Festivals
Guide
Everything you need to know for the 2024 UK music festival season
From ticket payment hacks to choosing what to wear. Welcome to your 2024 UK music festival bible
The flowers are blooming, the line-ups have been announced and summer is just around the corner… It’s time to get prepared for the UK’s 2024 music festival season.
But which festival is for me? Where can I see all the line-ups? Who am I going with? Where will I sleep? Am I a VIP? What am I going to wear? How am I going to pay for all of this? There’s a lot to think about.
Bookmark this page. Send it to the group chat. This is about to become your 2024 music festival bible. From picking which festivals to attend to booking your parking in advance, this article has everything you need to know about the UK’s 2024 music festival season all in one handy place.
So, let’s get started. What music festival should I go to?
Introducing Ticketmaster’s Festival Finder
Music festivals are an investment. As much as we all love going to EVERYTHING, there are always going to be calendar clashes and budget considerations. With music festivals, sometimes you have to be selective. And looking at the stacked event calendar for this summer, we’re truly spoilt for choice – we’ve had worse predicaments, but honestly, it can be a little overwhelming. So, what is the right festival for me?
If you’re just beginning your festival journey, you can see all our UK festivals and their line-ups right here. Ticketmaster’s Festival Finder filter tool can help you make those big decisions. Are you looking for a single-day boogie or a multi-day experience? Which region of the UK are you living in or looking to visit? If you enter your answers in the filter tool at the top of the Festival Finder page, it will narrow that huge list of festivals down to exactly what you’re looking for.
Additionally, if you hit “Discover YOUR Festival”, (the third option in the top navigation menu) – you’ll be taken to a section of the Festival Finder page that has festivals categorised by month, genre and more.
How do I find friends to go to the festival with?
Get Social
You’ve found your music festival. You’re obsessed with the headliners; there are a couple of new bands you recently discovered on support; it’s the line-up dreams are made of. You can’t miss it. But who are your festy besties?
If you’re blessed with a huge group of friends who all like the same music, that question is answered. However, as the music industry has gloriously diversified and grown over the years (Spotify uploads 60,000 new tracks every day) most of us have friendship groups with increasingly niche tastes.
Our number one tip is to make sure you’re following the festival and the artists you want to see live, on social media.
This is for a few reasons:
- You can see which of your existing friends also follow the artist or festival and reach out to them to see if they’ve got tickets already or want to buy tickets with you (this is also a great method for getting a cheaper price with group ticket offers).
- You can engage with the social channel’s content, and who knows, you might connect with someone in the comments – It’s a modern-day love story.
- The artist or music festival may post about other social opportunities that could help you find your tribe – such as pop-up shows, video shoots, competitions, and online communities on platforms like Discord or Telegram.
Go solo and make friends at the festival
- There are great things to be said about going to a festival on your own.
- You’re on nobody’s schedule but your own. Arrive when you want to arrive, leave when you want to leave. You’ll never miss the start of the set because you’re waiting for your mate to get back from the portaloos.
- It might sound daunting, but when you embrace it, you’ll feel confident and independent. Plus, you’ll be more inclined to talk to people and make new friends.
- Click here for more reasons on why going to gigs alone is actually the best.
Where will I sleep at the festival?
Depending on your commitment to the rave, sleeping is probably not your first thought when you think of festivals. However, it’s an important one – and something you usually need to consider before you buy your tickets to a multi-day event.
If the music festival isn’t within easy commuting distance of your home, you’ll often need to choose your sleeping arrangement at the time of your festival ticket purchase; on some occasions, you need to buy it separately. Be careful to check this when you’re booking.
Before choosing where to sleep at a music festival, consider a few things: What’s your budget? What’s your stamina? What kind of experience do you want to have?
For some, it’s tempting to take the cheapest option. But if you’re already investing a lot on weekend tickets and you end up in a campsite where the bass doesn’t stop all night, you might want to ask yourself if it’s worth spending a little bit extra for an upgrade. Especially when VIP tickets often get you a lot more than a good night’s sleep.
Let us take you through the three main music festival sleeping options.
General Camping
Setting up
When you pick the regular campsite option, you’ll need to bring your own tent, mattress and sleeping bag, set it all up, and most importantly, pack it all down. And you may well be doing this while suffering through a self-inflicted headache…
When you don’t already own camping gear this can get expensive as well as inconvenient. However, on the plus side, once you’ve invested in these camping supplies you won’t need to buy them again.
Affordability and proximity
General camping is often the most affordable option. It’s also usually nearer to the music festival stages, so you can dance until you’re ready to drop and then literally do just that.
Party on
When the music stops for the evening, you’ll often find kick-ons at the general campsite. This can be a lot of fun and very social. However, getting a good night’s sleep (or any sleep) could be evasive.
Luxury / Boutique / VIP Camping
Comfort and sleep
The number one reason to invest in luxury camping is comfort. Upgraded camping packages often include comfortable bedding, private toilets and showers and even access to electricity. You’ve been looking forward to this music festival for months; you’ve planned your outfit and you want the pics to prove it – but it’s difficult to look your festy best on zero sleep and a couple of wet wipes. Luxury camping alleviates all those little festival gripes.
These sites are also usually situated slightly further away from the music festival stages, in a quieter space that is more optimal for a little shut-eye.
Don’t work hard, just play hard
With luxury camping packages, all the hard work is done for you. You can just roll up to the music festival like the VIP you are, put your bags down in your pre-setup quarters, and get straight into the good stuff – the music.
And when it’s all said and done, there’s no faffing around, no packing down. Just walk right out of there, almost like a hotel – only more convenient because it’s on site, at the festival.
Choices
If you go down the boutique/luxury camping route, most music festivals offer a range of options at varying price points and suitability depending on your needs. There’s glamping tents, cabins, family-friendly options, eco sites and more. Learn more here.
The greener option
While most festivals are working to reduce their carbon footprint – banning single-use plastics, considering renewable energy, and implementing commercial composting – the reality is over 250,000 tents are abandoned at music festivals across the UK every year, most of which end up in the tip. For some perspective, the average tent is the plastic equivalent of 8,750 straws or 250 pint cups.
Obviously, we don’t condone this behaviour – every festival attendee has the responsibility to leave no trace. But the numbers speak for themselves. With luxury camping, your tents are recycled. It’s the greener option.
Hotels
Breathing space
Music festivals can be hectic, and if you want to make the most of your experience, checking into a hotel after a long day of festy goodness can give you the space to properly recharge.
Local culture
If you’re visiting a festival in a new town, checking into a hotel instead of staying onsite can turn your festival experience into a more rounded holiday, providing you with the opportunity to enjoy the local culture, sightseeing and cuisine.
Maximum comfort and sleep
As a festival goer, a hotel promises the most comfortable sleep possible. You will need to consider transport to and from the music festival as well as the risk of missing sets – but if you value sleep, comfort and room-service, that trade-off could be well worth it.
Are you a VIP?
It’s time to bust a festival myth. VIP tickets aren’t just for the ludicrously wealthy or semi-famous. If this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, the line-up of your dreams, so why wouldn’t you want to elevate your festival experience and make it as special as possible?
VIP packages can include a range of different perks at varying price points, with payment plans to make VIP tickets attainable for everyone.
Exact packages range from event to event, but some VIP options include:
- – Rubbing elbows with the stars during meet and greets
- – Options to extend the experience and enjoy exclusive pre-party and after-party events
- – Special access to dress rehearsals before performances
- – Private suites, boxes and lounges offering unparalleled comfort and views
- – Access to VIP areas that improve the overall quality of your day, including fancy seats, private bars, luxury food and toilets
- – Exclusive merchandise (including festival T-shirts or lanyards). You will also sometimes see exclusive merch as an individual add-on when you buy your tickets.
How do I afford music festival tickets?
Okay, you’ve picked out your music ticket, your VIP upgrade and your T-shirt. And then you realise it’s still three weeks until payday. Deep breaths. It’s tough out here, but live music is sometimes what gets us through it all. Why not consider an alternative payment option?
Payment plans
Most music festivals understand their audience isn’t rolling around with unlimited funds, so many offer payment plans or deposit schemes which give fans the option of splitting their ticket costs across four to six months.
Pay In Three
Similar to payment plans but with a three-month payment window – and the additional perk of picking this option right up until the day before the festival – Pay In Three is offered by Klarna and PayPal and is a particularly useful option for those of us who are partial to a last-minute decision.
Read more about our festival payment options here.
Okay, I’m all checked out. Now what?
You’re in. Your tickets are purchased. You’ll ride that sweet retail therapy high for as long as possible, but what’s next? Here’s a few handy tips to get you even more festy ready.
Download the Festival App
Most festivals have their own app. Here, they’ll post day splits, event maps, special offers, competitions, important information and more. Be the friend in the know and make sure you download the app.
Book parking
If you’re going to be driving to and from the event you’ll likely need to book parking. These often sell out as most music festival sites have limited parking options so make sure to do this as early as possible. Check the festival’s FAQs for more parking information.
Resale
In the unfortunate scenario that you’re double booked and need to sell on your tickets, Ticketmaster have set up a selling platform to make this as easy as possible. This is also an important measure to ward off scammers and ensure that people feel safe buying resale tickets.
Just log into your Ticketmaster account, list your tickets, set your prices and get paid. It’s that easy. If your particular festival has opted out of Ticketmaster’s sell platform, they will likely have their own version of this which you’ll be able to find on their app or website.
The festival day is here! What should I wear? What do I need to pack?
Before the party gets started, there are a few essential supplies you’re going to want to squeeze into your bumbag.
Check the weather
If you’ve been planning a cute fit for months a little rain probably isn’t going to stop you from wearing it. However, the lovely British summer is predictably unpredictable. And the weather report may inspire you to pick up a poncho on your way to the gates. Maybe grab an umbrella. Or add an extra layer.
Outfit choice
Festivals are a chance to embrace your most expressive self. They’re built on love, acceptance and fun. When it comes to festival outfits, be bold if want to be bold. Be daring if you want to be daring. You’ll likely be doing a lot of walking (and dancing) so light, breathable fabrics are a good shout. But all that really matters is that when you walk out the door you feel good about yourself.
Pack lightly, but smartly
Lots of festivals have pretty tight restrictions on bag size, so make sure to check this in your individual festival’s FAQs. They will also have stringent bag checks.
This is our recommended festival pack:
If it’s a one-day affair:
– Comfortable shoes – Your step count is going to be HIGH today.
– Light jacket or jumper – When the sun goes down, you’re going to feel it.
– Sunglasses – Don’t be squinting at your favourite band.
– Sunhat – Protect yourself from the sun.
– Sunscreen – Slip, slop and slap!
– Hand sanitiser – Keep it clean.
– Chewing gum – It’s a long day. It’s nice to feel fresh.
– Waterproof poncho – Just in case.
– Portable phone charger – So many photo ops, never enough battery power.
– Refillable water bottle – Stay hydrated.
– Small shoulder or bum bag – Safe and easy access to all your essentials.
– Tickets – There’s always that one friend who forgets the most important thing…
If it’s a multi-day affair, bring all the above, plus:
– Sleeping supplies – Pillow, sleeping bag and mattress if you’re going general, just PJs if you’re got VIP tickets.
– Motorised air pump – Your key to being everyone’s best friend at camp.
– A couple of outfit changes, plus fresh socks and underwear – Bring more than you think you’ll need. Trust us.
– Deodorant – Don’t be the smelly one.
– Toothbrush – Same as above.
And that is all the festival prep you need. Go forth and have fun. Take lots of photos! Stay safe and hydrated. Here’s to making memories that last a lifetime.
