LONDON -- The big summer festivals are a lot of fun, but they don’t come cheap. They’re busy too, and you usually have to contend with a limited range of drinks, excessive corporate sponsorship and an impersonal feel overall.
There’s such a wealth of boutique and independent weekenders happening over the summer in the UK, you could direct your time and money towards something a bit smaller, more friendly and perhaps more memorable, instead.
Here are some of our favourite smaller festivals happening across the country over the next few months.
ATP Manchester
Where: Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
When: April 22 - 24
Line-up: John Cale, Hot Snakes, Wire, King Khan and the Shrines, Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu
Price: A weekend ticket costs £100.
All Tomorrows Parties, which is named after the Velvet Underground song, has long been admired for its approach to line-ups, which sees bands and artists pick the acts - and the Manchester weekender is no exception. This year, post-hardcore band Drive Like Jehu have selected an excellent programme.
Skye Live
Where: Portree, Isle of Skye
When: April 29 - 30
Line-up: Simian Mobile Disco, SME, Treacherous Orchestra, Public Service Broadcasting, King Creosote
Price: £95 for the weekend.
There can’t be many more picturesque settings than this island in the Scottish Hebrides. Make the journey up there and you’ll be rewarded with a relaxed weekender. Currently in its second year, it's nestled near the island’s main town of Portree and offers a small but well selected line-up to enjoy with a local beer or two. Buses run from Glasgow daily.
The Great Escape
Where: Brighton, England
When: May 19 - 21
Line-up: Stormzy, Band of Skulls, Blossoms, Eagulls, Eska, Michael Kiwunuka, Mystery Jets, Craig David
Price: Day tickets are £37.40.
The annual seaside weekender has long been known as a key summer spot to check out up-and-coming bands. Combine mornings on the beach or the pier with afternoons and evenings catching the stars of tomorrow at some of the city's seemingly endless pubs and clubs.
We Are FSTVL
Where: Upminster, London
When: May 28 - 29
Line-up: Fatboy Slim, MistaJam, Sigma, Craig David
Price: Day tickets are £58.00.
The London-based event will feature over 200 artists including home-grown talent and international artists. From electric dance music to the best of pop, We Are FSTVL has something for everyone.
Dot to Dot
Where: Manchester (27), Bristol (28) and Nottingham (29)
When: May 27 - 29
Line-up: Mystery Jets, The Temper Trap, Augustines, Rat Boy
Price: £12.10 including booking fee, rising to £27.50 nearer the event.
Dot To Dot began as a small new bands festival in Nottingham in 2005, and has since expanded to take in two more cities (Bristol and Manchester) and a much more ambitious remit. Taking over multiple venues in each city, it offers a great opportunity to catch a bunch of tipped bands in a single day – but you’ll need to prioritise your favourite acts and get to the venues in good time.
Liverpool Sound City
Where: Liverpool Waters Bramley-Moore Dock
When: May 28 - 29
Line-up: Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Coral, 2ManyDJs, Hot Chip (DJ set), Leftfield, Sleaford Mods, Young Fathers
Price: £77 for a two day pass.
Liverpool Sound City has been a fan favourite since it started in 2008, and won Best Metropolitan Festival at the UK Festival Awards last year. It’s a more manageable affair than some weekenders, and tends to have a focus on regional talent. This year, local heroes The Coral are headlining one day and there are some 15 bands lined up for the ‘Best of the North West’ segment of the programme.
BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend
Where: Exeter
When: May 28-29
Line-up: Jake Bugg, Chase & Status, Coldplay, The 1975, Ellie Goulding
Price: Free.
As the biggest free ticketed event in Europe, this one is not to be missed. Held every year in a different part of the UK, Radio 1's festival always have a star studded line up. Last year Taylor Swift and Rita Ora graced the main stage.
X Music Festival
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 3-4
Line-up: Craig David, Big Narstie, Annie Mac, Hannah Wants
Price: £59 for the weekend.
X Music Festival is a huge festival in Wales. A varied and high-profile line-up of dance and urban acts descends on Cardiff city centre, bringing a great party vibe to the beautiful Bute Park.
Detonate Festival
Where: Colwick Country Park, Nottingham
When: June 4
Line-up: Stormzy, Chase and Status, David Rodigan
Price: £50.18 for a pass.
Nottingham’s famous underground electronic music event consists of international acts as well as UK-based talent. Last year hip-hop legend Nas took the stage to perform songs from his classic album Illmatic.
Field Day
Where: Victoria Park, East London
When: June 11 - 12
Line-up: James Blake, PJ Harvey, Beach House, Air, Deerhunter, Goat, John Grant
Price: £94 for a weekend pass.
Music fans flock to East London in early June for one of the capital’s best collections of new bands. While things can get exceptionally busy in parts, its worth joining the scrum for an impeccable selection of bands alongside village fete style games, competitive eating contests and food and drink options a cut above the standard festival fare.
Parklife
Where: Manchester
When: June 11-12
Line-up: The Chemical Brothers, Major Lazer, Jess Glynne, Jack Garratt, Jamie Woon, Lethal Bizzle
Price: Full weekend ticket from £95.
Brought to you by the Warehouse Project, Parklife is an independent festival with a devoted following. With grime sensations Skepta and Stormzy this year, Parklife now has a capacity exceeding over 70,000.
Lovebox
Where: Victoria Park, London
When: July 15 - 16
Line-up: Major Lazer, LCD Soundsystem, Run The Jewels, Jungle, Jack Garrett, Miike Snow, Diplo
Price: Weekend tickets are £51.
Another urban festival that takes place in Victoria Park’s vast expanse, Lovebox is like Field Day’s more commercial cousin. With a programme leaning heavily on dance and hip hop, multiple stages, cocktail bars, and a host of fashion and beauty boutiques, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained.
Latitude
Where: Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk
When: July 14 - 17
Line-up: Maccabees, The National, New Order, Beirut, John Grant, M83, British Sea Power, Laura Mvula
Price: £205 for a weekend ticket with camping.
Latitude is a lovely couple of days. Popping up in a picturesque rural setting in midsummer, it combines bands with comedy, theatre, cabaret, loads of stuff for kids and a flock of multi-coloured sheep.
Pandora Fest
Where: Scotland
When: July 16
Line-up: Mathilde Santing, Vodun, Sofia B, Erin Bennett, Zahra Lowzley
Price: Day tickets are £20, add another £20 for camping.
An event that "makes sure enough women are onstage," Pandora Fest was started as a reaction to the overwhelmingly male make-up of a lot of other line-ups and features female singers, songwriters and female-fronted bands. It's held in the Carron Valley in Scotland and will have three stages filled with various different artists.
L Fest
Where: Stafforshire
When: July 15-18
Line-up: Heather Peace, Saffron from Rebuplica, Lucy Spraggan, The Tuts, Greymatter, O'Hooley
Price: Tickets from £99.00.
L Fest styles itself as "the UK's No. 1 lesbian music, arts and comedy festival," a weekend celebration of live music, authors, workshops, lesbian cinema, games, river cruises, speed dating and more. It's being held at a new location this year at Uttoxeter Racecourse in Staffordshire.
Secret Garden Party
Where: Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
When: July 21 - 24
Line-up: Caribou, Air, Primal Scream, Band of Skulls, Field Music, The Temper Trap, Rae Morris
Price: Weekend tickets are £180.
Secret Garden Party is designed to dig out your inner child for a few lost July evenings. A riotous affair set in lush gardens by a lake, it’s a blur of fancy dress, paint fights and other fun and games. The music is almost incidental but there’s plenty on offer there too.
Camp Bestival
Where: Lulworth Castle, Dorset
When: July 28 - 31
Line-up: Fatboy Slim, Tears For Fears, Jess Glynne, Katy B, KT Tunstall, DJ Yoda, Bananarama
Price: £197.50 for adults, with prices decreasing as you go down the age groups.
Bestival’s little sibling, the Dorset bash is less full on than the main event but no less fun-packed. This year’s theme is outer space, so expect “rocket ships, crazy constellations and shining stars” aplenty across the site. Come dressed and prepared for fun.
Kendal Calling
Where: Lowther Deer Park, The Lake District
When: July 28 - 31
Line-up: Rudimental, Madness, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Kelis, Sugarhill Gang
Price: £135 for the whole weekend.
Another independent fest that has grown from modest roots but maintained the elements that made it so popular in the first place, Kendal Calling is going from strength to strength. Lowther Deer Park provides a perfect backdrop for a site full of music, markets, real ale and a Garden of Eden area for chilling out, grabbing a massage or practising your yoga poses.
Eastern Electrics
Where: Hatfield
When: August 6
Line-up: Seth Troxler, The Martinez Brothers, Shy FX, Boddika, Artful Dodger
Price: Tickets are £34.95.
The festival, which is only in its third year, has already had acts such as DJ EZ and Floorplan. Only 25 minutes outside of London, the one-day event at Hatfield House will include a bunch of huge house, techno, garage and bass names.
Boardmasters
Where: Watergate Bay, Cornwall
When: Aug 10 - 14
Line-up: Chase & Status, Deadmau5, James Bay, Primal Scream, Kaiser Chiefs, Wolf Alice, The Magic Numbers
Price: £134 for the standard weekend ticket (Thur – Sun).
Boardmasters hit upon a winning formula several years ago. With world-class surfing and skating during the day, bands and DJs at night, and after parties continuing until dawn, it’s an action-packed weekend on Cornwall’s stunning coast.
One Love
Where: Essex
When: September 2 -4
Line-up: Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Max Romeo, The Congos, Don Campbell, Direct Impact Sound
Price: Day tickets are £47 each; a weekend will cost you £140.
A music festival inspired by legend Bob Marley, One Love prides itself on being environmentally friendly, peaceful and providing a foundation for reggae and dub music.
End of the Road
Where: Larmer Tree Gardens, Blandford, Dorset
When: Sept 2 - 4
Line-up: Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective, Bat For Lashes, Cat Power, Devendra Banhart, Local Natives, Goat, Broken Social Scene
Price: £195 for the weekend.
End of the Road is purposely the antithesis of the big corporate festival experience, where hand-picked food outlets and art installations overseen by the organisers themselves take the place of insipid lager and big branded arenas. There are purposely no VIP areas, and a friendly vibe to the whole thing. A great way to say sayonara to the summer.