The Best Indie & Alternative Festivals in the UK
Oh, how we long for the temperamental British weather, drinks in hand with the best company imaginable and seeing some of the most exciting new bands. Who said the guitar was dead?
Skiddle Staff
Last updated: 30th Jan 2023
Oh, how we long for the temperamental British weather, drinks in hand with the best company imaginable, jam-packed into a pissed-up crowd singing arm and arm with strangers. Festival season is truly the best time of year, but whilst pop, dance and rap can dominate the landscape nowadays, we, like you if you 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?
From Huge rising indie darlings like Sam Fender to the groove-laden throwbacks of Hacienda Classical. From the Indie Pop bliss of The 1975 to the revival of legends like Pulp. You'll find all these and similar names gracing the stages of Highest Point, Truck Festival, TRSMT and many, many more.
(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.)
Image: Highest Point on Facebook
2023 Lineup: Hacienda Classical, Bastille, Anne Marie
When: Thursday 11th - Sunday 14th May 2023
Where: Williamson Park in Lancaster
Lancaster's number one open-air live music event, Highest Point has confirmed its return to the city's majestic Williamson Park next summer.
Taking over the magnificent grounds of the hill-top park once more, providing four days of amazing wall-to-wall entertainment, the festival will welcome a score of fantastic performances from recently announced headliners, Anne-Marie, Bastille and the Hacienda Classical, who make their long-overdue return to open proceedings on Thursday 11th May. Many more acts have still yet to be announced.
Tickets for the fifth instalment of the popular North West event are already in high demand. Secure yours now in the box below to avoid bitter disappointment.
Tickets for Highest Point Festival
Image: Knockengorroch Festival on Facebook
2023 Lineup: Mungos Hi-Fi, Cut Capers, Marina P, Old Blind Dogs
When: Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th May 2023
Where: Knockengorroch in Kirkcudbrightshire
A selection of world-class names from near and far will journey to the stunning Southern Uplands of Scotland to mark the festival's milestone 25th anniversary.
Among the talents set to make the journey to the festival's stunning Southern Uplands home, set amidst the hills of Galloway in South West Scotland, are the likes of Zentone, nine-piece funk band Cut Capers, Knockengorroch favourites Old Blind Dogs, who opened the first edition of Knockengorroch back in June 1998, and the mighty Mungo’s Hi Fi, this one going to be a belter, so get your tickets below and don't miss out!
Tickets for Knockengorroch Festival
Image: Manchester Psych Festival on Facebook
2023 Lineup: Los Bitchos, Sorry, The Lovely Eggs, Panic Shack, L’Eclair, The Underground Youth, Ulrika Spacek, Crocodiles
When: Saturday 2nd September 2023
Where: Various Manchester venues including Albert Hall, O2 Ritz, Canvas, Gorilla, YES, and The Deaf Institute
For one day in September, 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 02 Ritz.
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.
Tickets for Manchester Psych Festival
Image: Kubix Festival on Facebook
2023 lineup: Squeeze, The Enemy, Marc Almond, Inspiral Carpets, Terrorvision, Elvana, Neds Atomic Dustbin
When: Saturday 22nd July 2023
Where: Herrington Country Park in Sunderland
After another excellent edition of Kubix Alternative Festival in 2022, the North East knees up is returning in 2023 yet again for its fifth year, with the team promising that the event is going to return bigger and better for this milestone year.
Headlining the festival will be the 80s pop icons, Squeeze, who alone should make you feel tempted. Alongside will be the, recently reformed, noughties indie rockers The Enemy; one half of Soft Cell, and the man who's gonna take hold of your heart, Marc Almond; as well as the 90s Madchester legends Inspiral Carpets, who complete a lineup that might finally make them less lonely. Get those tickets and head up to the best celebration of alternative music in the North East.
Tickets for Kubix Festival - Rock & Indie
Image: Sounds of the Other City on Facebook
2023 lineup: Gracie T, Honeyglaze, Katbrownsugar, Chande, 96 Back, Arch Femmesis, Deptford Northern Soul Club
When: Sunday 30th April 2023
Where: Various venues around Salford including The White Hotel, Five Four Studios, Regent Trading Estate, St Philips Church
Sounds From The Other City has confirmed its return to Salford's most vibrant thoroughfare, Chapel Street, in the spring of 2023.
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 30th April 2023, will have creatives, musos and frequent gig-goers alike scrambling for tickets to witness the next generation of future stadium-filling talents.
Tickets for Sounds From The Other City
Image: Reading and Leeds Festival on Facebook
2023 lineup: Sam Fender, Foals, Imagine Dragons, Billie Eilish, The Killers, Lewis Capaldi, Loyle Carner, Steve Lacy
When: Friday 25th - Sunday 27th August 2023
Where: Bramham Park (Leeds) Little John's Farm (Reading)
Despite welcoming more genres into the fold, something about Leeds/Reading will always remain distinctively indie and you can see that in the 2023 lineup. With indie darling Sam Fender commanding a headline spot, alongside fan-favourites Foals, and huge superstars like The Killers and Imagine Dragons, it still holds its former essence in very high regard.
The alternative acts, although from other genres, do still feel quite indie too. With the likes of Loyle Carner, Billie Eilish and Steve Lacy on the Bill, there are lots that fans of indie will more than likely also be into. Whatever your taste there's no shortness of excitement surrounding this lineup where there's an artist or band for pretty much anyone.
Find more information on Leeds - here
Find more information on Reading - here
Image: Boardmasters on Facebook
2023 lineup: Liam Gallagher, Florence + The Machine, Little Simz, Four Tet, Example, Bob Vylan, Jockstrap
When: Wednesday 9th - Sunday 13th August 2023
Where: Newquay Fistral Beach And Watergate Bay in Cornwall
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 just take in the various entertainments on offer.
The festival boasts 11 different stages, ranging from smaller local folk acts to huge headliners, with the likes of George Ezra, Disclosure and Kings Of Leon performing Last year, you just know that this year's lineup will be delivering, even if it hasn't been announced yet. This one is always a vibe, and arguably has the best campsite in all of the UK festival scene. Get your tickets and you’ll see exactly what we mean.
Find more information on Boardmasters - here
Image: Y Not Festival on Facebook
2023 lineup: TBA
When: Friday 28th - Sunday 30th July 2023
Where: Pikehall in Matlock
A little later than usually planned this year, All Points East will return to London's Victoria Park on August bank holiday. The first Friday will boast an amazing lineup featuring Gorillaz and festival staples IDLES who have been at the forefront of British punk for a few years now and are showing no signs of looking down.
With multiple stages and a seemingly endless amount of food stalls, it is going to be a great festival to see some of the best indie and pop music new and old coming out of the UK.
Find more information on Y Not Festival - here
Image: TRSMT on Facebook
2023 lineup: Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, Kasabian, Royal Blood, George Ezra, Aitch, Jamie Webster
When: Friday 7th - Sunday 9th July 2023
Where: Glasgow Green in Glasgow
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 2023. You’ve got a fantastic range of old and new with Britpop legends Pulp returning to headline the first day, current indie Darling Sam fender headlining the next, and then indie pop superstars The 1975 closing.
Amongst the rest, there's a whole range of incredible talents such as Kasabian, Royal Blood, George Ezra and Jamie Webster to name a few, all acts you’ll see headlining elsewhere. 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
Image: Truck Festival on Facebook
2023 lineup: TBA
When: Friday 22nd July- Sunday 24th July
Where: Hill Farm in Oxfordshire
Truck Festival is just one of those annual knee’s ups that never disappoints. Last year the Oxfordshire festival boasted headliners Bombay Bicycle Club, Kasabian and Sam Fender, all of whom tore the stage up, and in and among these lot was an exceptional range of widespread talent from the UK.
Whilst Truck have not yet announced its lineup for 2023, the festival prides itself on showcasing some of the most promising upcoming bands and pop artists in the country and we are sure 2023 will be no exception, get on this one early as when it’s announced, it’s going to sell out.
Find more information on Truck Festival - here
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 2022 that you won't forget.
Header: Highest Point / Facebook.com
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