Skiddle's big fat festival guide: UK edition - May
The best UK festivals in May - spanning house, rock, pop, reggae, metal, hip-hop, jazz, DnB, and so much more.
Last updated: 27th Apr 2026
Originally published: 23rd Apr 2026
Yes, yes, we’re back with another Big fat fest guide to highlight the best in the game! This time, of course, we’re focusing on May festivals.
Looking at the best UK festivals in May (and also Europe, if you fancy expanding your search), we’ve got lineups here spanning house, DnB, metal, pop, indie, techno, disco, pop-punk, hip-hop, jazz, soul, reggae, afrobeats, trance, and loads more.
Yep, there’s no genre focus. Just loads of all killer, no filler festivals in May! Let’s get into it.
When: Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd May 2026
Where: Newsam Green Farm in Leeds, England
Big names: bullet tooth, Dr Banana B2B Enzo Siragusa, Ewan McVicar, Faster Horses, La La, Rossi., Max Dean B2B Luke Dean
Find tickets for Mint Festival
When: Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd May 2026
Where: Low Green in Ayr, Scotland
Big names: MK, Ewan McVicar, Leftfield, Carl Cox, Sasha & John Digweed, Dr Banana B2B Sally C, Roger Sanchez, Alison Limerick
Find tickets for Pavilion Festival
Liverpool Sound City
When: Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Liverpool, England
Big names: KEO, Jalen Ngonda, Westside Cowboy, Brooke Combe, The Molotovs, The Lilacs
When: Sunday 3rd May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Salford, England
Big names: Moonchild Sanelly, jasmine.4.t, Rainy Miller, Chimpo, Fastlove B2B Aiden Francis, Samrai B2B Special Guest, Mix-Stress, Psychederek, Lynks
Just next door to Manchester, Salford's Sounds From The Other City returns to showcase a range of alternative genres, focusing on emerging acts including DJs, bands, and solo artists. Certainly one of the best May festivals, it's spread across 17 different stages with a massive lineup spanning multiple genres, including alternative and experimental sounds, electronic, DnB and bass, rock, alt-pop, and more.
Find tickets for Sounds From The Other City
FOCUS
Photo: FOCUS Wales / Alexandra Durrant
When: Thursday 7th - Saturday 9th May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Wrexham, Wales
Big names: Fat Dog, Idlewild, Shame, Deerhoof, The Bug Club, Moonlandingz, Gwenno, Moonchild Sanelly
Desertfest
Photo: Desertfest London / Jessy Lotti
When: Friday 15th - Sunday 17th May 2026
Where: multiple venues in London, England
Big names: Clutch, Green Lung, Hermano, The Sword, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Earthless
When: Wednesday 13th - Saturday 16th May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Brighton
Big names: Angine de Poitrine, Westside Cowboy, Au/Ra, Carpetman, PISS, Girl Group, Annie-Dog, Ain't, The Itch
When: Saturday 16th May 2026
Where: Canons Marsh Amphitheatre in Bristol, England
Big names: Soul II Soul, David Morales, Craig Charles, Horse Meat Disco, Greg Wilson, Alison Limerick, DJ Paulette
A brand new festival in Bristol from the team behind Goodlife and Glorious Day, Where We Belong kicks off its first edition strong with legends from house and disco. The boutique fest offers an intimate, open-air celebration of uplifting sounds, running from 2pm until 11pm.
Find tickets for Where We Belong Festival
Bearded Theory Festival
When: Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Catton Park in Derbyshire, England
Big names: Pixies, Garbage, Skunk Anansie, CMAT, The Damned, Kae Tempest, Fat Dog, Everything Everything
When: Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Knockengorroch in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
Big names: Elias Alexander, Mungo's Hi Fi Sound System, BCUC, Grace Sands, Dallahan, TC and the Groove Family
Find tickets for Knockengorroch
When: Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: The Riverside Museum in Glasgow, Scotland
Big names: Jamie Jones, Marlon Hoffstadt, Max Dean, Rossi. B2B Chloe Caillet, sim0ne, X CLUB.
FLY brings its open-air festival to Glasgow for the first time this year, having held previous editions in Edinburgh. Taking to the legendary Riverside Museum and Yard, a venue firmly rooted in Scottish dance music history, FLY brings genre legends and hot up-and-comers for a weekend of pure bangers.
Find tickets for FLY Festival Glasgow
When: Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Old Park Farm Margam in Port Talbot, Wales
Big names: Madness, Aitch, Snow Patrol, The Fratellis, Rudimental, Ella Henderson, Girls Don’t Sync
Find tickets for In It Together Festival
GALA Festival
When: Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Peckham Rye Park in London, England
Big names: Job Jobse, Seth Troxler, Saoirse, Hamdi, Peach and Prosumer, DJ Seinfeld, Giggs, Mika, Antal and Hunee and Palms Trax
High Lights Festival
Photo: High Lights Festival / Angelina Nikolayeva
When: Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd, Sun 24th, Sat 30th, Sun 31st May 2026
Where: Barking Park in London, England
Big names: Hybrid Minds, Armin van Buuren, Scorpion Kings, Enzo Siragusa
“London’s most hi-tech outdoor music space” offers multiple day festivals this year, including one headlined by liquid DnB favourites Hybrid Minds and another by trance hero Armin van Buuren, presenting The Orb. All its day festivals will take place over bank holiday weekends in May.
Find tickets for High Lights Hybrid Minds / High Lights Armin van Buuren
Photo: Field Day / Luke Dyson
When: Saturday 23rd May 2026
Where: Brockwell Park in London, England
Big names: Andy C, Eliza Rose, Floating Points (live), Honey Dijon, Interplanetary Criminal, Ewan McVicar B2B Special Request
Dot To Dot
Photo: Dot To Dot Festival / LABL FOTO / James Stiles
When: Bristol - Saturday 23rd May / Nottingham Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Bristol and Nottingham, England
Big names: NewDad, Lambrini Girls, Fcukers, Adult DVD, Another Country $$$$
Love Saves The Day
When: Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Ashton Court in Bristol, England
Big names: Rizzle Kicks, Sub Focus, Confidence Man (DJ), Sammy Virji, Mandidextrous, Hedex, Katy B
Wanderlust
When: Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: multiple venues in Southampton, England
Big names: Squid, The Horrors, Moonlandingz, Humour, Scaler, Modern Woman, Annie-Dog, Whitelands
Neighbourhood Weekender
Photo: Neighbourhood Weekender / Anthony Mooney
When: Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Victoria Park in Warrington, England
Big names: Richard Ashcroft, Blossoms, Kaiser Chiefs, The K's, DMA's, Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Slam Dunk Festival: North and South
When: Hatfield - Saturday 23rd May / Leeds - Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Hatfield Park in Hatfield / Temple Newsam in Leeds, England
Big names: Good Charlotte, Knocked Loose, Sublime, Taking Back Sunday, Malevolence, Bury Tomorrow, Motion City Soundtrack
The rock, pop-punk, and heavy festival Slam Dunk returns. With two editions - one in the north, the other in the south - Slam Dunk lands on the bank holiday weekend and also offers emo, metal, metalcore, and more. Going for 20 years now, the skaters, emos, metalheads, rockers, and scene kids will be treated this year to two new heavy stages (with no set clashes) and also a new rotating stage (while a band is playing, another is setting up and getting ready to spin around into place), so the fest can pack as much music into the day as possible.
When: Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: East Brighton Park in Brighton, England
Big names: Aitch, Hedex, East End Dubs, Enzo Siragusa, K Motionz, Badger, Sota, Girls Don’t Sync, Lens
When: Sunday 24th May 2026
Where: Brockwell Park in London, England
Big names: Little Simz, Joy Crookes, KOKOROKO, Obongjayar, DON WEST, WAR, Mereba
Jazz, funk, soul, plus hip-hop and electronic music like DnB, Cross The Tracks returns to London for another bank holiday bash. Already boasting an incredible lineup, there are still more names to be added. Always good vibes, always good tunes, get to Cross The Tracks this year.
Find tickets for Cross The Tracks
When: Monday 25th May 2026
Where: Brockwell Park in London, England
Big names: Beres Hammond, Gyptian, Queen Ifrica, Jada Kingdom, The Congos, So Solid Crew
Find tickets for City Splash Festival
AVA Festival Belfast
Photo: AVA Belfast / The Hype Factory
When: Friday 29th - Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: Titanic Slipways in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Big names: KETTAMA, Kneecap, Honey Dijon, Interplanetary Criminal, Yousuke Yukimatsu, Annie Mac, Blawan (live)
When: Friday 29th - Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: Thoresby Park in Nottingham, England
Big names: Ben Hemsley, Billy Gillies B2B Maddix, Bryan Kearney B2B Mauro Picotto, Eddie Halliwell, Judge Jules
Goodgreef's Trance in the Woods brings trance and hard dance to Nottingham once again, but this time at a new location. Goodgreef celebrates 25 years in 2026, so TitW is taking it up a level with its production, visuals, stage design, and deeper sound. Yesteryear's legends and today's hot up-and-comers will be performing across three stages. If trance is your vibe, this is easily one of the best May festivals this year.
Find tickets for Trance In The Woods
Lovebox Festival
When: Friday 29th - Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: Dreamland in Margate, England
Big names: Rudimental, Scissor Sisters, Armand Van Helden, Groove Armada, Friendly Fires, Soul II Soul
When: Friday 29th - Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: Baltic Triangle in Liverpool, England
Big names: 4am Kru, Oppidan, Job Jobse, Faster Horses, Palms Trax, Kyle Starkey, Bakey, Chaos in the CBD
Find tickets for Baltic Weekender
When: Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: Northern Meeting Park in Inverness, Scotland
Big names: Skerryvore, Beluga Lagoon, Torridon, Talisk, Valtos, Kim Carnie
Find tickets for The Gathering Festival
When: Saturday 30th May 2026
Where: The Pitt Market in Edinburgh, Scotland
Big names: Daniel Avery B2B Helena Hauff, DJ Seinfeld, Sweely, Marcel Dune, Papa Nugs, Jamie Gunn, Like This
Boasting indoor and outdoor stages, a food market, and a belting community, DAYS goes crazy with house, UKG, disco, and electronic tunes. A little different, DAYS focuses on providing alternative lineups. And with a killer lineup, well, it's safe to say it's going to be ace.
Find tickets for DAYS Festival
Mighty Hoopla
When: Saturday 30th - Sunday 31st May 2026
Where: Brockwell Park in London, England
Big names: Lily Allen, Scissor Sisters, Jessie J, Perrie, Five, JLS, Horse Meat Disco
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