17 amazing London festivals to book now ahead of summer

Here are 17 amazing London festivals, from cutting edge dance music to Monty Don in a palace. Whatever your musical tastes, there’s an option for you to party in a field somewhere in the capital this summer.

Tickets are available to all of the London festivals below now. Pray for sun, stick on some glitter and get lost in a new musical scene for a weekend.

Mighty Hoopla

For the most colourful fancy dress outfits and the most high energy (read: drunk) crowds. Hoopla’s reputation as the best pop festival in the country is such that bands actually reform specifically to lay down sets here. With a big LGBTQ following, the likes of Gemma Collins have entertained in the past, as well as legends like TLC, Kelly Rowland and Gabrielle. 2-3 June, Brockwell Park, mightyhoopla.com

All Points East

This 10-day festival in east London is mostly free-to-attend, with talks and events involving the local community, but culminates with three days of major musical bookings. This year there’s LCD Soundsystem, Loyle Carner, The Gossip and Deathcab for Cutie. 17, 23 & 24 August, Victoria Park, allpointseastfestival.com

Gala

This independent electronic music festival caters to dance music in all its eclectic styles. Expect a self-consciously cool crowd of Peckham hipsters: this year DJ EZ, Joy Orbison and Nightmares on Wax play as the festival, with impressive sustainability credentials, celebrates its 9th birthday. 24-26 May, Peckham Rye Park, thisisgala.co.uk

Brick Lane Jazz Festival

UK jazz has been rising in popularity over the past few years, with festivals like Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here showcasing the exciting diversity of our homespun music scene. Brick Lane Festival does that closer to home, on possibly east London’s most famous street. Ten venues host gigs across three days. 26-28 April, Brick Lane, bricklanejazzfestival.com

City Splash

A celebration of Caribbean and African culture, City Splash profiles established and upcoming artists from the worlds of dub, roots, dancehall, jungle and garage. There’s some brilliant food and drink, and artists this year include Beenie Man, Queen Omega and Shy Fx. 27 May, Brockwell Park, city-splash.com

Cross The Tracks

This day festival fuses the worlds of jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop via the music of established legends and some brand new faces too. This year the line-up is as diverse as ever, including Erykah Badu, Gilles Peterson, David Rodigan and Badbadnotgood. 26 May, Brockwell Park, xthetracks.com

BST Hyde Park

BST Hyde Park welcomes the most famous names in music to Hyde Park for big blowout performances. Kylie, Kings of Leon and Andrea Bocelli play the 2024 editions, and there’s a freeto-attend series of midweek events, including film screenings, too. 30 June – 14 July, Hyde Park, bst-hydepark.com

Wireless

Wireless will see 50,000 people pack into Finsbury Park to watch Nicki Minaj, Sean Paul, 21 Savage and Doja Cat. This is a slice of the full-on festival experience condensed into three single days, expect people to be getting down and dirty in North London. 12-14 July, Finsbury Park, wirelessfestival.co.uk

Junction 2

Head way out west to Brentford’s Boston Manor Park to see three days of genuinely banging electronic music, with the likes of Honey Dijon, The Blessed Madonna, Jeff Mills and Jon Hopkins all spinning tunes to make sure this is one to remember. This is one for the cool kids, expect plenty of dancing. 26-28 July, Boston Manor Park, junction2.london

Queen’s Yard Summer Party

One of the first festivals of the summer, Queen’s Yard Summer Party takes place on the May bank holiday weekend across 20 different venues in Hackney Wick – beating last year’s 16 to make this the biggest yet – it’s a celebration of London’s dance music scene, with dozens of DJs taking over venues including Crate and The Yard. 4 May, Queen’s Yard Hackney, queensyardsummer.party

Hampton Court Palace

If many festivals in this list tout musicians with names that feel as if they were randomly generated, allow us to inject a little more decorum. This festival features performances by Tom Jones, Nile Rodgers, Sheryl Crow and Deacon Blue. This is a VIP experience for a more discerning festival goer. 11-22 June, Hampton Court Palace, hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com

Kew the Music

And now for a real change of pace: Kew the Music is a week-long festival of picnic concerts set in the UNESCO World Heritage site. There will be performances from a diverse line-up including Ronan Keating, Richard Ashcroft, JLS and Mika, as well as an evening with Monty Don. 8-14 July, Kew Gardens, kewthemusic.org

Kaleidoscope

It’s not all darts at Ally Pally, you know – there’s a wicked one-day festival featuring The Go! Team, Mr Scruff, Erol Alkan and comedy from Simon Amstell. There’s a more chilled vibe to Kaleidoscope, befitting its location in north London’s leafiest enclave. You can still dance to Ministry of Sound on the Hilltop Stage, though. 13 July, Alexandra Park, kaleidoscope-festival.com

Field Day

You’ll have a field day when you hear the line-up here! This one-day festival in east London’s Victoria Park is channelling some old school vibes with sets from 2manydjs and Justice. This is a celebration of electronic music for people who want to dance the night away. 24 August, Victoria Park, fielddayfestivals.com

Body Movements

This queer electronic music festival is a celebration of music, dance, hedonism and inclusivity. Taking place in venues across Hackney Wick, expect plenty of sequins, leather, and latex and music from a diverse bunch of DJs spinning to an adoring crowd. 25 August, Hackney Wick, bodymovements.co.uk

Chaka Khan’s Meltdown

Grace Jones has curated this festival at the Southbank Centre in the past and now it’s the turn of the iconic Chaka Khan, who will perform as well as helping bring together a “joyous and diverse” programme of artists. 14-23 June, Southbank Centre, southbankcentre.co.uk

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