Smaller Festivals I’m Looking Forward To This Year
Image taken by Jemma Dodd at Slam Dunk 2017
I’m a huge festival lover and try to go to as many as I can each summer but this year I’ve been looking past the traditional large scale festivals to see what else is out there to experience as I sometimes find smaller festivals can have better atmospheres and they’re a chance to explore more of the unknown.
Slam Dunk
To be honest Slam Dunk isn’t all that small anymore attracting thousands of people to one of the three dates scattered across the UK but I always find it has such a great atmosphere and the line up hasn’t let me down yet. So much so I’ve been doing multiple dates for about the past 4/5 years, this year I’m heading up North to Leeds on Saturday and back down to Hatfield on the Sunday. For me Good Charlotte headlining is reason enough to go but there’s also some great smaller bands I can’t wait to see like The Faim, Milestones, Greyscale and many more.
Dates: 26th-28th May 2018
Camden Rocks
I’ve been to Camden Rocks a few times and I love the concept as so many venues across Camden take part and there’s live music in every pub and venue from tiny areas with a 100 capacity right through to the legendary Koko and Roundhouse venues. There’s of course some bigger bands playing like Twin Atlantic, Maximo Park and Mallory Knox but for this festival I prefer just choosing some venues you like and seeing what bands are about, it’s definitely more of an exploration.
Date: 2nd June 2018
Image taken by Matt Higgs at Download Festival 2017
Community
Community is a festival I’ve never been to and to be honest I’d never heard of before a few months ago but after spotting a poster on the tube and seeing both Marmozets and You Me At Six on there I knew I had to make it a priority to attend. I love festivals in London and Finsbury Park is such a good location so it has that on it’s side, plus tickets are great value for a full day festival at just £40.
Date: 1st July 2018
2000 Trees
I have been meaning to go to 2000 Trees for years and years and this year I am finally going to make my debut there, although sadly I’m only able to attend a single day and not the whole weekend, but next year for such. The festival boasts bands like Enter Shikari, At The Drive In, Frightened Rabbit and Creeper on the line up and I always find every year people rave about how friendly and great the festival is so I’m looking forward to experiencing that.
Dates: 12th-14th July
Image taken by Graham Berry at Alexandra Palace, 2017
Pennfest
When I was doing a bit of festival research I spotted Pennfest as it’s in Hemel Hempstead, just 15 minutes away from me but to be honest I wasn’t expecting much so when I saw Kaiser Chiefs, Feeder and Example on there I was blown away. I am so excited about finding another local festival because I used to love things like Sonisphere which I could drive to and from and now I might have found an alternative.
Dates: 20th-21st July
Victorious
Again another festival I’ve been meaning to go to for quite a few years is Victorious down in Portsmouth. The three day festival falls over August bank holiday weekend so clashes with Reading and Leeds but this year I am ready to make my change and head down south. The line up is also incredible with The Libertines and Kaiser Chiefs playing Friday night, Paul Weller, Brian Wilson and Paloma Faith on Saturday and The Prodigy’s UK Festival exclusion on Sunday alongside Years & Years and Friendly Fires.
Dates: 24th-26th August
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21 responses to “Smaller Festivals I’m Looking Forward To This Year”
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All About Me
Rhian Westbury
Travels and Destinations
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These sound fantastic. I’ve never been to any festivals myself. Something for my list of things I need to try! x
You know I have only been to a festival once – with work! I’m not sure it counts as I was working and got to sleep in a hotel! These sounds like fab festivals.
Awesome! I’ve only ever been to some bigger festivals, but now they’re more family based ones like Bestival for me… 🙁 lol
Oooh these festivals sound amazing! I haven’t heard of them (I’m oooold!), but they sound like such fun.
I went to Slam Dunk festival about six years ago and loved it – it’s grown so much since then though x
I must admit I haven’t heard of any of these festivals so was interested in reading this post. Which one are you looking forward to the most Rhian? I like the sound of Victorious. I’m a big fan of Paloma Faith. My husband saw her perform live recently in a small venue of fewer than 200 people at the Qatar Airways launch in Cardiff! I was gutted I wasn’t there!
I have never heard of any of these festivals – the all look so good! We are off to one in Southampton and Camp Bestival this summer. Kaz
I’d love to go to Camden Rocks – sounds right up my street! Enjoy!
Do you know I have never, ever been to a festival. Probably not as I’m going to have a baby very soon but maybe one to add to next year’s bucket list!
Oh I wish I could still go to festivals, these sound amazing. Maybe when the children are older 🙂
We went to Camden Rocks – loved it! It’s always such a great vibe (and within a drunken night bus of our house – bonus!)
Aww they all sound like a lot of fun, though I’ve never heard of any of them believe it or not! We are going to our first family friendly festival this year and I’m really excited 🙂
So many fun fab festivals. Love the sound of Camden Rocks x
Camden Rocks is so cool! I went a long time ago and we had such a fab time. Never heard about the others. That is to say how uncool I am lol
I didn’t realise there were so many festivals. I’ve never heard of any of these. Looks like you are in for a very busy summer!
Smaller festivals sound like a lot more fun. I still need to get out more.
John M
Haven’t been to any of these. So good when you have something to look forward too.
I have not heard of any of these festivals but I think it would be a great start for me as I am still yet to attend a music festival
These are some fantastic events and Camden Rocks sounds like a great event and somewhere I’d like to go with friends.
I always use to go to V Festival when I was younger but since having kids its a little tricky. Although I do hope to try and get to a family one this year x
I been a few times in Hyde park London and some gigs in Bristol but never the big ones they don’t appeal to me. There are a few good ones l like to try out like the wicker man festival in Dumfries & Galloway, the green man festival in Wales. And some in Europe. There are so many fir different tastes it good to see this blog