Missed Out on Glastonbury Tickets? Here Are the Best British Festivals to Catch Instead!
We all know the drill: five laptops surrounding you as you sit cross-legged on the floor, each connected to a different internet source. You’re sneaking glances at your phone under the desk at work, counting down the minutes until you can rush out to “take a break” and throw your hat in the Glastonbury ticketing ring. Adrenaline pumping, fingers texting and refreshing – only to be met with a crashed computer or the two dreaded syllables: “Sold Out.”
You reply graciously to your friend’s joyous (and ever-so-slightly gloat-filled) message: “I’ve got Glasto tickets!” You’re happy for her…really, you are. But part of you can’t help but feel the jealousy bubble in your throat as you imagine the alcohol-fuelled, blurry videos you’ll inevitably see of Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, or whatever other pop sensation they churn out come June 25th.
You’re not alone in this feeling. This year 2.5 million people entered the same glasto-rat race for a mere 210,000 tickers. Disappointment would hit the unlucky majority within 35 minutes.
But worry not! COLD Magazine has put together a list of cool alternative festivals, so you won’t miss out on a hazy summer mix of singing, dancing, and camping. You might just find it a little further North, South, East or West of Somerset!
TRUCK Festival
Truck Festival has grown a lot since it first started in 1998, but at around 30,000 attendees, it still keeps things refreshingly small compared to the chaos of Glastonbury or Reading/Leeds. It sits in the perfect sweet spot: big enough to bring in headliners like Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Blossoms, and Nothing But Thieves, but small enough that you can actually find your friends (and get a drink without a two-hour wait). Thanks to its layout at Hill Farm, there’s little chance of it spiraling into a huge festival anytime soon, and that’s part of its charm. Without the crowded madness.
Location: Hill Farm, Oxfordshire
Dates: 24th – 27th July, 2025
Tickets £150 for a weekend ticket, monthly payment plans for £21.43 a month also available
SHAMBALA Festival
Shambala Festival is one of my personal favourites – more Woodstock than Boomtown, Shambala sports psychedelic forests, themed daily events, and a lineup that’s as eclectic as its crowd. Performances span everything from live bands to circus acts, disco tents and DNB sets from treehouses. Expect wild art installations, vegan food stalls, and workshops that invite you to engage with new ideas and perspectives. I once went to talk about how fungus/ mushrooms can help us understand queerness!
Shambala doesn’t feel like a music festival as much as a four day escape into a world where sustainability meets surrealism – where you’re just as likely to stumble on a morning yoga session as you are a late-night rave.
Location: Secret Country Estate, Northamptonshire
Dates: 21st – 24th August, 2025
Tickets £247.45
LIDO Festival
Lido Festival takes over Victoria Park for three days of iconic performers, featuring Charlie XCX, 070 Shake, A.G Cook, Bladee, Kelly Lee Owens, and The Japanese House among others that will keep you B B bumpin’Bopin’ that beat. Running from Saturday 14th, this festival brings together a mix of electronic, pop, and experimental music, set in the heart of the city. Tickets go on sale Friday 29 November at 10am.
Location: Victoria Park, UK
Dates: Saturday 14th June, 2025
Tickets: £85.55
FIELD Day
Field Day is where you’ll find the best of London’s electronic scene. The lineup’s always stacked with names like Peggy Gou, Jungle (DJ set), and James Blake b2b Mala, so you know you’re in for a day of great music. Set in South London, just a bus ride away from Brixton station, you can be back in your own bed by the end of the day – no muddy campsites or midnight treks to portaloos required.
Location: Brockwell Park, London
Dates: Saturday 24th May, 2025
Tickets: £69.50 0r VIP £89.50
MIGHTY-HOOPLA Festival
Forget the muddy fields of Glastonbury – Mighty Hoopla is the sparkling gem of London’s Day festival season.
Also held in Brockwell Park, this two-day extravaganza is a celebration of pop music, queerness, and unadulterated fun. With a lineup that spans everything from pop (Kesha, Loreen, JoJo) to nostalgic chart-toppers (Samantha Mumba, Vengabous, Kate Nash with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), Mighty Hoopla delivers a pick ‘n’ mic of music for every taste.
Expect flamboyant outfits, spontaneous dance-offs and campy fun that’s both self-aware and sincerely joyful. While last year saw Rita Ora battling technical difficulties with impromptu duets in the crowd, this year promises even more chaotic brilliance with acts like drag superstar Adore Delano, TV personality Erika Jayne, and DJ Collective Girls Don’t Sync.
Location: Brockwell Park, London
Dates: Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2025
Tickets: Weekend tickets are £149 and day tickets are £79.50