The UK’s festival season is fast-approaching with the first, Radio One’s Big Weekend, taking place in Exeter this weekend. The travelling festival – which has previously been held in all four corners of the country, including Hackney, Bangor, Londonderry and Glasgow – hits Powerham Castle imminently and, judging by the line-up, could well be R1 biggest and best yet.
Big name artists like Bastille, Jess Glynne, Mumford & Sons and Chase & Status are set to light up Big Weekend’s Main Stage on Saturday while Sunday will see the arrival of acts including Ellie Goulding, Coldplay and The 1975. Having been a champion for new music for decades, Radio One will, once again, stage a number of unknown and emerging artists on its BBC Introducing Stage. Acts sharing in the limelight of some of the world’s best-loved include: Blossoms, Izzy Bizu and Alice Jemima.
Of course, Radio One’s Big Weekend is but the first major festival is long string of events taking place across the country over the coming summer months. Isle of Wight Festival is, too, on the horizon – taking place on the June 9th, Download Festival kicks off the next day; and with the start Parklife on Saturday 11th June, the UK festival season arrives in full swing.
Whilst a number of artist are doing the rounds at all major UK festivals, what makes the UK festival scene so vibrant and so popular is doubtless the sheer variety available. Even between Reading And Leeds Festival – which comprise exactly the same line-up – there are palpable differences between the experiences on offer. What’s more, with the majority or festival organisers having worked hard to open up the festival experience to people of all ages and background: implementing flexible ticket prices, and supplementary entertainment events, festivals are no longer defined by their youthful clientèle and a very much something that the whole family can enjoy.
With that in mind, time is running out to grab a ticket to one of UK’s hottest festival dates and, if you want to be one of 4 million people expected to attend a festival this year, you’d better be quick or risk losing out!
