2012 Festivals

Here we list the major festival dates this year so you can choose which to attend and find some new ones. Glastonbury is not happening this year, but there are loads of other great festivals to attend.

April

Honeyfest - 14th April - Wiltshire Mystery Location

The first out-door music festival of the year. It taps into the spirit of this magical season and takes place in the heart of the ancient and famous Wiltshire countryside
Honeyfest 2011 saw Damien Rice, Laura Marling and the Magic Numbers take the stage, so you can expect some great names again.

May

Wild Heart - 4th to 7th May - Knepp Estate, West Sussex

Wild heart is super friendly, only an hour from London and probably one of the most relaxed and safe festivals in the UK with everything from workshops, yoga, cabaret tents to fantastic music from all over the world.

The Great Escape - 10th to 12th May - Brighton

One of Europe’s leading festivals for new music, The Great Escape is often considered to be Britain’s answer to South By Southwest, serving up legendary shows in the bars and clubs of Brighton.

Retro Trax Old Skool Festival - 12th to 13th May - Bath Racecourse

This event will feature over 100 DJs / Live acts bringing you the very best in old skool dance music from the 80s / 90s in 4 different arenas. Over 21s only.

Bearded Theory - 18th to 20th May - Derby

3 Day Family Festival with something for everyone, incorporating over 400 acts over 5 stages plus circus, cinema and a huge childrens' entertainment area

Lakefest - 18th May to 20th May - Tewkesbury

West country themed music and cider festival with great bands including  Levellers, Reef, Dodgy and EMF

Acoustic Festival of Britain - 25th May to 27th May - Uttoxeter Racecourse

Craft Stalls & Displays, Juggling Schools, Drumming, Didgeredoo & Guitar Workshops just to name a few activities to entertain you alongside some great acoustic acts.

Off the Tracks - 25th May to 27th May - Castle Donington

Eclectic festival running for 24 years, with a great atmosphere and a musically knowledgeable crowd, and most importantly some great line ups.

June

Glastonbudget - 1st June to 3rd June - Wymeswold, Leics

Europe's largest tribute band festival running since 2005 with over 5000 fans and 6 stages to enjoy over 130 acts

Wychwood Festival - 8th to 10th June - Cheltenham

Family music festival, with over 100 bands, 100 workshops, comedy, cinema, kids little fest, healing and idyllic camping beneath the Prestbury Hills.

Download Festival - 9th to 10th June - Donington Park

Rock and metal fest. 3 days of axe wielding mayhem. 2 outdoor stages and a chill out area in the woods! Featuring Metallica, Black Sabbath and the Prodigy.

Escape into the Park - 11th June - Swansea

Wales' biggest outdoor dance music event that attracts 20,000 fans. Past artists include Judge Jules, Lisa Lashes, Darren Stules and more.

Sunrise Celebration - 21st to 24th June - Bruton, Somerset

This is the 7th year for the leading sustainable festival. It features 8 arenas, 15 entertainment venues and a lot more besides with a 12,000 person capacity.

Isle of Wight Festival - 22nd to 24th June - Newport, Isle of Wight

Running since 1968 now with yet another superb line up planned including Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam already booked. Not to be missed

July

T in the Park - 6th to 8th July - Balado, Kinross-shire

Nine stages in the arena (plus four in the campsite!), across three days of festival entertainment, means a choice of up to 180 artists across a packed weekend. 

Sonisphere - 6th to 8th July - Knebworth House, Hertforsdshire

Hertfordshire's Knebworth House offers a weekend of Rock, Metal, Electro, and Punk with three days of noise for 60,000 festival junkies

Latitude - 12th to 15th July - Southwold, Suffolk

Latitude caters for a variety of musical tastes and comprises elements of theatre, art, comedy, cabaret, poetry, politics, dance and literature.
The festival is run by the same team who host the Reading and Leeds festivals.

GuilFest - 13th to 15th July - Guildford

Family friendly and laid-back offering a multitude of different musical styles with classic and modern acts, plus entertainment, children's area, art and crafts, and a truly festive atmosphere.

Lovebox - 15th July - Hackney, London

Lovebox is an urban festival with a mix of DJ's, Rock and Roll madness and memorable band and artist performances. 65,000 fans come for the variety of music styles including folk, hip hop, indie, disco-punk, rock, world or electronic music.

Splendour - 21st July - Wollaton Park, Nottingham

Family festival with three live music stages and comedy stage. Headline acts already confirmed are Dizzee Rascal, Razorlight, The Levellers and Katy B.

WOMAD - 26th to 29th July - Charlton Park, Wiltshire

The original world music festival celebrates its 30th year in 2012 with everything from the Taste the World stage to the thumping San-Fran disco bar. 

Global Gathering - 27th to 28th July - Stratford upon Avon

GlobalGathering is one of the top Dance Music Festivals, with over 100 acts playing the sixteen stages. 80,000 festival goers party hard to every genre of electronic music which includes house, dub step and more.

August

The Big Chill - 2nd to 5th August - Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle with 35000 festival goers.

TribFest - 17th to 19th August - Tickton, East Yorkshire

Growing each year and features a range of the biggest and best tribute acts and also includes stages for local talent and comedy performance.

V Festival - 18th to 19th August - Chelmsford & Staffordshire

One of the big festivals with some great names held at 2 different venues over the weekend.

Reading Festival - 24th to 26th August - Reading

Rock, alternative, indie, punk, metal, with big names, breaking acts, and exclusive performances with 87000 capacity!

Leeds Festival - 24th to 26th August - Bramham

Amazing Line ups and cracking headliners, you'll never be dissappointed with a visit to Leeds Music Festival. 

Creamfields - 24th to 26th August - Daresbury Estate, Cheshire

The clubbing world's large scale outdoor event for 40,000 ravers returns for the nineteenth year in 2012

September

Bestival - 6th September - Isle of Wight

This weekend music festival has grown it's capacity rapidly to 55,000 and is known for being more alternative and varied than the Isle of Wight Festival and hosts a number of dress themed days.