Start planning out your summer
The UK summer may not always play ball, as anyone who’s woken up inside a damp tent in a muddy Glastonbury field can attest to, but our festival programme always delivers. If you don’t fancy the schlep out of town with your wellies, your sleeping bag and your sanity to the likes of Reading & Leeds, Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, Latitude and Wilderness, there’s plenty of festivals – and plenty of big name headliners – pitching up in the capital in the spring and summer.
Stalwarts like All Points East, Field Day and Mighty Hoopla are all returning this year and are bringing the likes of The Maccabees, Peggy Gou, Raye, James Blake, Ciara, and Bombay Bicycle Club with them, with newbies like LIDO and Polygon also joining the calendar. There’s still plenty of festival news to come too, so whatever genre you’re into and whichever artists you like, you’ll find plenty to dance to at the best London music festivals in 2025.
Polygon Live | 2nd – 4th May
Polygon Live is going to be the largest outdoor spatial audio festival in the UK and it’s pitching up at Crystal Palace Park at the beginning of May. The dual-dome stage design (which’ll be getting its world premiere at the fest) will have speakers surrounding the audience with sound, with a lattice of LED lighting also enveloping the space. The likes of Arooj Aftab, Gold Panda, Halina Rice, Jon Hopkins, Nitin Sawhney, Photay and Tinariwen will be putting the stage through its paces.
Fri 2nd – Sun 4th May 2025
Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA
polygon-productions.live
Wide Awake | 23rd May
Is there a better way to kick off a Bank Holiday weekend than a knees-up with Kneecap? We don’t think so and neither does Wide Awake, which has drafted in the Irish group to headline the festival’s 2025 edition. They’ll be joined by the likes of CMAT, English Teacher, Daniel Avery, Mannequin Pussy, Nadine Shah, Erol Alkan b2b Optimo, Sprints, Warmduscher and more.
Fri 23rd May 2025
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
wideawakelondon.co.uk
Field Day | 24th May
Field Day is moving up the calendar and down south in 2025, taking place across the late May Bank Holiday in Brockwell Park. It may be moving location but you can expect another day of electronic music. Peggy Gou is headlining with the likes of Folamour, James Blake b2b Mala, Jayda G, Mall Grab, Skream & Benga, Midland and 4am Kru on also on the bill.
Sat 24th May 2025
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
fielddayfestivals.com
Cross The Tracks | 25th May
Following Field Day, Brockwell Park will play host to the 2025 edition of Cross The Tracks. Bringing you the best in funk, soul and jazz on your Bank Holiday Sunday will be Michael Kiwanuka, Jordan Rakei, Sinead Harnett, Gilles Peterson, Cymande, Shy One, Bashy, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Bilal and more.
Sun 25th May 2025
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
xthetracks.com
Mighty Hoopla | 31st May & 1st June
The campest festival in the London calendar is back for a two-dayer in 2025 with Ciara and Kesha headlining. Across the weekend you’ll also be able to see the likes of Jojo, Daniel Bedingfield, Venagboys, Lion Babe, Jayda G, Black Peppa, Kate Nash, Adore Delano, Loreen, and Daphne & Celeste. Glitter at the ready.
Sat 31st May & Sun 1st June 2025
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
mightyhoopla.com
LIDO | 7th & 14th June
All Points East is expecting a little sibling as its organisers, AEG, will be introducing LIDO in 2025. The brand-new music festival will take over Victoria Park for two weekends in June and is being positioned as a “fan-first” event, while the line-ups will be curated by the artists themselves. And they’ve scored huge names for their first headliners, as Charli XCX will be taking to the stage on Sat 14th June alongside fellow pop/alt superstars and Brat collaborators Bladee, The Japanese House, The Dare, 070 Shake, Kelly Lee Owens and A. G. Cook. Before then, on Sat 7th June, Jamie xx will top the bill, following the likes of Arca, Sampha, Romy, Panda Bear, Shy One, John Glacier, Wookie, DJ Gigola and Livwutang. Jamie xx will also be bringing a special edition of his club residency The Floor to the park, featuring a three-hour set from DJ Harvey.
Sat 7th & Sat 14th June 2025
Lido Field, Victoria Park, London E3 5TB
lidofestival.co.uk
BST Hyde Park | 27th June – 13th July
BST Hyde Park always delivers a varied programme and it’s no different for 2025. Across June and July, you’ll be able to see Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, Sabrina Carpenter, Hugh Jackman and ELO headline shows, and there’s still plenty more names to come.
Fri 27th June – Sun 13th July 2025
Hyde Park, London
bst-hydepark.com
Kaleidoscope | 12th July
Ally Pally’s summer extravaganza is back in July, with Faithless, Goldie, Eats Everything, Sleeper, and DJ Spoony all taking to the stage, with Sara Cox doing an all-requests set and Beatles Dub Club and R Voices Choir also joining in the fun. And it’s not just about the music as Kaleidoscope will also be running a full comedy, cabaret and family entertainment programme.
Sat 12th July 2025
Alexandra Palace Park, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
kaleidoscope-festival.com
All Points East | 22nd – 24th August
The first three headliners for All Points East 2025 have been revealed and the line-ups are looking good. The Maccabees will be taking to the stage on 24th August for what will be their first show in eight years (they bid farewell to fans with three sold-out nights at Ally Pally in 2017) and the 10-year anniversary of their last album, the number one hit Marks To Prove It. They’ll be joined by Bombay Bicycle Club, Dry Cleaning, The Cribs, Nilüfer Yanya, The Murder Capital, Divorce and Prima Queen. But before their big comeback, producer and DJ Barry Can’t Swim will be topping the bill on 22nd August, marking his only London show of the year, with the likes of Shygirl, Confidence Man, Leon Vynehall, Interplanetary Criminal, Marlon Hoffstadt (presents Daddycation) and DJ HEARTSTRING joining him. And completing that weekend is RAYE, who’ll be headlining APE on 23rd August, with Tyla, Doechii and JADE making it an all-female top of the bill.
Fri 22nd – Sun 24th August 2025
Victoria Park, London E3
allpointseastfestival.com
Coming to town for the festivals? Check out this 3 Day Itinerary to London.
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