Festival
At Belgium’s Horst, electronic music, skate and community collide
More than a festival — With art exhibitions, youth projects and a brand new skatepark, the Vilvoorde-Brussels weekender is demonstrating how music events can have an impact all year round.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Block9 reveals its Glastonbury Festival 2025 plans
Party and protest — The nightlife hub will feature a bigger-than-ever Saturday daytime block party across The NYC Downlow and Genosys, and a huge collaboration with artist-activist group Led By Donkeys.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Southbank Centre reveals new series dedicated to East and Southeast Asian arts
ESEA Encounters — Taking place between 17-20 July, there will be a live concert from YMO’s Haruomi Hosono, as well as discussions around Asian literature, stage productions, and a pop-up Japanese Yokimono summer market.
Written by: Zahra Onsori
First acts for Boomtown 2025 revealed
Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter, Azealia Banks and Nia Archives join Sean Paul, The Wurzels and Boney M at the award winning festival.
Written by: Ben Smoke
In photos: Boomtown 2024 after dark
Traffic cones on the sesh. A Donald Trump drag king. Gurning Teletubbies. It’s a mild night at Boomtown Fair, and photographer Bekky Calver was there to capture the action.
Written by: Ben Smoke
In photos: Three decades of Glastonbury Festival’s people and subcultures
A new photobook explores the unique cultural experience and communal spirit found at the UK’s largest festival.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Why have a quarter of The Great Escape’s line up pulled out?
At least 126 acts have withdrawn from the Brighton festival in protest at the inclusion of Barclays as a sponsor because of the bank's alleged links with atrocities in Gaza, Ben Smoke explains.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Harsh drug policing at festivals is endangering lives
Reform now — Tough fines and arrests for drug possession and supply is pushing festival-goers towards unsafe measures to consume or smuggle in their substances, reports Rebecca Tidy.
Written by: Rebecca Tidy
How Brainchild defied the odds with this year’s festival
Dancing through the rain — This year, a pandemic and flash floods posed unprecedented challenges for the not-for-profit festival’s organisers – but this did little to dampen the spirits of attendees.
Written by: Ben Smoke and Daisy Schofield
Pure bliss: revisiting the Isle of Wight Festival of August 1969
Summer of love — Photographer David Hurn recounts documenting the counterculture music event at the height of the swinging ‘60s, which saw performance from the likes of Bob Dylan, The Who and Joe Cocker.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Halcyon days at an '80s Summer Solstice Festival
The wild bunch — Photographer Alan Lodge remembers shooting the mini utopia that was the Stonehenge Free Festival, an event held in the fields surrounding the legendary prehistoric monument.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Yellow Days festival and the power of community
‘It’s love that’s key’ — This year, the grassroots ‘festival without borders’ came to Athens – uniting locals, refugees, and citizens from all over the world.
Written by: Alex King
