List of music festivals in the United Kingdom


There are a large number music festivals in the United Kingdom, covering a wide variety of genres. Some of the U.K.'s music festivals are world-renowned and have been held for many years including the world's largest greenfield festival, Glastonbury, which has been held since the 1970s.

History of music festivals in the UK

Large-scale modern music festivals began in the 1960s with festivals such as the Isle of Wight Festival and following the success of Woodstock in the United States and free festivals. Some began as jazz festivals - Reading Festival began as the National Jazz and Blues Festival in the 1960s and the first Glastonbury Festival was the 1970 Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival.
In the 21st century the number of festivals has grown significantly, particularly with the emergence of smaller-scale "boutique" festivals. However, in 2011 and 2012, several festivals were cancelled at short notice - some due to weather conditions and some due to poor sales - prompting fears that the festival market is saturated. In 2020 the number of UK festivals was approximately 241.

Annual festivals

Bluegrass

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Some festivals do not appear in the same location every year, but in different places around the country, or even in other countries. Notable festivals to appear in the UK include: