, victoriousfestival.co.uk
Eastern Electrics
This dance music festival moves up to Lee Valley Showground for its 2022 edition, bringing some floor-filling DJs with it.
When? August 27, 2022
Where? Lee Valley Showground, London
Who’s on the line-up? Seth Troxler, Horse Meat Disco, Debonair, Mall Grab, Margaret Dyas and more.
Tickets: from £29.95, easternelectrics.com
Electric City
A new one-dayer for 2022, with Chase & Status’s only London show of the year as the headline attraction.
When? August 28, 2022
Where? Clapham Common, London
Who’s on the line-up? Chase & Status, Headie One, Andy C, Jme, Sub Focus b2b Wilkinson, and more.
Tickets: £TBC, whatcamebefore.net
Maiden Voyage
A relatively new arrival on the London scene, this one is run by the same people who helm the Jazz Cafe in Camden. The venue’s focused eclecticism is matched on the festival’s line-up.
When? August 28, 2022
Where? Lee Valley Showground, London
Who’s playing? Hunee, D Double E, Sherelle, Octo Octa, Jayda G and more.
Tickets: from £10, maiden-voyage.co.uk
End of the Road
Another multi-disciplinary delight spanning the spectrum of music, comedy, literature, film and beyond, expect an exciting, discerning line-up.
When? September 1-4, 2022
Where? Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire
Who’s playing? Pixies, with more to be announced.
Tickets: from £190, endoftheroadfestival.com
Forwards
A brand new festival for 2022, set to welcome 60,000 people across two days.
When? September 3-4, 2022
Where? Clifton Downs, Bristol
Who’s playing? Jamie xx, The Chemical Brothers, Little Simz, Róisín Murphy, Caribou and more.
Tickets: from £98, forwardsbristol.co.uk
Naked City
A laid-back, multi-faceted festival in a south London green space, mixing jazz, house, dub, jungle and more.
Where? Beckenham Place Park, London
When? September 10, 2022
Who’s on the line-up? ENNY, Kojey Radical, Steam Down, The Blessed Madonna, Joy Orbison and more.
Tickets: from £35.50, nakedcityfestival.com
Waterworks
Making its debut last summer, this is one for those who like their dance music a little left-of-centre.
When? September 17, 2022
Where? Gunnersbury Park, London
Who’s playing? Ben UFO, Moxie, Midland, Yung Singh, Bradley Zero and more.
Tickets: from £47.50, waterworksfestival.co.uk
Overflo
A brand new festival from the co-founders of Pxssy Palace and BBZ, this dance music one-dayer promises “the very best of global and homegrown Queer, Trans, Non-Binary, Black, Indigenous and POC talent”.
When? September 18, 2022
Where? Burgess Park, London
Who’s playing? bbymutha, Lady Shaka, LSDXOXO, tygapaw, Young M.A, Toccororo, Ojerime, Alewya, Donnie Sunshine and Nayana IZ
Tickets: from £30, pxssypalace.com/overflo
Confirmed dates
Secret Garden Party
Back after a five-year hiatus, tickets for this one sold out almost as quickly as they arrived.
When? July 21-24, 2022
Where? Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Tickets: sold out, secretgardenparty.com
Boomtown
Tickets are already running low for this five-day extravanganza, which is always one of the more surreal festivals in the calendar, so be sure to snap them up soon.
When? August 10-14, 2022
Where? Winchester, Hampshire
Who’s playing? Boomtown is running things a bit different this year for Chapter One: The Gathering, and the lineup is yet to be announced. The festival has made the decision to keep it top secret but promises a phenomenal and diverse range of artists.
Tickets: from £222.50, boomtownfair.co.uk
Defected London
A big-hitting dance music festival, run by the famed house label Defected, this two-day event lands in a new Thames-side location.
When? September 3-4, 2022
Where? Dockyards, London
Tickets: from £89.99, defected.com/london
