The UK's Best House and Techno Festivals 202

Daydreaming of gathering with all your best mates in a field, partying until the early hours and beyond? 

Rest assured. If you're a lover of dance music, and some of the monolithic events taking place across the UK this summer where raving is mandatory, then you're most certainly in the right place.

Below is our guide to the UK's best house and techno festivals taking place in a hopefully COVID free, 2021. 

From Terminal V in Edinburgh down to We Are FSTVL in Upminster - here's where you can catch some of the biggest names on the scene, including the likes of Nina Kraviz, Four Tet, Charlotte De Witte, Bicep and more.

 

 

Terminal V Festival 

2021 Lineup: Avalon Emerson, Charlotte De Witte, Sven Vath, Eats Everything, Richie Hawtin, Ben UFO, Helena Hauff, Green Velvet, Honey Dijon, Nina Kraviz…

When: Saturday 3rd – Sunday 4th April 2021

Where: Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh

Taking place at the enormous Royal Highland Centre in the Scottish capital, Terminal V is renowned for bringing some of the biggest names in dance music to its mighty arena. During its Halloween edition in 2019 we witnessed Amelie Lens bringing some serious heat (see above), and there's more of the same expected come April 2021.

Some of the many names attendees can expect to see include the likes of Floorplan, Octa Octa, Rebuke, Kink (live), Shanti Celeste, Kornel kovacs, HAAi, Dax J and a whole load more.

 

Junction 2

Image: Junction 2

2021 lineup: Avalon Emerson, Jon Hopkins, Four Tet, Honey Dijon, Leon Vynehall, Midland, Chaos in the CBD, Nina Kraviz, Seth troxler, Skee Mask…

When: Friday 5th - Saturday 6th June 2020

Where: Boston Manor Park in Brentford

With live sets from Jon Hopkins and Fatima Yamaha, plus immense DJ sets from Amelie Lens, Maceo Plex, Four Tet, Honey Dijon, Dixon and a whole heap more, Junction 2 haven't disappointed with their 2021 line-up.

With a main stage "cocooned amongst concrete and trees with water on all sides", the location of this rave makes for a unique experience, shrouded from the outside world as you enjoy sets from some of the finest house and techno can offer.

 

Baltic Weekender

Image: Hannah Metcalfe

2021 lineup: To be announced

When: To be announced

Where: Baltic Triangle, Liverpool

Liverpool's Baltic Triangle has been a hotspot for top class music events of all natures for some years now. With a healthy slew of live music spaces, it's an ideal location for multi-day music events, such as the Baltic Weekender curated by the teams behind Abandon Silence and 24 Kitchen Street.

The last edition of the event took place in September 2019, bringing the likes of Mike Skinner, Joy Orbison and Helena Hauff to Merseyside. The organisers behind the Baltic weekender are yet to announce plans for 2021 (keep watch here) but we can almost guarantee more of the same next year for this gem of a festival.

 

Field Day

Image: Field Day

2021 lineup: Bicep live, The Black Madonna, Floorplan, George Fitzgerald, DJ Seinfeld, Floating Points, Jaguar, Maribou State, Mount Kimbie, Jungle DJ set

When: Saturday 10th July 2021

Where: The Drumsheds, London

With one of the finest electronic acts in the world, Bicep set to headline Field Day 2021, this one day event located in London's Drumsheds is looking unmissable.

Pushing the focus more onto the electronic acts, in order to complement the festivals huge ten-acre warehouse venue, the organisers behind Field Day have already announced a host of esteemed names set to perform in July next year – from Floating Points to George Fitzgerald, Mount Kimbie, Mall Grab, IMOGEN and many more. The full festival lineup is expected to be announced early in the new year.

‘London’s hippest music festival’ recently moved from its former home in Brockwell Park to The Drumsheds to allow for later finishing times and louder stages, with the main stage now open until 3am. The venue consists of four interlinking warehouses, the largest of which will be the biggest warehouse venue for music in London.

 

Inner City Electronic

Image: Inner City Electronic

2021 lineup: To be announced

When: To be announced 

Where: Various venues in Leeds

Alike almost all other events this year, Leeds all-dayer Inner City Electronic found itself at the mercy of the pandemic, leaving organisers with little other choice than to postpone the multi venue festival and conference.

A host of huge names from the house and techno scene were scheduled to perform at what would have been Inner City’s third consecutive event in 2020 – from the likes of Peggy Gou to Mr Scruff, Or:la, HAAi, Orbital and many more.

We hope to see this awesome celebration of electronic music and culture returning to Yorkshire in 2021. Watch this space for updates.

 

We Are FSTVL

2021 lineup: To be announced

When: Saturday 29th – Sunday 30th May 2021

Where: Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Upminster

Since its inception in 2013, We Are FSTVL has continued to grow in size, stature and reputation from its impressive home at Damyns Hall Aerodrome (a sprawling 142 acre former WW1 airfield in Upminster, Greater London).

Returning for the late May bank holiday weekend in 2021, the multi-genre event is set to host yet another mighty party in the capital. Performers at previous editions of the festival have included Armand Van Helden, Basement Jaxx, Groove Armada, Andy C, Camelphat and more.

 

Parklife

2021 lineup: To be announced

When: Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th June 2021

Where: Heaton Park in Manchester

The biggest party in the Manc summer calendar, welcoming some 80,000 festival-goers, Parklife is the UK’s largest metropolitan festival. 

Taking place on the spacious grounds of Heaton Park, located on the outskirts of the city, the festival consists of eight arenas, each providing an excess of world class performers representing a range of genres – from grime to hip hop, house and techno, to garage and drum n bass.

2019 saw sets from the likes of Peggy Gou, Solomun, Bicep, Macro Carola, Jamie Jones, Patrick Topping, Amelie Lens, Black Coffee... the list goes on. 

 

Creamfields

Image: Creamfields

2021 lineup: Carl Cox, Chase and Status DJ set, Deadmau5, Darren Styles, Hannah Wants, Hot Since 82, Peggy Gou, Oliver Heldens, Jax Jones, Pete Tong

When: Thursday 26th – Sunday 29th August 2021

Where: Creamfields, Cheshire

Having already announced the likes of Carl Cox, Eric Prydz, Tiesto, Peggy Gou, Adam Beyer, ANNA, Andy C and Fisher as headliners, it's hard to see how this monolithic electronic music festival could go much bigger in 2021 - but they undoubtedly will.

House and techno acts always feature heavily on the Creamfields line-up, alongside huge names in EDM, trance, drum n bass, dub step and more. 2019 saw performances from the likes of Solardo, Patrick Topping, Green Velvet and Amelie Lens to name a select few.

 

 

If we've got you in the mood for a bit of festival planning, you might want to take a look at our guides to the best festivals in Croatia, Spain and all of Europe. You can also check out Skiddle's full festival guide here.

 

Headline image: Creamfields