The Best Indie & Alternative Festivals in the UK

Oh, how we long for the temperamental British weather, drinks in hand, surrounded by the best company imaginable, jam-packed into an equally excited crowd singing arm and arm with strangers; it could only be a festival season of the indie and alternative variety!

It's truly the best time of year, but whilst pop, dance and rap can dominate the landscape nowadays, we, like you if you're reading this, are instead after more of the Indie variety with roaring guitars, pounding drums, and groovy bass. Because if the last few years have proven anything, with the rise of the likes of Sam Fender, Fontaines DC, and the return of Arctic Monkeys; guitar music ain't dead yet.

Indie festivals are packed full of emerging bands and established favourites, with some of the best atmospheres that you can find. Plus, there are few things more satisfying than hearing a band hit into one of your favourite tunes, and then getting stuck right into a mosh pit, is there?

So without further ado, let's dive into the very best the UK has to offer where Indie Festivals are concerned; scroll down, check them out, and get those tickets booked!

 

(Click on the headers or images for FAQs and more information about each festival, and make sure to secure tickets in the boxes below each event.)

 

 

Wide Awake Festival

When: Friday 23rd May 2025

Where: Brockwell Park in London

2025 Lineup: Kneecap, CMAT, Daniel Avery, Erol Alkan, Sprints, Marie Davidson and more 

Wide Awake is a festival built on the bands/artists who charge the frontlines of Counter Culture, striving to do things differently and thriving in the process; and it is returning once again this year. 2025 will see Kneecap take the main spot. With a sensational supporting cast featuring the likes of CMAT, Daniel Avery, Erol Alkan, Sprints, Marie Davidson and more.

There are few lineups better than this one in 2025, head to the link below and secure your tickets now!

 

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on Wide Awake Festival - HERE

 

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In It Together Festival

When: Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th May 2025

Where: Old Park Farm Margam in Port Talbot

2025 lineup: Pixie Lott, Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Vengaboys, Shy FX, Solardo and more

In It Together is one of the biggest events in the whole of the Welsh music calendars, and with a lineup like the above its clear to see why. Covering almost every genre imaginable, including of course Indie, In it together is jam-packed with awesome sets that will undoubtedly leave you with some of the greatest memories of your whole summer. 

with sets from a mix of classic and modern indie royalty like Kaiser Chiefs, Fat Dog and Panic Shack this is one of best Indie festivals in Wales. Grab your tickets below! 

 

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on In It Together Festival - HERE

 

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Solfest

Photo: Solfest / Instagram.com 

When: Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th August 2025

Where: North Lakes Country Park in Silloth, Cumbria

2025 lineup: TBA

If you like some other genres alongside your indie, Solfest might be the one!

Solfest is a much-loved multi-genre music festival. Bringing 10,000 music fans together, the independent festival is over 20 years old now and puts on a wide range of sounds with DnB, indie and rock, folk, reggae, world music, dance, and more. 

Ran by volunteers, the fest goes down in between The Lake District and Southern Scotland's mountains, overlooking the sea to create an atmosphere built for escapism. There are no advertisements at Solfest, only art and décor, and there are loads of activities to get stuck into like workshops and crafts. 

 

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on Solfest - HERE

 

 

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Manchester Psych Festival

When: Saturday 30th August 2025

Where: Various Manchester venues including Albert Hall, O2 Ritz, Gorilla, YES, and The Deaf Institute

2025 Lineup: Nadine Shah, Goat, Do Nothing, Chastity Belt, Du Blonde and more

For one day in August, Manchester's staple celebration of the weird and wonderful world of psychedelic music will be returning to the heart of the city, and we for one cannot wait. The event always supplies trippy vibes and is spread across some of the city's finest venues, including Albert Hall, YES, Gorilla and the O2 Ritz.

Plus, with bands and artists like Nadine Shah, Goat, Do Nothing, Du Blonde and Chastity Belt performing, the lineup is a serious musical force to be reckoned with.

If you can spare a second for some downtime amongst all the talent on show then feel free to explore the various art installations, street food stalls and a few DJ sets for good measure. Head to the link below to secure your tickets!

 

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on Manchester Psych Festival - HERE

 

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Monument Festival

When: Saturday 19th July 2025

Where: Herrington Country Park in Sunderland

2025 lineup: TBA

Having rebranded itself from Kubix Alternative Festival to Monument Festival in 2024, this North East knees up returns for its latest edition in 2025.

We don't know yet who is performing at the festival yet but judging by previous years, you can expect to see indie legends including some of the UK's most successful bands. Get those tickets and head up to the best celebration of alternative music in the North East.

 

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on Monument Festival - HERE

 

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Sounds From The Other City

When: Sunday 5th May 2025

Where: Various venues around Salford including The White Hotel, Five Four Studios, Regent Trading Estate, St Philips Church, and more

2025 lineup: TBA 

Sounds From The Other City has confirmed its return to Salford's most vibrant thoroughfare, Chapel Street, in May of 2025. Set to commandeer the bustling avenue once more, the increasingly popular music and arts festival will see some of the freshest acts on the UK scene appearing on stage across a multitude of venues and event spaces - from warehouses and studios to pubs, clubs, bars and everything in between. 

The day-long event, set to run over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday 5th May 2024, will have creatives, musos and frequent gig-goers alike scrambling for tickets to witness the next generation of indie/alternative talents.

 

Find more information on Sounds From The Other City - HERE

 

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Reading/Leeds Festival

When: Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th August 2025

Where: Bramham Park (Leeds) Little John's Farm (Reading)

2025 lineup: Travis Scott, Chappell Roan, Hozier, Bring Me The Horizon, AJ Tracey, Wallows, Soft Play, Royel Otis and so many more

Despite welcoming more genres into the fold, something about Leeds/Reading will always remain distinctively indie and you can see that in the 2025 lineup. There are plenty of gems to be found within it including Wunderhorse, who killed it in 2024, as well as Royel Otis and more established names such as Bloc Party and The Kooks. 

Whatever your taste there's no shortness of excitement surrounding this lineup where there's an artist or band for pretty much anyone. Click on the links below for more info.

 

Find more information on Leeds Festival - HERE

Find more information on Reading Festival - HERE

 

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Kendal Calling

When: Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd August 2025

Where: Lowther Deer Park in Cumbria

2025 lineup: The Prodigy, The Wombats, The Last Dinner Party, Courteeners, Fatboy Slim, Pixie Lott, Kaiser Chiefs and so so many more

Kendal Calling is THE place in Cumbria and the very north of the country to see all of the best Indie acts, all in one place, and this year in 2025, they look to emulate what they always do, with another absolute stormer of a lineup.

The headline trio of Cournteeners, Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy is unreal and you'll find plenty of the best and buzziest acts around further down the lineup including Nieve Ella, The Big Moon, The Pigeon Detectives and The Last Dinner Party. 

Head over to their website for tickets, and click the link below for more information and reviews!

 

Find more information on Kendal Calling - HERE

 

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Boardmasters

When: Wednesday 6th - Sunday 10th August 2025

Where: Newquay Fistral Beach And Watergate Bay in Cornwall

2025 lineup: Rizzle Kicks, Nelly Furtado, Raye, Maribou State, Wet Leg, The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand and more

Boardmasters is the UK's ultimate party by the beach. Taking place on Fistral Beach in Newquay, the festival has a strong ethos of sustainability and surfing. Offering you a place throughout the day to pick up a board yourself, a space where you can watch the pros, or one to take in the various entertainments on offer.

The festival boasts 11 different stages, and whilst the festival in recent years has adopted more Dance and Rap into its bill, the indie soul of its earlier years is still front and centre. Get your tickets and you’ll see exactly what we mean.  

 

Find more information on Boardmasters - HERE

 

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Y Not Festival

When: Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd August 2025

Where: Pikehall in Matlock

2025 lineup: The Prodigy, The Wombats, Professor Green, Franz Ferdinand, Primal Scream, The Pigeon Detectives and more

Y Not Festival is the biggest Indie bash on the Park district calendar! Taking over the stunning hilltops of Pikehall in Matlock, this annual celebration of all things guitar music is the highlight of a lot of indie kids from the surrounding Manchester Sheffield and Leeds year.

The lineup is always stacked, and this year especially with the likes of The Wombats, Primal Scream, The Prodigy, Courteeners, Franz Ferdinand, The Last Dinner Party and more filling out the festivals massive 8 stage site. 

So grab your tickets now, and click the link below for some more information on what it holds in store!

 

Find more information on Y Not Festival - HERE

 

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TRNSMT Festival

When: Friday 11th - Sunday 13th July 2025

Where: Glasgow Green in Glasgow

2025 lineup: 50 Cent, The Script, The Kooks, Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro, Twin Atlantic, Jake Bugg, Confidence Man and more

TRNSMT has quickly become one of the biggest festivals in the UK scene since its inception in 2017 and has come through once again with an incredible lineup for 2025. You’ve got a fantastic range of old and new with legends like Snow Patrol and The Script performing. 

Amongst the rest, there's a whole range of incredible talents such as Inhaler, Confidence Man, Wet Leg, Wunderhorse and Kneecap to name a few. So, get on the phone with your mates and convince them to have a weekend away in Glasgow, you won't regret it.

 

Find more information on TRNSMT Festival - HERE

 

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Truck Festival

When: Friday 25th - Sunday 27th July 2025

Where: Hill Farm in Oxfordshire

2025 lineup: Kasabian, Courteeners, Bloc Party, Blossoms, The Last Dinner Party and so many more  

Truck Festival is just one of those annual knee’s ups that never disappoint, and is arguably the best place in the whole of the South to see the biggest and best indie talents, all in one place.  

2025 sees the awesome selection of Nothing But Thieves, Kasabian, Courteeners, and Bloc Party headline. With a whole host of awesome sets throughout the weekend from the likes of Wunderhorse, Sports Team, Fat Dog, and more across the 5 stages at Hill Farm.

Secure your tickets now, and find out more information on the festival in the link below!

 

Find more information on Truck Festival - HERE 

 

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Liverpool Sound City

When: Saturday 3rd - Sunday 4th May

Where: Various venues, Liverpool

2025 lineup: The Royston Club, Nieve Ella, Overpass, Panic Shack, Rianne Downey and more

Liverpool Sound City is part conference, part music festival. The former sees key issues within the industry discussed by panels of experts. Otherwise, its all about the next generation of artists, with Sound City specialising in booking the names who are ones to watch for the future. 

Here, you can check out a bunch of budding indie/alternative names who may be your next favourite artists including TTSSFU, White Flowers, Delights, Nieve Ella, Overpass and more. 

 

Find more information about Liverpool Sound City - here

 

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The Great Escape

When: Wednesday 14th - Saturday 17th May

Where: Various venues, Brighton

2025 lineup: Chloe Slater, Rizzle Kicks, Corto.Alto, The Orchestra (For Now), TTSSFU, Disgusting Sisters and more

The Great Escape is similar to Liverpool Sound City but based all the way down in Brighton, where a great spectacle is made of the hottest new names. The city is buzzing with energy throughout the weekend, as people anticipate discovering huge talents who we'll be hearing for years to come. 

There's a whole range of genres to be found here but there's plenty of good indie in the mix including Chloe Slater, The Klittens, Catty and TTSSFU.

 

Find more information about The Great Escape - here

 

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Latitude Festival

When: Friday 25th - Sunday 27th July 2025

Where: Henham Park, Beccles

2025 lineup: Basement Jaxx, Fatboy Slim, Snow Patrol, Maribou State, Elbow, Sigrid and more

Based in the beautiful scenery that surrounds Henham Park in Beccles, Latitiude Festival feels like a complete oasis for you to go and recline at. Within this peaceful space you can enjoy sets from Snow Patrol, Elbow, Maribou State, Sigrid and many more names still to be announced. 

If you want to have a laugh, they also dedicated space to comedy, where you can cackle away to the best in the business including Greg Davies, Sophie Duker, Bridget Christie and more. 

 

Find more information about Latitude Festival - here

 

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We have festival features which cover every type of music, so whether you're looking for dance and EDM festivals, house and techno, trance, Ibiza or hip-hop, we have you covered.

 

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Has this list of incredible indie festivals got you hungry for more? Click here to see more from our festival guides and start planning a summer in 2024 that you won't forget.

 

 

 

 

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