Pete Firman – Master Magician Conjures A Huge Live Tour
By Stuart Rolt I used to hate magic. OK, that’s a strong word, but anything
The Worthy Farm gates are closed to revellers this summer, as Glastonbury take a well-deserved fallow year in 2026. This will mean hundreds of thousands of festival-goers with freed-up budgets and empty calendar slots. So, if you’ve got a crate of cider, a jumbo pack of wet wipes and want to hear the best bands and DJs this green isle has to offer, there’s still plenty of intimate atmospheres, curated lineups, and personalised experiences in a field ready to fill that gap.
End of the Road Festival
Thu 3 – Sun 6 Sept
Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire SP5 5PY
If you know, you know… This carefully put-together weekend is based in a Victorian pleasure garden, an intimate setting that feels worlds away from muddy fields and corporate branding.
With attendance deliberately capped to preserve the atmosphere that encourages regulars to return for year after year, the lineup leans towards indie, folk, and alternative acts with genuine artistic credibility rather than chart positions.
Multiple stages nestle within the gardens’ natural architecture. You can watch a headliner, then stumble upon an acoustic set in a hidden grove minutes later. Acts confirmed include CMAT, Pulp and Mac Dmarco, along with a host of other goodies.
Latitude Festival
Thurs 23 – Sun 26 July
Henham Park, Suffolk NR34 8AQ
Henham Park in Suffolk transforms each July into a multi-arts celebration. Music forms the core, but theatre, comedy, literature, and visual arts get equal billing.
A scenic lake, woodland, and parkland setting allows for creative stage placement that larger festivals cannot achieve. The Waterfront Stage literally floats on the lake, creating visuals that enhance rather than distract from performances. Their fiercely cool line-up is topped by David Burne, Teddy Swims, and Lewis Capaldi.
Families appreciate the dedicated children’s area that treats young attendees as festival-goers rather than afterthoughts. The programming reflects genuine curation across art forms.
Shindig Festival
Thu 21 – Sun 24 May
Charlton Park, Wiltshire SN16 9DG
As spring turns to summer, Shindig Festival returns to Charlton Park with a banging 12th edition. Get ready for four days of live music, family-friendly fun and woodland magic, as they create The Garden of Delights.
This year promises a vibrant mix of styles, from the best of UK sound-system music to psychedelic folk, calling in at almost every genre on the way. Acts already announced include Chali 2NA, WAR, and My Baby, plus the finest of the South West’s DJ talent alongside international superstars.
Whether you’re there for tummy-wobbling beats, rootsy grooves, mellow afternoons beneath ancient trees or a relaxed family weekend with brilliant workshops and a kids’ zone, Shindig 2026 looks set to deliver a joyful, kaleidoscopic celebration of music, nature and community.
Shambala
Thu 27 – Sun 30 Aug
Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens, Northamptonshire NN6 9LY
This unique festival operates as a testing ground for sustainable event management. No single-use plastic, no disposable tents, no compromise on environmental standards.
Your big-hitting artists include Bob Vylan, Penguin Café, and Goat. But much of the joy of this festival is exposing yourself to new and unexpected sounds. You could be listening to grime in one tent, or nose flute folk next door. Styles span electronic, world, and alternative genres. But Shambala’s main draw is a commitment to values beyond entertainment. Attendees come for the ethos as much as the lineup.
Workshops, talks, and participatory art installations fill the spaces between musical acts. The festival feels like a temporary community rather than a commercial transaction.
Cambridge Folk Festival
Sat 1 – Sun 2 Aug
Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge CB1 8DW.
www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk
You can never underestimate how much folk and all its various sub-genres are so important to the fabric of Glastonbury. Taking up some of the slack for hungry festival crowds this year is Britain’s longest-running folk weekend. Since 1965, it has maintained a focus on acoustic music and traditional craftsmanship.
This year’s core offerings are Frank Turner, Suzanne Vega, and Richard Thompson with Zara Phillips. But what makes it work is how an intimate scale is created – allowing for a genuine artist-audience connection. The festival attracts performers who value musicianship over spectacle. The daytime workshops and evening concerts create a natural rhythm. You learn about instrument-making in the afternoon, then watch masters perform those instruments at night.
Mucky Weekender
Thu 10 – Sat 12 Sept
Vicarage Farm, Winchester SO21 3BL
Returning to the rolling Hampshire countryside, this friendly festival has become one of the South’s most beloved boutique bashes.
With a capacity of just 5,000, the weekend blends the warmth of a community gathering with the energy of a proper sound-system celebration. Across five stages you’ll find a heady mix of drum & bass, jungle, dub, reggae, funk and disco, with scene pioneers and next-gen talents sharing the bill in true family-rave spirit. Attractions this year include Gentlemen’s Dub Club, David Rodigan, Goldie, and Freestylers.
This year’s fancy-dress theme is Dead Famous, which will undoubtedly fire up some imaginative responses… This is far more than a line-up. Expect immersive art, roaming performers, a famously friendly crowd and thoughtful touches like wellbeing areas and chill-out spaces.
Kendal Calling
Thu 30 July – Sun 2 Aug
Lowther Deer Park, Penrith CA10 2DY
Hosted by the glorious Lake District landscape, this festival capitalises on the surrounding natural beauty without exploiting it. There are a few places where you can hear the best bands with glorious mountains as a backdrop.
The lineup balances indie, alternative, and electronic acts with enough variety to satisfy diverse tastes. The festival maintains northern authenticity without playing to stereotypes. Camping integrates with the landscape rather than fighting it. The site design respects the environment whilst accommodating thousands of attendees.
Field Day
Sat 23 May
Victoria Park, London E9 5HT
If you’ve ever been to Glastonbury and thought it could be improved by being nearer Westfield Stratford City, this is your moment. A unique urban event festival that brings boutique sensibilities to the capital, this single-day bash gathers the finest international acts and mixes it with local talent.
The festival proves that boutique doesn’t require rural isolation. Urban settings offer their own advantages: accessibility, infrastructure, and the ability to return home rather than to a tent. Expect Andy C, Joy Orbison, MJ Cole and a selection of the freshest sounds around.
Elderflower Fields
Nutley, East Sussex TN22 3HW
Fri 22 – Mon 25 May
Tucked away in the rolling woodland of Sussex, this is an experience unlike the rest, and an ideal first festival for young families. It’s a weekend where you can slow down, explore nature, and enjoy live music in a setting that feels both adventurous and wonderfully relaxed. Designed with children at its heart, the festival blends outdoor play, creative workshops and wild spaces with a carefully curated soundtrack that keeps the whole site buzzing.
The music line-up for 2026 brings a joyful mix of sounds perfect for sun-splashed afternoons and lively evenings beneath the trees. Expect the high-energy swing-meets-drum-and-bass spectacle of Mista Trick Collective, the feel-good vibes of The Jive Aces, and alt favourites The Gulls all turning wooded clearings into impromptu dancefloors. This is a small, safe, and playful festival, which is deeply connected to its surroundings.
By Stuart Rolt I used to hate magic. OK, that’s a strong word, but anything
Destination to lift the soul Nestled in the finest landscape Britain can provide, the country
By Áine Cryan Founded in Earlsfield in 2010, Úna Burke Leather emerged from a passion
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