Best for: Stadium-filling artists
2027 line-up: TBC
Insider tip: Add a few days on either side of the festival to explore the island’s foodie charms
Steeped in musical history thanks to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell and The Doors playing there back in 1970, the Isle of Wight Festival leans more toward big-draw names rather than counterculture legends these days, but it remains a massive event nonetheless. Aside from the music, you’ll find comedy, film screenings, theatre performances, a wide range of food and plenty to keep families happy.
Glastonbury, Somerset
Getty Images23 – 27 June 2027
Best for: Ticking off an über-festival from the wish list
2027 line-up: TBC
Don’t miss: Shangri-La; a wild, anarchic party universe of its own, with performance, art, satire and all-night DJ sets
If you didn’t secure tickets this October – join the club – then this may feel like rubbing salt into the wound. However, there’s still the resale to come, and it wouldn’t feel like a complete list of the best festivals in the UK without name-dropping the one that steals the spotlight every summer. There’s so much to discover on Worthy Farm that every year is an opportunity to discover something new tucked away in the corner of a field. The rumour mill starts spinning well ahead of time – Harry Styles, Sam Fender and Madonna are among the names going round for 2027 – and the festival sells out in minutes, months before any headliners are announced. There are a limited number of tipis on-site, although glamping options are primarily based off-site in the surrounding fields.